Great places to see fall foliage in Bucks County as we approach peak color

Fall your favorite season? Hold onto your hot cider, because the next three weeks you'll be in your glory, just like the maples, Tulip poplars, birch, dogwood and black gum.

While most of the state has either changed or peaked, Southeastern Pennsylvania is on the cusp of hi-def autumn awesomeness, according to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, which should shorten its name to Bureau of Leaf Peepers.

"The southern portion of the district (Lancaster, Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia counties) are lagging but showing some pockets of nice color," the DCNR states in its latest leaf report for the week of Oct. 15.

Worth it These Bucks County Sunday destinations are worth the gas money

It recommends the David R. Johnson Natural Area near New Hope at 3022 River Road. Its 56 acres has some great autumn hardwoods, such as red oak, tulip poplar, white ash and American beech.

There are too many lovely locales in Bucks County to enjoy the colors of the season, but you can start with any of the county's parks and nature centers.

Core Creek Park and Silver Lake Nature Center in Lower Bucks are swell places to visit, as are Tinicum Park up county, and Peace Valley Nature Center in Doylestown. Here's a full list of all of them.

Here are three leaf peeper suggestions:

Bird's Eye View from Bowman's Tower, Upper Makefield

Rising 125 feet atop Bowman's Hill, the tower (a 1930s WPA project) gives the best overlook of Bucks County's changing countryside.

From the top you'll see farmlands, the snaking Delaware River and New Jersey, a beauty in autumn, too. By the way, the place is named for Dr. John Bowman, ship's physician for the pirate Capt. William Kidd. Somewhere on the Hill, Dr. Bowman buried his share of the pirate loot and the doc, legend has it, still haunts the hillside, wailing whenever anyone gets too close to discovering it.

Ask the folks at the Wildflower Preserve about it (another great place for a crisp autumn walk) if you're a doubter. More info here and here.

A few more places to view fall: When and where to catch the changing color of fall foliage in Bucks County

Tyler State Park

With its 1,711 acres, Tyler State Park in Newtown off the Route 413 Bypass is a sweet place to see fall color.

With walking trails, the Neshaminy Creek, and the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge, you can spend a day enjoying the place. George Tyler, wealthy banker from Philadelphia, bought the land in the 1920s to build his summer shack. He and his artist wife, Stella, left the farmsteads in place, as well as the roads.

The narrow farm road system were main drags in that part of the county, so if you want to experience Bucks County as it was, say, in 1850, check it out.

You can also slip over to the 200-acre campus of Blucks County Community College, where George and Stella's summer place, Tyler Hall, still stands, a marvelous mansion that today serves as the college's admin offices. Leafy and lovely and a great place to spend autumn.

The Covered Bridges of Bucks County

As lifelong New Yorkers are said never to visit the iconic Statue of Liberty, so lifelong Bucks Countians never tour their covered bridges. If you're among these sad souls, why not ditch the Saturday chores or the Sunday shopping and check them out?

You can take a half-day tour, or full-day tour. Here are the maps.

Either run takes you into the most rural parts of Bucks, where not only the trees are changing, but also farm fields with late season crops. Pro tip: Save or print your driving directions, since some of these bridges are so remote (like Knecht's in Springfield) GPS becomes unreliable.

Bristol Lions Park, foot of Mill Street, Bristol

Pressed for time? Lions Park is a sleeper suggestion for an hour or so to enjoy fall foliage.

Not only does the park have lovely old trees, but a commanding view of heavily forested, uninhabited Burlington Island, New Jersey, a show-stopper for leaf peepers in high autumn.

Also, it ain't your father's Mill Street anymore. The town has injected life into its main business district, and there are hip restaurants, bars and shops that make a pleasant crisp fall Sunday stroll.

JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Fall foilage approaches peak in Bucks County, southeastern PA