Planning Your Leaf Viewing

When is the peek fall foliage viewing time? While the answer to that question depends on several factors—temperature, soil, sunlight and rain.—generally it follows a schedule based on regions. Northwestern Pennsylvania usually sees its peak around mid-October. Consider combining your leaf peeping expedition with an Elk watching journey. There are several National and State Forests throughout Pennsylvania that offer wonderful views of eye popping color. You can add some Elk watching at several places as well. Elk Country Visitors Center is located in Benezette, Pa. The grounds open at 6:30 a.m. for those interested in viewing the elk and walking the trails. The center’s hours change seasonally.  The center provides both educational and recreational experiences. The center houses a theater where a 22-minute multi-media presentation tells the story on three screens of elk history dating back to when Native Americans lived here exclusively. At times the theater rumbles, stars twinkle overhead and some type of frozen precipitation falls from above. In the “Great Room,” where a fireplace roars on cold days, there’s also a diorama with life-like animals native to the area and high-tech interactive touch screens. During the 1800’s Pennsylvania’s native elk population had been reduced to a small population mainly located in the north central mountains. Then by 1867, the last native elk was killed.  Starting in 1913 the Game Commission began to restore elk in Pennsylvania so that today there are more than 700 – the largest herd in northeastern United States. Most times of the year are good to catch sight of these beautiful, massive animals in the wilds, but the best times of the day are early morning and late in the day, just before dark. The fall rut last from September through October is the elk mating season. The males, ‘bulls’, will fight (lock horns and push each other) for control of a harem (10 to 15 females), till one tires and walks away. Remember, elk are wild animals and should not be approached. Bull elk can be 6’ tall, weigh 600-1000 pounds and run up to 30 miles per hour.