Autumn’s Colorful Canopies of Oklahoma

By Christian Price, News9.com INsite Team

OKLAHOMA CITY - - Red and gold are just some of the colors that can be found this time of year throughout Oklahoma. There are even areas around the metro where families can get out and enjoy the colors without traveling far.

Neil Garrison is a naturalist who works at Martin Nature Park in Oklahoma. He has traveled all across the nation and seen many forests. He thinks Oklahoma's autumn foliage is as pretty as any other state.

"I think we have pretty forest," Garrison said. "You hear about the east coast and the Pacific Rockies and all this kind of stuff, but I think we've got some nice colors too." Garrison said.

According to Garrison, the color changing process of the leaves doesn't happen overnight.

"It's a progressive thing," Garrison said. "Not all the trees go to sleep at the same time. We have some that are reds in particular. Those are the first things that go to sleep. The forest will still be green, but the guys that first go to sleep, they turn this brilliant red and they don't stick around for long. Eventually those leaves fall to the ground and the bulk of the species that we have here turn some shade of yellow, really pretty shades of yellow and gold."

Oklahoma has plenty of parks and hiking trails that afford everyone the chance to get out and enjoy this time of year.

"Think of some good excuse to get out in the outdoors and enjoy nature," Garrison said. "This is a wonderful time to get out from a temperature standpoint. It's not too hot and it's not too cold. Of course that changes from day to day, but it's really pretty at this time of the year."