Leaves of Ohio with Kids: A Nature Explorer Guide (+ Free Map)

Ohio's forests put on a spectacular autumn show, when the rolling hills of the south and east blaze with the scarlet of sugar maples, the deep red of oaks, and the gold of beeches and tulip poplars. Beyond the color, Ohio's trees are full of surprises for kids: the Ohio Buckeye — the state tree that gives Ohio its nickname — whose shiny brown seeds look like a deer's eye, sassafras leaves that smell like root beer, and sugar maples tapped for syrup. From the dramatic gorges of Hocking Hills to old-growth forests, learning to read the leaves turns any Ohio walk into a discovery.

This guide maps the best spots to find Ohio's most fascinating leaves and trees with kids. Give your young explorer a mission before you go with Nature Explorer Club's Leaves of Ohio Activity Book to track every leaf your family discovers.

Best Spots for Leaf and Tree Spotting in Ohio

We mapped the best tree-spotting locations in Ohio so you can plan your adventure before you go.

1. Hocking Hills State Park, Logan — Ohio's most famous natural area, where dramatic gorges, cliffs, and waterfalls are framed by hemlock, oak, maple, and birch — spectacular in fall.
2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park — Ohio's only national park, with rich hardwood forests, the Cuyahoga River, and brilliant fall color along its many trails.
3. Mohican State Park, Loudonville — A beautiful park of deep hemlock gorges and hardwood forest, famous for fall foliage along the Clear Fork River.
4. Mill Creek Park, Boardman — One of the country's great metro parks, near Youngstown, with forests, gardens, and stunning autumn color.
5. Wayne National Forest, Vinton Township — Ohio's only national forest, covering the rolling Appalachian foothills of the southeast with rich, colorful hardwood forest.
6. Lake Hope State Park, McArthur — A secluded park in the Appalachian foothills surrounded by deep forest, glorious in fall.
7. Shawnee State Forest, West Portsmouth — Ohio's largest state forest, called the "Little Smokies" for its rugged, forested hills and spectacular autumn color.
8. Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve — A deep, sheer-walled gorge in the Hocking Hills filled with hemlock, birch, and maple — breathtaking in fall.
9. Clear Creek Metro Park, Lancaster — One of Ohio's largest nature preserves, with diverse forest and a rich variety of trees.
10. Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville — A large park of woodlands and a scenic gorge, with fine fall color and easy family trails.

Make the Adventure Real The Leaves of Ohio Activity Book turns your trip into a hands-on mission for ages 7–12 — with a species tracker, fun facts, drawing pages, games, and puzzles. Shop the Book Get the Full OH Set

Family Tips for Leaf and Tree Spotting in Ohio

• Plan a fall-foliage trip in October. Hocking Hills, Mohican, and the southeastern Appalachian forests like Shawnee and Wayne are spectacular, usually peaking in mid-October.
• Find an Ohio Buckeye and its "buckeye" seed. The state tree's shiny brown seed with a pale spot looks like a deer's eye — a classic Ohio treasure (but remind kids the seeds are poisonous and not for eating).
• Crush a sassafras leaf and smell it. It smells just like root beer — and a single sassafras tree can have three different leaf shapes (oval, mitten, and three-lobed), a fun hunt for kids.
• Collect and compare leaf shapes. Gather a five-lobed sugar maple, a pointy red oak, a rounded white oak, and a buckeye's five-fingered leaf — pressing them is a perfect fall keepsake.

Frequently Asked Questions: Leaves of Ohio with Kids

What is the state tree of Ohio?

The Ohio Buckeye is the state tree — and it gives Ohio its nickname, the "Buckeye State." Its shiny dark-brown seed has a pale spot that looks like a deer's eye, which is how it got its name. Its leaves are "palmately compound," spreading out like fingers from a single point. The seeds, leaves, and bark are poisonous, so it's a look-don't-eat tree.

Where can families see fall color in Ohio?

Hocking Hills State Park and nearby Conkle's Hollow are famous for fall color framing their dramatic gorges. Mohican State Park, Shawnee State Forest, and Wayne National Forest in the southeastern hills are spectacular too, usually peaking in mid-October.

Why is Ohio called the Buckeye State?

Ohio is nicknamed the "Buckeye State" after the Ohio Buckeye tree, which was once common across the state. Early settlers thought the tree's shiny seeds resembled the eye of a deer (a "buck's eye"). The buckeye became a symbol of Ohio and even the mascot of its best-known university.

Which Ohio tree smells like root beer?

The sassafras tree's leaves smell like root beer when crushed — in fact, sassafras was once used to flavor root beer. It's also remarkable because a single tree can grow three different leaf shapes: oval, two-lobed (like a mitten), and three-lobed. The leaves turn brilliant orange, yellow, and red in fall.

What's an easy way for kids to start identifying trees?

Start with leaf shape — is it a simple single leaf (like maple or oak), a compound leaf made of leaflets (like buckeye or black walnut), or a needle (like white pine)? Then look at bark and any nuts or seeds. Distinctive Ohio trees like the finger-leaved Ohio Buckeye, the root-beer-scented sassafras, and the syrup-making sugar maple make great first species to learn.

Turn Your Ohio Adventure Into a Real Leaf Exploration

Give your kids a mission before you go. Our Leaves of Ohio Activity Book is a nature journal for ages 7 to 12 — with a leaf tracker, fun facts about each species, leaf category guides, drawing pages, games, and puzzles.

Or get all four Ohio nature books together — the Ohio Nature Explorer Series bundles the Birds, Butterflies, Leaves, and Wildflowers of Ohio activity books.

Also exploring Ohio's nature? Read our family guides to Birds of Ohio with Kids, Butterflies of Ohio with Kids, and Wildflowers of Ohio with Kids.