Fall Foliage Map In New York: 2021 Peak Draws Near

NEW YORK — Break out the sweaters and the pumpkin spice lattes: Fall is officially here in New York.

While the autumn equinox has come and gone, you still have plenty of time to enjoy a family outing to the pumpkin patch. Your window to catch the best views of fall foliage in New York, however, is growing smaller by the day.

Now that we’re in October, the leaves in some parts of New York are just days away from peak splendor, according to the 2021 Fall Foliage Prediction Map.

On Long Island, the leaves are patchy but will be further along in a few days.

Leaf colors in the Hudson Valley range from patchy in the lower part of the valley to near peak further north.

If you’re hoping to catch the best views of peak fall foliage in New York, the week of Oct. 11 may be the perfect time for a road trip to Sullivan and Ulster counties or points north.

In general, leaves are likely to peak later than usual this year because of prolonged drought conditions across a large swath of the United States. In affected states, leaves may turn from green to brown and skip the brilliant color wheel before “giving up” and falling to the ground.

Curious when fall foliage peaks in your county or in other parts of the country?

To use the 2021 Fall Foliage Prediction Map, simply slide the scale to the right to see when leaves will peak in your state. Zero in on your county, and you'll be able to decide whether it's best to plan a northern, southern, eastern or western route.

If you’re not sure where to get the best views of the changing leaves in New York, here are some of the top places to see fall leaves:

• Walkway Over the Hudson, with entrances in Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County and Highland in Ulster County, features unobstructed 360-degree views of the Hudson River. Weather permitting, the bridge is open every day from 7 a.m. until sunset.
• Greenbelt Nature Center in the heart of Staten Island has 2,800 acres of lush forests, which lets you appreciate the fall foliage up close. The well-preserved greenbelt features red maple and sweetgum swamp forests that will dazzle you with brilliant shades of orange and red.
• Letchworth State Park in Castile offers views of bright fall foliage amid beautiful waterfalls. You can even book a hot air balloon ride with Balloons Over Letchworth for a bird's-eye view of the changing colors.
• Hudson Highlands State Park in Cold Spring boasts more than 8,000 acres of largely untouched land, with spectacular views of the Hudson River and dozens of trails where you can see the changing leaves up close.

Do you have a favorite place to see the changing leaves? Let us know in the comments.