STROUDSBURG -- Even though the weather still feels like summer, it's just about time for the leaves to start to turn.
The first fall foliage forecast of the season was released Thursday in the Poconos.
It's not officially fall for another couple of weeks, but some leaves are already starting to change to their fall colors in the Poconos and we got our first look at when that fall foliage is scheduled to be its very best.
By the looks of it at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, summer is holding on.
"People love it and what we do is we just tell them when to expect peak colors, when we think things are going to start to fall," said Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau official Elizabeth Richardson
The visitors bureau says this year, the foliage is expected to peak in the Poconos around mid-October and farther north, about a week sooner.
Some Princeton University students out canoeing the Delaware River are already enjoying some of the colors peeking through.
Anna Blyth of South Carolina was taking in sights she's never seen.
"Definitely not, the leaves don't change at all, so this is really exciting. I've seen the beginning of it, some orange and red and it's really cool," Blyth said.
With the peak of the fall foliage season more than a month from now, some trees are already starting to turn color. By mid-October they should be bright red, and all of the foliage should be at its very best.
Last fall as the foliage hit its peak, visitors had to stay away. The government shutdown closed off access to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
"It was unfortunate that we weren't able to be open during the peak of the season, but we're ready for it this year and for everybody to come out to enjoy the park that they have to explore," said park ranger Carla Beasley.
Park officials say fall color walks are in the works, just one of the many ways you can enjoy the beauty of fall in the Poconos in the coming months.
"Whether it's hiking or taking a kayak or canoe, just really enjoying those colors, there's a lot of great opportunities that we're looking forward to."
None of the leaves in Stroudsburg seems to think it's fall just yet, but that will begin to change soon.
