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Discover Autumn Home | How Do Leaves Change Color? | Take a Fall Hike
Autumn Driving Tours
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The Clarion is now part of the National Wild and Scenic River system. When dense green foliage turns brilliant hues of gold, red and orange, the waterway becomes particularly breathtaking.
We begin our journey at a central point, in the Historic Victorian town of Brookville.
Located off Exit 13 of I-80, Brookville is a Pennsylvania Outstanding Community and one of "America's Prettiest Painted Places". A 90-acre historic district features an excellent self-guided walking tour with several unique Main Street
shops and restaurants to choose from.
Take Route 28 west to Hazen for one of the last flea markets of the season. Branching off of Rte. 219, between 400-500 vendors fill the fire company grounds with a variety of crafts, antiques, and collectibles the first weekend of the month, May through October.
Traveling Route 36 north journeys through the finest stand of old-growth forest east of the Mississippi. Here, Cook Forest State Park has the designation of being one of the few state parks intertwined with private land.
Dozens of cottage industries have been established, some for generations, providing a variety of lodging, fine dining and specialty shops.
Recreation ranges from amusement rides to horseback riding, water slides and mini-golf. See a deer ranch, pan for gemstones, wander through a maze or hike through massive trees that were here when William Penn walked the earth.
Stop off for a quilt show, dulcimer festival, live theatre, or square dancing or take a class in traditional craftsmanship such as
basket making, woodcarving or tatting.
A canoe trip from Clear Creek State Park, off Rt. 36 in Sigel, to Cook Forest is particularly lovely this time of year. Enjoy a nearby zoo complex and several area flea markets provide a treasure trove of possibilities.
Take Route 899 north to Marienville and the Forest Tour or Route 949 north to Ridgway and the Elk Tour. The Forest Tour is also accessed by traveling through Cook Forest on Route 36 and connecting with Route 66 north. Route 36 north continues and connects with the Oil Heritage Tour providing plenty of options.
Venture further north on Route 66 past Marienville to Pennsylvania's infamous Allegheny National Forest and take a train ride, ATV ride or enjoy Oktoberfest. Another alternative is traveling south to Clarion, Route 66 to Route 322, the "Autumn Leaf Capital" and part of the Wild and Scenic Clarion Tour.
Here, high above the Clarion River valley, the small university town hosts a spectacular week-long Autumn Leaf Festival early October. A downtown carnival, car show, farmer & crafter day, parade, sidewalk sales, dozens of community events, and university homecoming game continue to draw more than a quarter of a million visitors each year.
Route 68 south from I-80 in Clarion connects to the Brady's Bend Tour.
Driving further south on Route 66 from Clarion takes leaf seekers through lovely winding farmlands. As home to a Smuckers factory, New Bethlehem celebrates a Peanut Butter Festival mid-September.
The loop continues north on Route 28 to Brookville and the Covered Bridge Tour or southeast on Route 839 to Route 954 for the Punxsutawney Phil & Amish Country Tour.
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Also north of Cook Forest, the expansive Allegheny National Forest is viewed along the Forest Tour.
Route 66 north leads to Marienville. Stop off the third week in September for an annual Oktoberfest or late October for an ATV trail ride called Tour-de-Forest. Enjoy a meal along the way or pack a picnic to enjoy in a relaxing woodland setting.
The Elk Tour is accessible from Russell City by taking Route 948 to Ridgway.
Jump over to Route 666 every weekend from September 9 to October 15 for an annual Autumn Fest in Sheffield. It's a big draw with plenty of food, entertainment, artisans and extraordinary shopping.
See the colorful landscape by rail. Take a train ride in Titusville. From Route 666, take Route 63 south to Route 36 north. Trains run rain or shine so dress for the weather. Advance reservations are recommended, particularly this time of year.
Route 36 south takes visitors to Native American origins in Tionesta. Canoe or kayak along the wild and scenic Allegheny. It's not uncommon to see bald eagles here.
Rent a boat and cruise along Tionesta Lake or take in a rodeo event. A number of fine shops are situated along the route ranging from antiques to outdoor clothing, hunting and fishing and specialties.
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The drive connecting Punxsutawney and New Bethlehem is perhaps one of the most nostalgic as it leads through the largest Amish settlement in western Pennsylvania.
Route 839 from New Bethlehem to Daton crosses over to Route 954 in Smicksburg. Quaint shops dot the route along with rolling farmland still turned by horses and plows. Some are not open on Sunday due to the Mennonite beliefs (see ads this issue for hours).
Quilts, Amish-made furniture, country crafts, antiques and fine foods are found along the way. Take part in a traditional Amish wedding feast or tour a winery that produces award-winning vintage in Smicksburg.
In nearby Marchand, Route 119 south of Punxsutawney, tour a working fiber farm and visit with the animals or purchase the finished product in an extraordinary shop. Llama packing hikes and fiber arts classes are also available.
The Punxsutawney/Amish Country Tour can connect with Route 28 north to the Wild and Scenic Clarion Tour or Route 36 north to Brookville and Cook Forest.
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The Oil Heritage Tour provides spectacular countryside with a train excursion through "the valley that changed the world".
Just north of Cook Forest on Route 36, Colonel Edwin Drake discovered oil in the mid-1800s near Titusville. Fall foliage is enjoyed both while driving the highway and along the railroad.
Dozens of historic roadway markers identify the chronological development of the boom towns here. One grew from a single family to 15,000 residents in just five short months!
Between Titusville and Oil City along Route 8, travelers find antique shops, a number of historic landmarks and restaurants.
Stop off in Franklin the first weekend in October for their annual Apple Fest with activities for the Or continue down Route 8 to Route 308 and stop in Clintonville during Labor Day weekend for traditional craftsmanship at its finest at the American Folkways Festival.
Follow I-80 east to Exit 8 to access the Wild and Scenic Clarion River Tour or take Route 68 south to begin the Brady's Bend Tour.
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The second of our wild and scenic rivers, the Allegheny, carves a path through the winding hills of the Allegheny-Clarion valley. South of Clarion on Route 68, a popular overlook presents an ideal photographic opportunity blending sky, flaming foliage and water.
Just two miles east of East Brady, Brady's Bend overlook provides a spectacular 1500-foot panoramic view of the infamous bend. This eight-mile loop of the Allegheny is particularly breathtaking when fall leaves are at their finest.
Continuing north on Route 268, the town of Foxburg is home to the American Golf Hall of Fame and the oldest golf course in continuous use in the United States. Play a round or two or take a scenic float down the river.
Located at 201 Main Street in nearby Emlenton sits America's first steam-powered grist mill. Totally refurbished, it was built in the 1870s, remains essentially intact.
Antique enthusiasts will want to stop in Nickelville with exquisite dining in an old but renovated barn at Exit 7 of I-80.
This route connects to the Oil Heritage Tour near Kossuth or the Wild and Scenic Clarion River Tour at Clarion. Note that Route 322 near Cranberry is tentatively closed until mid-September.
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The McGees Mill covered bridge has withstood the test of time. Constructed in 1875, the Burr Arch Truss bridge covers a 107-foot span. The only covered bridge in Clearfield county, it is also the only one crossing the west branch of the Susquehanna River and is especially picturesque during the changing of leaves.
The bridge is found by traveling from Brookville on Route 36 south through Coolspring and Punsxutwaney to Mahaffey. Stop off for the Coolspring Power Museum fall show and swap meet late September to see an extensive collection of internal combustion engines spanning more than a century.
Go golfing, stay in a charming bed and breakfast or shop for antiques along the way. Visit world-famous Punxsutawney Phil in Groundhog Zoo, downtown. His climate-controlled den is visible from the park through a glass wall just across from a turn-of-the-century Victorian hotel.
Route 119 cuts off from Punxsutawney to DuBois where you can access the Elk Tour.
From the covered bridge, take Route 219 north to Route 879 to Clearfield. Along the way, Grampian features a massive 20-acre rock formation known as Bilger's Rocks. This geological phenomenon has been the site of family picnics for generations and hosts a fall festival mid-September and Haunted Hayrides Halloween weekend.
Curwensville Lake makes an ideal stop-off for a picnic or great photo opportunity. The 2,100-acre lake allows unlimited horsepower and plenty of brilliantly-shaded shorelines.
Clearfield's old town district provides a self-guided walking tour of the National Historic Landmark. Stroll past archaic homes or see trophy mounts and antique cars at the community museum. Live theatre offers alternatives to traditional activities.
Between Brookville and Clearfield, attractions include antique or mall shopping or golfing on a top-10 gold or silver course and wineries nearby.
Route 219 at DuBois provides a link to the Elk Tour. Routes 36 and 119 in Punxsutaney provide access to the Punxsutawney Phil and Amish Country Tour while the intersection of Routes 28, 36, and 322 connect to the Wild and Scenic Clarion Tour.
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Visitors to the Great Outdoors region can still see where the elk roam! Situated at the edge of Pennsylvania's only national forest, the Ridgway and Saint Marys area offers visitors the best of both worlds. Town and country.
At a half-million acres, the expansive Allegheny National Forest provides a refreshing retreat for an abundance of outdoor recreation ranging from canoeing the wild and scenic Clarion to mountain biking, bird watching or hiking in spectacular fall foliage.
The Allegheny National Forest can also be reached along the Forest Tour.
Near Saint Marys, in Benezette, resides the largest wild free-roaming elk herd east of the Mississippi. Numbering more than 700, the herd is now protected.
Luxurious accommodations, exquisite dining and extraordinary shopping is found in the area. Choose from a lavish mansion, a charming bed and breakfast or the appeal of an Old World inn.
Browse an art gallery or enjoy a hometown festival early September. The Route 219 and Route 255 loop from DuBois to Wilcox and back is a haven for antique enthusiasts. Visitors are also invited to tour wineries or visit a brewery. Dining is just as diverse.
Pack a picnic and relax along the banks of the East Branch Clarion River Lake at Bendigo State Park.
Jump over to the Forest Tour by taking Route 321 north from Wilcox to Route 66 south or Route 948 north from Ridgway.
In Penfield, two more state parks provide the ultimate in quiet outdoor adventure. Parker Dam and S.B. Elliott are off the beaten path with plenty of scenery and serenity.
Stop by over the Labor Day holiday for Parker Dam's Woodhick Weekend and celebrate old logging practices. Designation of the coveted Woodhick and Woodchick title involve grueling competition in old time favorites like watermelon seed spitting and log rolling. Upcoming fall interpretive programs include cider making and trail hiking.
The Quehanna Wild Area has a 917-acre stand of white birch, situated in the Marion Brooks Natural Area, which is magnificent this time of year. The Quehanna trail system allows backpacking for up to five days without retracing steps. It can be accessed through Parker Dam and S. B. Elliott State Park trails.
With DuBois paralleling the lower leg of the Elk Tour, possibilities include antique or mall shopping, accommodations at an extraordinary bed & breakfast, national chain hotel or luxury lodge, winery tours, or golfing on a top-10 course.
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Although it doesn't directly connect, the Moraine tour is easy to get to from Interstate 80 off of Exit 3 (Grove City). Outlet shopping, a bison ranch and Native American studio are all located nearby.
Route 8 south connects to Route 528 traversing beautiful Moraine State Park. Enjoy the fall scenery from the water of expansive Lake Arthur. Boat and bicycle rentals are available.
Just next door, experience a true prairie at the Jennings Environmental Center. This remnant of an original mid-west prairie was isolated in Pennsylvania and is carefully maintained. A mix of forest, wild flowers and wildlife are observed along well-marked hiking trails.
Travel Route 19 north to Portersville for the Northwest Pennsylvania Steam Show the first weekend in October. Great restaurants and quilt shop are nearby.
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A short diversion off the Forest Tour, this drive leads to the old ghost town, Nebraska. From Marienville, follow Route 66 south, cross the railroad tracks and turn west toward Muzette. Cross Salmon and Little Coon creeks.
Stop at the Nebraska Bridge and imagine the 1900s when this was a prosperous lumber boom town with several hundred residents, a sawmill, church, and railway station. The noise of a once thriving community has been replaced by the sound of falling leaves.
Continue to Newmansville and north on Route 36 to Tionesta for a stop at the Tionesta Dam. A great place to picnic, the lake has paddle boat and pontoon rentals for an enjoyable afternoon viewing fall foliage from the water.
The Oil Heritage Tour is accessible from Tionesta.
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A short diversion off the Elk Tour, this trip concentrates on the Quehanna Wilderness.
From Interstate 80, Exit 18, drive north on Route 153 to Route 255 to Route 555, quiet outdoor adventure is evident in the Moshannon State Forest. Along the way, Parker Dam and S.B. Elliott State Parks provide opportunities for hiking and picnicking.
The Quehanna Highway is accessible off Route 555 at Medix Run. Here, the Quehanna Wilderness Area maintains nearly 1,000 acres of white birch located in the Marion Brooks Natural Area, magnificent during the fall of the year.
The 75-mile Quehanna Trail system allows backpacking for up to five days without retracing steps. It is accessed via hiking trails of Parker Dam and S. B. Elliott State Parks.
Continuing to the intersection with Route 879 and back to I-80, Exit 19, the Covered Bridge Tour can be accessed in Clearfield.
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Discover Autumn Home | How Do Leaves Change Color? | Take a Fall Hike
Autumn Driving Tours |
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