Best places to view fall foliage in Owensboro

Owensboro is a leaf-peeper’s paradise. With 25 parks spread across the city and county, you’ve got tons of options, even within city limits. And experts say, fall foliage in western Kentucky has until the end of October/beginning of November to hit its peak, so there’s plenty of time to plan a trip for it!

 

Narrowing down a list of sites, parks and locations for viewing the best fall foliage was super difficult, but we believe this list features some of the most beautiful places in Owensboro/Daviess County to give you an amazing experience.

 

World’s Largest Sassafras Tree – First of all, you’ve got to start your fall foliage journey here by checking out the largest known Sassafras tree in the world. Located at 2100 Frederica Street, this tree measures over 100 feet tall and 21 feet in circumference. The average Sassafras is only 30 to 50 feet tall, if that gives you an idea of how huge this tree is. Even better, Sassafras trees boast some amazing colors in the Fall, with leaves turning bright yellow, orange, red and even pink!

 

Ben Hawes State Park – This 300-acre park contains a golf course, shelters, a playground and the famous Rudy Mine Trails, but it’s also recognized for its gorgeous fall foliage.

 

You can play a game of golf while being surrounded by thousands of color-changing trees, or you can hike the trails and explore the woods from the inside. Ben Hawes is located at 400 Booth Field Road.

 

Yellow Creek Park – Yellow Creek Park is home to ROMP, Owensboro’s huge bluegrass music festival held each year. But it’s also an amazing place to view fall foliage.

 

Featuring a scenic park with walking trails, a lake, sports areas and a historical pioneer village with log cabins, Yellow Creek is just a super cool place in general. But for leaf-peepers, it’s got everything you need to get the most vibrant color changes of the season. The park is located at 5710 KY-144.

 

Legion Park – Located right in the heart of the city, Legion Park has 24 acres of some of the city’s tallest and most beautiful trees. With a walking path that encircles the property and brand new dog park to boot, visitors and locals alike can spot some of Owensboro’s best-looking foliage at this 24-acre landmark. Legion Park is located at 3047 Legion Park Drive.

 

Griffith Avenue –Owensboro’s Griffith Ave. is a long street that runs through the middle of the city, and it is filled with trees that turn a variety of yellow, orange, red and even purple. Check out this entire area during mid-to-late October to get the full scope of its beautiful fall foliage.

 

Rosehill-Elmwood Cemetery & Mausoleum – Located at 1300 Old Hartford Road, Elmwood is one of Owensboro’s many hidden gems, and the trees there are gorgeous. Even better, the cemetery holds a ton of historical significance, so you can’t go wrong visiting Elmwood, no matter the time of year.

 

Downtown Owensboro – Once the leaves start changing, anywhere you go in downtown Owensboro is going to blow your mind. From the historic Baptist Town and Mechanicsville districts in the northwest, to Smothers Park on the riverfront, to Germantown Park on Crittenden Street, you’ll find yourself immersed in history, amazing architecture and gorgeous fall foliage, no matter which street you turn onto.