This Is Where to See the Best Fall Foliage in New York

As the weather gets cooler, the colors on the trees begin to get brighter and we can see some of the best fall foliage in New York. The entire state of New York boasts a wide selection of broad-leafed trees in the autumn beginning in October, and there is a terrific pattern of brilliant red, orange, and yellow shades splattered across the landscape. Take a drive along Route 25A in Suffolk County, the Taconic State Parkway, or River Road from Rhinebeck to Red Hook to enjoy miles of stunning foliage in New York. If you're looking to visit a park, nature center, or go for a hike for some more up-close-and-personal foliage views, check out one of these spots.

Click on your preferred region below to jump to that section:

• NYC
• Brooklyn
• Queens
• Staten Island
• Long Island 
• Westchester
• Rockland
• Orange County
• Dutchess County
• Ulster County
• Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruises

Best Fall Foliage in NYC

1. Central Park's Fall Foliage

Fifth Avenue to Central Park West, 59th Street to 110th Street, Upper East Side and Upper West Side
212-310-6600
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

The Ramble, Central Park's wild garden, and The Ravine are two of the best places to see fall foliage in the park. Take the path that runs along the Loch in the North Woods for rustic bridges, falls, and a variety of birds. You'll see American elms, oaks, Norway maples, sycamore maples, red maples, and black cherry trees in this beautiful New York City staple. 

 

 

 

 

 

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2. Inwood Hill Park

Dyckman Street, Hudson River, Harlem River South, Inwood
Hours: daily 6am-1am

Inwood Hill Park is a great place for leaf peeping through and through, but NYC Parks recommends the blue trail, a marked trail that begins at the Gaelic Field on the northern side of the park and leads up to the Overlook, which provides a beautiful view of the Hudson River and the Palisades. Expect to see oaks, hickories, and Tulip poplars along the way.

3. Highbridge Park

West 155th Street and Dyckman Street, Edgecombe Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue, Fort George
212-927-2400
Hours: Park: daily, 6am-11pm; Recreation center: Tuesday-Friday, 10am-8pm; Saturday, 9am-3pm

Red oaks, white ashes, hickories, black cherries, and Norway maples are just some of the trees in High Bridge Park. The trail that runs along the high ridge above Harlem River Drive from 155th Street to Dyckman Street runs the length of the park and passes the High Bridge and the High Bridge Water Tower. 

4. Fort Tryon Park

192nd Street and Fort Washington Avenue to Riverside Drive near 200th Street, Washington Heights
212-795-1388 ext. 301
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

During the fall, the 67-acre park, with some of the highest points of elevation in all of Manhattan, offers families spectacular foliage views. The most notable feature of the landscape is the 3-acre Heather Garden that provides panoramic views of the Hudson River. In addition to the vibrant autumn leaves, the garden also offers blooming trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, and showy fruits, including Bodinier Beauty, Japanese Anemone, Blue Sage, and Chinese Forget-me-nots. Alpine Garden on the park's easternmost point offers a view of the Palisades in New Jersey, which also provides a great leaf-peeping experience from across the river.

Fall Foliage in Brooklyn

1. Fort Greene Park

Myrtle Avenue, De Kalb Avenue, between Washington Park and St. Edward's Street, Fort Greene
718-722-3218
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

View massive London plane trees, oaks, elms, gingkos, and osage orange trees in this park filled with deep American history. 

2. Owl's Head Park

Shore Road, 68th Street, Colonial Road, Bay Ridge
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

This spacious park boasts oaks, maples, beeches, and tulip poplars. Meander over hills and pathways and be sure to take in the unmatched views of the New York skyline and Verrazano Narrows Bridge. You can also see a great view of the Statue of Liberty from this park.

3. Prospect Park

Prospect Park West, Parkside Avenue between Flatbush Avenue, Ocean Avenue and Prospect Park Southwest
718-965-8951
Hours: daily, 5am-1am

You'll see camperdown elms, black cherries, sassafras, American hornbeams, turkey oaks, weeping willows, tulip trees, American beeches, pin oaks, white oaks, Himalayan pines, gingkos, Norway maples, London planes, and more during your visit. The Lullwater and Peninsula are must-sees, as you'll see native and exotic trees circling the park's pond. And when you’re done peeping leaves, bring the kids to the Prospect Park Zoo for an afternoon with the animals.

 

 

 

 

 

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Fall Foliage in Queens

1. Alley Pond Park

Little Neck Bay, Long Island Expressway, Union Turnpike, between Springfield Boulevard, Douglaston Parkway, Hanford Street
Hours: daily, 6am-9pm

Alley Pond Park is home to the Queens Giant, aka the tallest tree in New York City, located on the park's white trail. You'll also see pin oaks, white pines, black cherries, black oaks, flowering dogwoods, black locusts, American beeches, red oaks, sweetgums, red maples, and tulip trees. The most popular trails here are the green and white trails.

2. Cunningham Park

Long Island Expressway, 73rd Avenue, Union Turnpike, Grand Central Parkway between 193rd Street, Francis Lewis Boulevard, Hollis Hills Terrace, and 210 Street
Hours: daily, 6am-9pm

Hike the trail at Francis Lewis Boulevard and Union Turnpike in the park's southeast preserve to see a wide array of trees including tulip trees and honey locusts.

3. Forest Park

Myrtle Avenue, Union Turnpike, Park Lane South between Brooklyn-Queens County Line and Park Lane

Hours: daily, 6am-9pm

Northern red oaks, scarlet oaks, tulip poplars, shagbark hickories, white oaks, and wild black cherries make up the "forest" part of Forest Park, the largest continuous oak forest in Queens. You'll see trees that are more than 150 years old, with an underlayer of dogwood, virginia creeper, sassafras, and corktree. 

 

 

 

 

 

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4. Kissena Park

Fresh Meadows Lane, Kissena Boulevard, between Oak Avenue, Underhill, and Booth Memorial Avenue
718-359-1297
Hours: daily, 6am-9pm

The Kissena Grove, located at the northern part of the park at Rose Avenue and Parsons Boulevard, is known for its exotic trees, including the famous katsura trees, which have golden heart-shaped leaves. Don't miss the bald cypress, an evergreen tree that changes color in the fall.

Fall Foliage in Staten Island

1. Blue Heron Park

Amboy Road, Barclay Avenue, Hylan Boulevard, and Bertram Avenue
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

The green, red, and orange trails and the route around Spring Pond and Butterfly Pond have the most colorful trees. Spring Pond's footbridge is a great place to view the forest's fall colors. 

2. Clove Lakes Park

Forest Avenue, Victory Boulevard between Clove Road and Brookside Avenue, Royal Oak Road
718-390-8000
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

Clove Lakes Park is home to a variety of walking paths, each of which will take you through a range of foliage. Several of them also pass by ponds. Expect to see tulip trees, red oaks, sassafras, sweetgum, black birch, and black cherries.

3. Greenbelt Nature Center

700 Rockland Ave.
718-351-3450
Hours: April to October: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; November to March: Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm

Explore 35 miles of walking trails that run along the Serpentine Ridge and wind through one of the last undisturbed forests in the city. You'll see native trees, rare species of fern, glacial ponds, and a 16-acre lake. 

 

 

 

 

 

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4. Silver Lake Park

Victory Boulevard, Clove Road, Forest Avenue
Hours: daily, 6am-1pm

The paved loop around the lake takes you through the park's colorful trees including red maples, sugar maples, sweetgums, sassafras, black walnuts, tulip trees, river birches, tupelos, and beeches. 

5. Wolfe's Pond Park

Holton Avenue, Chisolm Street, Luten Avenue, Arbutus Avenue, and Raritan Bay
Hours: daily, 6am-1am

Walk around the pond to see red maples, sugar maples, sweetgums, sassafras, black walnuts, river birches, beeches, and dogwoods, all leading out to a beachfront.

Fall Foliage on Long Island

1. Bethpage State Park

99 Quaker Meeting House Road, Farmingdale
516-249-0701
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk
Price: $8 per vehicle 

Picnic, play tennis, hike, bike, go for a horseback ride, and more amongst the changing colors.

3. Clark Botanic Garden

193 IU Willets Road, Albertson
516-484-2208
Hours: daily, 10am-4pm
Price: Free, donations suggested.

This 12-acre botanical garden is surrounded by plants, herbs, butterfly plants, and more. 

4. LIU Post Community Arboretum

720 Northern Blvd., Brookville
516-299-3500
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk

The property contains some of the largest and most unusual on Long Island including a 105-foot tulip tree, a Japanese pagoda dogwood tree, and a 90-year-old American elm.

5. Muttontown Preserve

25A West of Jericho-Oyster Bay Road, Muttontown Lane, East Norwich
516-571-8500
Hours: daily, 8:30am-4:30pm

This Long Island preserve was named the Best Nature Walk of Long Island by Long Island Press in December 2006. Walk through miles of nature trails with wildflowers, trees, birds, and other native long island wildlife. 

6. Sands Point Preserve

127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point
516-571-7901
Hours: Through Oct. 31: Members: Wednesday-Sunday, 9am-6pm; nonmembers: Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm; Sunday, 9am-6pm. Last entry is 5:30pm for all.
Price: $15 per car; free for members

The preserve is home to 216 acres of diverse habitats of woods, fields, a pond, and beachfront, offering six trails for you and your family to explore. 

 

 

 

 

 

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7. Avalon Park and Preserve

200 Harbor Road, Stony Brook
631-689-0619
Hours: Through October: Tuesday-Sunday, 7am-6pm; November-March: Tuesday-Sunday, 7am-5pm

Avalon has approximately 5 miles of hiking and walking trails to explore, where you'll enjoy sweeping views of meadows and native wildlife. 

8. Bayard Cutting Arboretum 

440 Montauk Highway, Great River
631-581-1002
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm; closed all winter holidays.
Price: $8 per vehicle

Bayard considers itself to be a museum of trees, not a "park." Activities like biking, picnicking, sports, pets, and games are not permitted.

 

 

 

 

 

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9. Caleb Smith State Park Preserve

581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown
631-265-1054
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 9am-4pm
Price: $8 per vehicle

One of 4 state nature preserves on Long Island, this 543-acre park is home to a variety of habitats, offering visitors picturesque views that change with the seasons. Plus, the preserve’s Nature Museum showcases natural history exhibits and the hiking trails feature rare plants like Pink Lady Slipper, Trailing Arbutus, and Indian Pipe.

10. Caumsett State Park Preserve

25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington
631-423-1770
Hours: daily, sunrise to sunset
Price: $8 per car

This historic park is situated on a peninsula, providing views of the Long Island sound, wooded hiking paths, and beautiful gardens. 

11. Laurel Lake Park and Preserve

5501 NY-25, Laurel
631-283-3195
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk

Go hiking and birdwatching, study nature, and take stunning photos of the foliage along 14 miles of trails within a hardwood forest. You'll see oaks, hickories, beeches, and maples.

12. Mashomack Preserve

79 S. Ferry Road, Shelter Island
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk

Mashomack Preserve is surrounded by 11 miles of coastline and covers a third of Shelter Island with 2,039 acres of interlacing tidal creeks, mature oak woodlands, fields, and freshwater marshes.

13. Quogue Wildlife Refuge

3 Old Country Road, Quogue
631-653-4771
Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset

This 300-acre, nonprofit nature preserve is home to diverse wildlife and their habitats. Explore forests and ponds, including the ecologically rare Dwarf Pines and Pine Barrens.

14. Sears Bellows County Park

Bellows Pond Road, Hampton Bays
631-852-8290
Hours: daily, 8am-4pm
Price: $7-$15 for parking

Nestled within the Long Island Pine Barrens, Sears Bellows offers an extensive trail system and many activities.

15. Wildwood State Park

790 Hulse Landing Road, Wading River
631-929-4314
Hours: daily, sunrise to sunset

Explore 600 acres of undeveloped, hardwood forest overlooking the Long Island Sound.

16. West Hills County Park

Sweet Hollow Road, Melville
631-854-4423
Hours: daily, 8am-6pm
Price: $7-$15 for parking

Picturesque nature trails, including the historic Walt Whitman Trail to Jayne's Hill (Long Island's highest peak, at an elevation of 400 feet), wind through this mixed-deciduous forest.

Fall Foliage in Westchester County

1. Teatown Lake Reservation

1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining
914-762-2912
Hours: Trails: daily, dawn to dusk; Visitor Center: daily, 9am-5pm

This 1,000-acre preserve is home to 15 miles of scenic hiking trails, which are open to the public year-round. Teatown maintains 14 trails across diverse terrain and habitats, including fields, mixed hardwood forests, laurel groves, lakes, streams, swamps, and farm land—giving visitors a unique view of the biological diversity of the lower Hudson Valley. 

 

 

 

 

 

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