Parks / Best places to view fall colors in Julian, PA
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Best places to view fall colors in Julian, PA
The Allegheny Front turns first and the valley floor follows. Four stops, in the order the color arrives.
AJ Brau · Julian resident · Bald Eagle Valley anglerUpdated September 23, 20263 minJulian, Pennsylvania
The best fall color near Julian, Pennsylvania is from Ralph's Majestic Vista on the Allegheny Front, a 1.4-mile round-trip walk from Underwood Road in Moshannon State Forest, looking over the Bald Eagle Valley toward Julian. The plateau colors first: go up top in early to mid October, then the valley later.
Parks & Outdoors · 1.4 mi round trip · colors first
Rock outcrop on the Allegheny Front Trail in Moshannon State Forest, looking out over the Bald Eagle Valley toward Julian and State College. The best fall-color view near Julian, Pennsylvania; the Front colors earlier than the valley below. Park at the Underwood Road pull-off and walk 0.6 miles; Ralph's Pretty Good View is 0.2 miles farther (about 1.4 miles round trip). Public state-forest land; hunting is allowed in season.
Second Allegheny Front Trail outcrop, 0.2 miles past Ralph's Majestic Vista in Moshannon State Forest, with another view over the Bald Eagle Valley near Julian, Pennsylvania. About 1.4 miles round trip from the Underwood Road pull-off. Public state-forest land; hunting is allowed in season.
Parks & Outdoors · boardwalk · about ¼ mi each way
Boardwalk and gravel trail, about a quarter mile each way, through the plateau bog in Black Moshannon State Park, from Westside Road to a viewing platform. Pitcher plants, leatherleaf, cranberry and blueberry; the bog's tannins are what color the lake.
About 12 miles and 20 minutes on PA 504, the old Rattlesnake Pike, climbing from Unionville on the Bald Eagle Valley floor up the Allegheny Front through Moshannon State Forest to Black Moshannon State Park. The quickest way to see fall color change with elevation; Underwood Road, for Ralph's vistas, branches off along the way.
Fishing & Creek Access · valley floor · colors later
The downstream side of Foster Joseph Sayers Dam, where Bald Eagle Creek leaves the lake and the Class A section ends. The dam and the ground immediately below it are run by the Army Corps of Engineers, not the state park: obey posted signs, keep clear of the outlet works, and expect warm-water species rather than trout this close to the lake.
Outdoor RecreationFishing Spot
Ralph's vistas: the view over Julian
Two rock outcrops on the Allegheny Front Trail look straight down on the valley. Park at the gravel pull-off on Underwood Road, a state-forest road reached from PA 504, and walk 0.6 miles to Ralph's Majestic Vista, then another 0.2 miles to Ralph's Pretty Good View. The Front has its own microclimate and turns noticeably earlier than the valley below, and Underwood Road is a fine slow drive in October on its own.
Black Moshannon: color a week early
At about 1,900 feet on the Allegheny Plateau, Black Moshannon State Park changes at least a week ahead of State College. Oak and cherry ring the lake; in the surrounding state forest sugar maple goes orange and black gum goes red. The Bog Trail is the easy walk: boardwalk and gravel through leatherleaf, cranberry and blueberry to a viewing platform over the bog. The park is one of the Pennsylvania state parks with a color-correcting viewfinder for colorblind visitors.
The drive up: PA 504 from Unionville
The PA 504 fall drive leaves Unionville on the valley floor and climbs the Allegheny Front on the old Rattlesnake Pike — about 12 miles and 20 minutes to Black Moshannon. It is the quickest way to watch the color change with elevation, and the turn for Underwood Road and Ralph's vistas is on the way.
Later in the month: Sayers Lake
Down on the valley floor, Bald Eagle State Park's 1,730-acre lake lies along the flank of Bald Eagle Mountain. Color arrives here after the plateau; the overlook below Sayers Dam has its own pull-off, and the park has a colorblind viewfinder too.
When is peak fall color near Julian, Pennsylvania?
Usually mid-October. The Allegheny Front and Black Moshannon State Park, on the plateau above Julian, Pennsylvania, turn about a week ahead of State College; the Bald Eagle Valley floor and Sayers Lake follow in mid to late October.
Is there an easy fall-color walk near Julian, Pennsylvania?
Two. The Bog Trail at Black Moshannon State Park is boardwalk and gravel, about a quarter mile each way to a viewing platform. Ralph's Majestic Vista is 0.6 miles each way from the Underwood Road pull-off in Moshannon State Forest.
Can I see the fall color from the car near Julian, Pennsylvania?
Yes. Drive PA 504 from Unionville up the Allegheny Front to Black Moshannon State Park — about 12 miles and 20 minutes — and take gravel Underwood Road through Moshannon State Forest on the way.
Save the fall-color stops to a tripThey come with you into the Wander app — directions, hours, and alerts on the water.
