Looking for fall foliage before the official start of the season? Try these Del. parks

It’s one of the (many) wonderful things about fall − the changing of leaves.

From lush, green canopies to beautiful reds, yellows and oranges, trees in Delaware can put on a pretty spectacular show.

While state residents still have several more weeks − or perhaps longer if the warm weather continues − before the foliage changes become widespread, especially impatient Delawareans may be able to see an early show at two state parks.

Trap Pond State Park in Sussex County and Brandywine Creek State Park in New Castle County were recently voted among the top 100 locations nationwide to view early fall foliage. (Sorry, Kent County.)

ALL THINGS AUTUMN: 🍂🏈🎃 Welcome to our 2024 Delaware Fall Guide 🎃 🏈🍂

Trap Pond came in at No. 32, while Brandywine Creek ranked 64th.

Why Trap Pond State Park for fall foliage?

According to the 3,000-person survey, which was conducted by a Florida Volkswagen dealership in August, the cypress trees in Trap Pond start changing color earlier than most. This gives viewers a “unique early fall experience in southern Delaware,” a news release said.

This isn’t the first time Trap Pond State Park has been named a top spot for foliage.

Last year, Mixbook, a photo book brand, surveyed 3,000 people for their favorite “under-the-radar” destinations where they would like to see fall foliage this year. Out of 150 fall foliage hot spots, three from Delaware made the list − including the Sussex park.  

Brandywine Creek State Park also makes early foliage list

Perhaps unsurprisingly, New Castle County’s Brandywine Creek State Park also made the list.

The nearly 1,000-acre park is home to many vibrant maples and oaks, which typically start changing in late September.

The park also made Mixbook’s list of top spots.

Best early leaf viewing nationally

Unsurprisingly, the top three spots for early fall foliage were locations that are nationally known as peak leaf-viewing locales.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee topped the list, followed by Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Third on the list was the Catskill Mountain region in New York.

While Tennessee might be more of a hike for Delawareans to get to, Shenandoah and the Catskills are within driving distance from the First State. Both spots can be reached in three to four hours.

To view the full list of early leaf spots, visit gunthervw.net/the-first-fall.htm.

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Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_