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The best places to view the Hudson Valley’s fall foliage
Fall has arrived, which means it’s time to enjoy all the charms that fall brings, including beautiful fall leaves. The first place New Yorkers turn to is the Hudson Valley area, which is just beginning to show its autumn hues. So start planning your trip now!
Tip: Want to keep track of the leaves so you can plan your trips? View the ILOVENY autumn leaf report and check out the best places for leaf-watching Hudson Valley fall foliage.
Click on your region to go to places near you!
Fall foliage in Rockland County
845-786-2701
Opening hours: daily, from sunrise to sunset, open all year round
Price: $10 per vehicle on weekends and holidays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bear Mountain’s fall foliage is considered a “must see” in the fall, especially the Perkins Memorial Tower. You can drive to the 40-foot-tall stone observation tower and climb the steps to the observation windows, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, hike from a lower point to the top. Drive to the tower for a less strenuous hike and take the Bear Mountain Summit Loop hike. When you’re done, go to the Bear Mountain Zoo to visit the animals.
299 Rockland Lake Road, Valley Cottage
845-268-3020
Opening hours: daily, from daylight to sunset
Price: $10 per vehicle Saturday-Sunday and holidays, 8am – 5pm
The park offers hiking trails with breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley and various activities such as tennis, golf, grilling, playgroundsand water features.
21 Gagan Road, West Haverstraw
845-364-2670
Opening hours: Park open from 8am to sunset, weather permitting
Take a walk, take part in one of the many activities or view many of the beautiful wildlife such as the Belted Kingfisher, Mallard, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Blue Jay, Song Sparrow, Great Black-Backed Gull, and the Northern Mockingbird.
Fall foliage in the Bronx
From Cortlandt Park South between Broadway and Jerome Avenue, Bronx
Opening hours: daily, 6am – 10pm
The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, the Putnam Trail, the Muir Trail, and the John Kieran Trail are close to the Bronx/Westchester County line and offer beautiful native hardwoods to walk through and enjoy the changing fall colors.
1490 Sheridan Boulevard, Bronx
Opening hours: daily, 6am – 10pm
London sycamores, oaks, sassafras, red maples, tulip poplars, sycamores and beech trees line the Greenway that connects many NYC parks. The Bronx River Forest is one of the oldest hardwood forests in the city.
Hutchinson River, Long Island Sound between Bronx County Line and Middletown Road, Watt Avenue
Opening hours: daily, 6am – 10pm
Pelham Bay Park is the largest park area in the city (yes, bigger than Central Park!). Take the Kazimiroff Trail through 189 hectares of Hunter Island, past the tall Norway spruce and white pines, which provide habitat for great horned owls.
1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining
914-762-2912
Opening hours: Routes: daily, from sunrise to sunset; Visitor centre: daily from 9am to 5pm
This 1,000-acre nature reserve is home to 15 miles of scenic hiking trails that are open to the public year-round. Teatown maintains 14 hiking trails across diverse terrains and habitats, including fields, mixed hardwood forests, laurel forests, lakes, streams, swamps and farmlands, giving visitors a unique view of the biological diversity of the lower Hudson Valley.
Rockefeller State Park Reserve
914-631-1470
Opening hours: daily, from sunrise to sunset
Price: $6.00 per vehicle collected daily, year round. 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
The Rockefeller State Park Preserve is primarily a hardwood forest and is home to oak, tulip poplar, maple, and beech trees. Some trees here are over 150-200 years old! Additionally, hemlock trees can be found along the 13 Bridges and Witches Spring trails.
Fall foliage in Orange County
845-534-3115
Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday 10am – 5.30pm, closed on Tuesdays
Price: $23-$152 depending on the number of people in the vehicle and the day you visit. Tickets are released in two-week blocks and are available on Wednesdays from 12pm; if you’d like to visit Storm King to browse, we highly recommend visiting the site to purchase your tickets now.
This 500-hectare open-air museum offers beautiful views of hills, meadows and forests and the surrounding landscape. The high season in autumn runs from September 16 to November 12.
845-988-1818
Opening hours: Until October 30: Monday to Wednesday, 12:00 – 20:00; Thursday-Sunday, 12:00 – 21:00.
This iconic ice cream shop offers beautiful views of Warwick Valley and Greenwood Lake, which you can enjoy while you eat your ice cream.
United States Military Academy, West Point
845-938-4011
Opening hours: daily, from sunrise to sunset
One of the most visited sites at the United States Military Academy, this scenic view of the Hudson River Valley has been the subject of many works of art.
Psst… Look Best apple picking orchards for families near NYC
845-457-4918
Opening hours: Park: daily, from sunrise to sunset
Price: Vary per activity. See website.
A picturesque landscape offers a variety of amenities for all who enjoy what nature and the outdoors have to offer, including campsites, a 40-acre Diamond Lake, a 4-acre pond, fishing, boating (car boats only), playgrounds, horseshoe-shaped pits, volleyball court, picnic shelter, picnic tables, nature trails, grills, ice skating, ice fishing and snowmobile trails.
Historic State of Fort Montgomery
845-446-2134
Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Price: See website
Montgomery was the scene of a fierce battle in the Revolutionary War for control of the Hudson River. Today, visitors can tour the remains of the 14-acre fort, perched on a bluff overlooking the magnificent Hudson
Fall foliage in Dutchess County
81 Vanderbilt Park Road, Hyde Park
845-229-7770
Opening hours: Until October: daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m
Price: Standard pass $15, annual pass $45
Explore the grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion high above the Hudson River with stunning views of the Catskills.
75 Mills Mansion Drive, Road #1, Staatsburgh
845-889-8851
Opening hours: check website
Price: $10 adults, $8 students and seniors, free for children 12 and under
The elegant country home owned by Ogden Mills and his wife Ruth Livingston Mills overlooks the Hudson River and the Catskills.
Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area and Research Reserve
845-256-3000
Opening hours: daily, from sunrise to sunset
Price: Free
Stroll along the Hudson River with beautiful views of the Catskills.
68 Mount Rutsen Road, Rhinebeck
Opening hours: Park open all year round; tower open daily, from sunrise to sunset
Ferncliff Forest Game Refuge and Forest Preserve is a 200-acre forest known as the second best old-growth forest in the Hudson Valley. The forest is available for free for hiking, camping, mountain biking, skiing, fishing and picnicking. Moreover, there is a tower that you can climb for a fantastic view of the surroundings.
Picturesque Hudson’s Long Dock Park
845-473-4440
Opening hours: daily, 6am – 8pm
Kayak, picnic, walk through wetlands or just enjoy the river.
Fall foliage in Ulster County
845-834-2867
Opening hours: daily, from 7 a.m. to sunset
This steel cantilever bridge spans the Hudson River between Highland on the west bank and Poughkeepsie on the east.
Fall foliage cruises on the Hudson
Hudson River Adventures – Pride of the Hudson
845-220-2120
Opening hours: See website for cruise schedule
Price: $35; $32 seniors 65 and older; $22 children ages 4-11; free for children 3 years and younger.
Drive to Newburgh to hop aboard the Pride of the Hudson. This two-hour cruise takes you past Washington Headquarters, Mount Beacon, Bannerman Island, Breakneck Mountain, Cold Spring, World’s End, Constitution Island and West Point.
914-682-5135
Opening hours: depends on which tour you select
Price: $79-$158
If you prefer to take the river at a more leisurely pace, Hudson River Recreation can put you in charge of your own boat. Your own, very small boat, that is. It offers kayaking trips on the Hudson from Sleepy Hollow, Croton-on-Hudson and Rye. The tours usually run from mid-May to late September or early October, depending on the weather. Call for the current schedule.
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