October is a favorite among hunters and anglers, campers and paddlers, hikers and backpackers, birdwatchers and nature lovers.
It is the month for playing outside. Summer, with its withering humidity, has past; winter and its challenges have yet to arrive. Daytime temperatures are comfortable, and nights are crisp. In general, the weather rule is dry and cool.
A narrow but well-defined path switchbacks its way to the forest floor, where it intersects Parched Corn Creek in Wolfe County, a clear, cool-running stream that winds through this ancient landscape with a rhythm that eclipses the seasons. The surge and pulse, gurgle and splash of the creek have rubbed the stones smooth and give voice to the woods. Trout live here; other critters, too.
The October woods surrounding this rivulet have taken on their annual rainbow hue. Flecks of red and yellow and orange and purple refract the afternoon sun. But pick any point on the color wheel, and you’ll find a glint of it in the fall woods, although to absorb the full effect, one should be stationed on a ridgeline looking out and not a creek bed looking up. The deeper the woods, the more intense the colorful display; something akin to being inside beauty. But unlike the creek, which will outlive the critters that swim in it and drink from it, and the humans, who wade and fish in it, the kaleidoscope landscape soon will fade. It’s an October spectacle.
Fall foliage typically emerges first in the highlands of eastern Kentucky in mid or late September and moves west throughout October and into early November. October displays the fall color phenomenon in its fullest bloom across the state, although predicting when colors will peak is impossible with any real degree of certainty.
Fall foliage brilliance, or lack thereof, is driven by a variety of factors, primarily weather and rainfall. The most vivid colors generally emerge when the weather is clear and dry; the nights cool but the thermometer above freezing.
Wherever you live in the Commonwealth, a colorful landscape is nearby. Locales worth a look include: Daniel Boone National Forest, Wilderness Road Heritage Highways (Kentucky), Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Kentucky State Parks, and Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
Additional information is available through the Department of Tourism’s ColorFall program at kentuckytourism.com/seasons or phone 1-800-225-8747.
Kentucky’s colorful fall foliage lineup includes:
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) — Celebrated for its brilliant red hues in years when autumn color reaches full potential. Fall color: orange-red, scarlet red.
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) — Can be spectacular in fall with brilliant yellow or orange leaves. It is capable of producing striking color combinations. Fall color: yellow, orange red.
Sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua) — An attractive tree with a penchant for displaying rich, wine-colored leaves in autumn. Fall color: yellow, orange, red, purple.
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) — Noteworthy for its filigree of winter branches but it achieves its greatest glory when in full autumn coloration. Fall color: orange, red, purple.
Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) — The most common of several hickory species in Kentucky, with a tendency to turn a shimmering gold every fall, regardless of seasonal weather variables. Fall color: yellow, yellow-gold.
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) — Can be found in every county of the state, it is among the first trees to show color. Fall color: yellow.
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboretum) — Offers perhaps the best deep red of any of the natives. Its midsummer sprays of flowers turn woody and golden yellow in the fall. Fall color: crimson red.
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) — Among the most coveted of hardwoods, pioneers considered it an indicator of good land. The nuts are flavorful but must be gathered early, before squirrels and other wildlife can consume them. Fall color: yellow, yellow-brown.
Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) — Has extraordinary leaf color in early spring and autumn. The last tree to turn in fall, it terminates its leaves with what is typically the last grand splash of color in the autumn woods. Fall color: scarlet red.
White Oak (Qurcus alba) — Its unfurling leaves in the spring are rose colored before turning a medium green. The white oak also has fine fall color, and its leaves persist well into winter. Fall color: yellow, yellow-brown, red, red-brown.
Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus) — Can survive on steep, rocky sites where other oaks cannot. The large, oblong acorns are a staple food for wildlife in fall and early winter. Fall color: yellow, yellow-orange, yellow-brown.
Beech (Fagus grandifolia) — Elegant tree with smooth bark and a graceful form. An important wildlife tree, it forms cavities that serve as den and nest sites for birds and mammals. Beechnuts are consumed by squirrels, deer, turkeys and black bears. Fall color: copper, gold-bronze.
Dogwood (Cornus florida) — A small tree, it boasts horizontally spreading branches that arc upward. Given its lovely flowers in spring and crimson foliage in fall, it is attractive most of the year. Fall color: red, burgundy, purple.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) — Unusual in that more than one leaf shape occurs on the tree. Explorers and Colonists thought the aromatic root bark was a panacea for various diseases. Fall color: yellow, orange, pink, red.
Winged Sumac (Rhus copallina) — Though not tree-sized, this small shrub boasts plenty of fall color. Roadsides across Kentucky are flanked with these autumn sparklers, providing a swath of bright color. Fall color: red, maroon, purple.
Source: Kentucky Department of Parks
Readers may contact Gary Garth at editor@kentuckymonthly.com