{"id":3225,"date":"2019-10-30T18:27:51","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T18:27:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/?p=3225"},"modified":"2024-10-30T12:17:34","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T12:17:34","slug":"21-spots-for-breathtaking-fall-foliage-in-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/21-spots-for-breathtaking-fall-foliage-in-new-york\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Spots for Breathtaking Fall Foliage in New York"},"content":{"rendered":"

People flock from all over to go leaf-peeping in New York once autumn rolls around, making the Hudson Valley<\/a> and areas farther north sought-after destinations. Your New York fall foliage excursion can be calm and casual, adventurous and heart-pumping, or a little bit of each. Embark on a scenic drive, view the changing trees from above or hike right in the throes of them. No matter the type of experience you choose, you\u2019re bound to see vivid golds, oranges, purples, and reds as you enjoy crisp weather and sip apple cider.<\/p>\n

The Best Time to See Fall Foliage in New York<\/h2>\n

For most of the Hudson Valley and more northern spots (like the Adirondacks), the leaves start changing around mid-September and reach their peak in mid- or late-October. Temperature and rainfall impact how bright autumn leaves get and when they start to turn, but you can estimate the best time to see them when I Love NY releases their New York Fall Foliage Report<\/a><\/strong> in September. To guesstimate and plan your trip now, check out the general calendar from NY Fall Foliage<\/strong><\/a> for peak times based on the area of New York.<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/p>\n

21 Ways to View Fall Foliage in New York<\/a><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a lot to do in New York during the fall, from apple picking and corn mazes to antique shopping and wine tasting. When you want to get a front-row seat to bright, show-stopping leaves, though, consider these 21 prime outings.<\/p>\n

1. Bear Mountain State Park<\/a><\/h3>\n

Bear Mountain State Park, an easy drive if you\u2019re staying in Garrison, NY<\/strong><\/a>, has the Perkins Memorial Tower at the mountain\u2019s summit. Not only will you see lovely leaves, but you\u2019ll also catch a glimpse of the New York City skyline if it\u2019s a clear day. During your climb up the tower, you\u2019ll see vintage photos and placards with historical info, plus 360-degree views of the foliage.<\/p>\n

2. Trophy Point at West Point<\/a><\/h3>\n

Less than 30 minutes from Garrison is Trophy Point at West Point. You\u2019ll get a scenic overlook of the Hudson Valley fall<\/a> and you\u2019ll also see the Battle Monument, the former site of West Point graduation ceremonies (until class sizes became too large).<\/p>\n

3. Kayak Tours<\/a><\/h3>\n

Hudson River Expeditions has a number of kayak tours to choose from, like the Bannerman Castle Loop and the Garrison Landing Tour. There\u2019s also a Paint Tour if you\u2019re so inspired by the fall foliage that you need to get it down on a canvas. Tours are available for all skill levels.<\/p>\n

4. Breakneck Ridge<\/a><\/h3>\n

Rock scrambles and waterfront trails are par for the course at Breakneck Ridge, a scenic hike along the Hudson River. It can be dangerous, so it\u2019s best if you have some experience, and always stay on the trail.<\/p>\n

5. Red Trail at Mount Beacon Park<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"new

Photo by Lindsay Pietroluongo<\/p><\/div>\n

For a challenging hike with phenomenal views but a bit more safety, try the red trail at Mount Beacon Park. You can turn back once you reach the lookout or you can continue to the true peak, where there\u2019s a dizzying fire tower that you can climb.<\/p>\n

6. Storm King Art Center<\/a><\/h3>\n

The 500-acre Storm King Art Center in Beacon has excellent leaf-peeping amongst the large-scale sculpture garden.<\/p>\n

7. The Walkway Over the Hudson<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"new

Photo by Lindsay Pietroluongo<\/p><\/div>\n

The Walkway Over the Hudson is a pedestrian bridge that connects Poughkeepsie to Highland and has phenomenal views of the beautiful Hudson River and the trees that line it on either side. Park on the Highland side, which has an easier walk to the river and its views. The Walkway is a great stop if you\u2019re continuing north or west, and you can walk the entire bridge back and forth in under an hour.<\/p>\n

8. The Skytop Tower at Mohonk<\/a><\/h3>\n

The Skytop Tower at Mohonk doesn\u2019t just show off New York leaves, but also six other states in all of their fall foliage glory.<\/p>\n

9. Minnewaska State Park<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"new

Photo by Lindsay Pietroluongo<\/p><\/div>\n

Not far from Mohonk is Minnewaska State Park, with numerous trails whether you want a quick 45-minute hike or you\u2019d like to get purposely lost for half the day. The easiest hike is the one that loops around the lake right near the parking lot \u2013 walk in either direction and make sure to stop along the way to take in the views.<\/p>\n

10. Black Creek<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"new

Photo by Lindsay Pietroluongo<\/p><\/div>\n

Black Creek, one of Scenic Hudson\u2019s free-to-visit parks, is well-maintained and fairly easy to hike. Three loops interconnect, making it difficult to get off the right path, and you\u2019ll eventually end up at the riverfront where you\u2019ll want to take a break. You can complete the hike in an hour, under two if you stop along the way, and you\u2019ll be surrounded by colorful woods the entire time.<\/p>\n

11. Rail Biking in the Catskills<\/a><\/h3>\n

You and a pal can share a two-seater, sit-down bicycle to go rail biking in the Catskills thanks to Rail Explorers. The eight-mile round trip (don\u2019t worry, there\u2019s electric pedal assistance) will take you along the Esopus Creek and through the wooded Catskill Mountains.<\/p>\n

12. Zipline Canopy Tours<\/a><\/h3>\n

Travel 600 feet above ground at Hunter Mountain, where you can ride one of North America\u2019s longest zip lines with Zipline Canopy Tours. If you dare, look down to glimpse the fall foliage as you whiz by. You can also view the Catskills and their changing leaves by riding the Scenic Skyride<\/a><\/strong> at Hunter Mountain.<\/p>\n

13. Kaaterskill Falls<\/a><\/h3>\n

Kaaterskill Falls is among New York\u2019s highest waterfalls, and there are several nearby hiking trails to choose from with varying difficulties. Just about all of them have beautiful, leaf-heavy Hudson Valley vistas.<\/p>\n

14. Saratoga Monument<\/a><\/h3>\n

The Saratoga Monument is over 150 feet tall and has 190 stairs to climb, but once you reach the top, you\u2019ll look out over the northern Adirondacks, the Taconic Mountains, and the Helderberg Mountains, making the trek totally worth it.<\/p>\n

15. Saratoga Spa State Park<\/a><\/h3>\n

Saratoga Spa State Park has mineral springs and the National Museum of Dance, plus nature trails for biking, running, walking and leaf-gawking. There are also two golf courses on the premises.<\/p>\n

16. Mount Utsayantha<\/a><\/h3>\n

For a short, manageable hike with a rewarding view at the end, head to Mount Utsayantha. You\u2019ll be at the peak in just one leisurely mile, and it\u2019s easy enough for your pup to handle, too.<\/p>\n

17. Adirondacks Scenic Railroad<\/a><\/h3>\n

A ride on the Adirondacks Scenic Railroad will take you through forests and the Adirondack foothills, above rivers, and into Adirondack Park.<\/p>\n

18. Cloudsplitter Gondola<\/a><\/h3>\n

Whiteface Mountain has one of New York\u2019s highest summits at nearly 5,000 feet. You don\u2019t have to hike it, of course (though you can). Instead, get there by car via the Memorial Highway or take the Cloudsplitter Gondola.<\/p>\n

19. Flaming Leaves Festival<\/h3>\n

Every October, the Flaming Leaves Festival is held at Whiteface Mountain, two days of folk music, storytellers and a ski jumping competition, not to mention fall foliage.<\/p>\n

20. Beautiful Balloon<\/a><\/h3>\n

For a truly unique perspective, take a sunrise or sunset ride on a hot air balloon in the Lake George region with A <\/strong>Beautiful Balloon.<\/p>\n

21. Fall Sky Rides<\/a><\/h3>\n

The Bristol Mountain ski resort runs their chair lift even before the first snowflake falls, giving you the option to view New York fall foliage from above with their Fall Sky Rides.<\/p>\n

Few places have a prettier change of seasons than New York State, with the Hudson Valley, Catskills and Adirondacks boasting the most intensely colorful leaves of all. If you plan to stay for a few nights, explore our selection of \u00a0New York Vacation Rentals<\/strong><\/a>. And don\u2019t forget to tell us all about your fall foliage experience!<\/p>\n

No Booking Fees!
\nNo Commissions!
\nDirect Communication with the Owner
\nBrowse and book vacation rentals on New York By Owner<\/strong><\/span>
\n(NewYorkRBO.com<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

NEW YORK\u2019S \u00a0#1 FASTEST GROWING VACATION RENTAL LISTING SITE!\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People flock from all over to go leaf-peeping in New York once autumn rolls around, making the Hudson Valley and areas farther north sought-after destinations. Your New York fall foliage excursion can be calm and casual, adventurous and heart-pumping, or a little bit of each. Embark on a scenic drive, view the changing trees from…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":2405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,145,87,658,18],"tags":[146,957,85,149,93],"class_list":["post-3225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-fall-things-to-do","category-hudson-valley","category-ny","category-travel","tag-fall","tag-fall-foliage","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-vacation-rentals","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3225"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119760,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3225\/revisions\/119760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkrentalbyowner.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}