Fall Foliage Guide

Leaf peeping season is upon us, and there’s no better place to partake in it than in New York State! In fact, New York State is one of the best places in the entire country to see fall foliage.

Fall in New York State starts in September and ends in November. During these months, you can expect a mix of warm and cool days, a bit of rain, and world-renowned foliage as the deciduous trees turn shades of vibrant yellow, deep purple, and fiery orange. It’s easy to see why Upstate New York turns into a bustling tourist destination every fall.

In this post, I’m diving in to the specifics for each destination, including best things to do, when to go, and tips to catch the leaves at their peak colors.

Best time to see fall colors (general timeframes)

Fall in New York State starts in late September and lasts until early November. However, the best time to see peak fall foliage heavily depends on the weather and time of year. AND it changes depending on what region of New York you’re visiting.

In general, colors peak around the last week in September northern New York State, while colors in the southern part of NY usually last well into October.

Here’s a very general timeframe for the best fall colors in each region:

• Adirondacks: Late September

• Catskills: Early October

• Albany, Saratoga, Capital Region: Mid-October

• Finger Lakes and Ithaca: Mid-October

• Western New York (Buffalo & Niagara Falls): Mid-Late October

• NYC and Long Island: Late October

To stay as up to date as possible on fall colors, keep checking I Love NYs Fall Foliage Tracker as your travel date approaches. The tracker is updated weekly for all of New York State with the most up-to-date information on how fast the leaves are changing in each region.

Tips for seeing the best fall colors

1. Be flexible

Sometimes it's really hard to time exactly when fall colors will be at peak because colors depend on the weather, exact location, and even how rainy the summer was.

Remaining flexible will allow you to change your plans so you can see the fall colors at their best!

I recommend keeping a close eye on I Love NY’s Fall Foliage Tracker for weekly foliage updates that can help you time your visit.

2. Hike smaller mountains

A birds eye view is the best way to see fall colors from above...just don’t forget to keep your vantage point low!

While this seems counterintuitive, it actually makes a lot of sense when you think about it, since deciduous trees grow at lower elevations. The higher you go, the more of a chance you have at only seeing the coniferous forests that grow at high elevation.

Since the goal is to have a great view of the deciduous trees, you’ll want to stay much lower. For the best leaf peeping, choose hikes below 3000’ (914m) in elevation.

Here are a few of the best hikes for fall colors:

• Mount Van Hoevenberg (Lake Placid, Adirondacks)

• Overlook Mountain Trail (Catskills)

• Coney Mountain (Old Forge, Adirondacks)

• Taughannock Falls (Finger Lakes)

3. Make it a road trip

Honestly, the absolute best way to see amazing fall foliage in New York is to see it all!

We can easily craft one incredible itinerary to hit each spot during peak season.

Check out my NY itineraries for more detailed planning, including the best places to stay, where to eat, an interactive map, and hidden gems all over Upstate New York.

Request a personalized itinerary that's perfectly tailored to fit your needs, budget, and time schedlue!

Read the full guide to the best fall foliage on my website, The Adventures Atlas