
The Best Small Towns In New York To Catch Fall Foliage
Like the rest of the U.S.A.'s Northeastern region, New York State is known for some of the most enchanting fall scenery in the country. As early as mid-September, this state’s diverse tree species, which include sugar maple, red maple, and oak hickory, transform into fiery colors, offering a satisfying leaf peeping experience. While New York City is no doubt a great place to catch the views, the state’s smaller towns present more intense fall foliage. Besides, the warm scenery of fall is best enjoyed with fewer crowds and less obstructive structures - features that can only be found in New York’s smaller towns. From Woodstock to Lake Placid, visit these small towns in New York as soon as possible to get inspired by the enchanting fall colors while engaging in thrilling outdoor adventures.
Lake George

This lakeside gem in the Adirondacks displays impressive fall colors, especially around the lake. This scenery is best witnessed when hiking one of the trails in the area, especially the 2.9-mile out-and-back Prospect Mountain Hiking Trail, which leads to views of the lake and the surrounding High Peaks from the top of Prospect Mountain. Similarly, the Blue Trail in the 73-acre Pinnacle Preserve offers impressive sights of fall foliage around Lake George and is shorter, stretching only 0.8 miles as it leads to Bradley’s Lookout. For an easier and more convenient way to catch the sights, a ride on the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway is recommended. This 5.8-mile road leads to three overlooks, each offering a different perspective of the autumn scenery around the lake, as well as New York’s Adirondack High Peaks, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
Cold Spring

Cold Spring is a charming town in the Hudson Valley, featuring some of the best fall foliage scenes in New York. Home to only around 2,000 people, this town welcomes fall travelers to capture the views while cruising on the Hudson River. Even more exciting, Cold Spring is the main gateway town to Hudson Highlands State Park, where over 70 miles of trails provide access to wooded areas carpeted and surrounded by red, orange, and yellow leaves. The Bull Hill Full Loop Trail, one of the park’s top trails, offers a tough five-mile adventure through lush fall foliage-drenched areas to several viewpoints with views of the Hudson River and surrounding forest-carpetted mountains. Meanwhile, the park’s Little Stony Point offers an easier hike with great views of the river and its surrounding autumn allure. Plus, this trail winds through heavily wooded areas and leads to a beach where one can relax while soaking in the views.
Woodstock

Woodstock sits within the Catskill Park, where it displays impressive natural scenery year-round. In the fall, however, this town puts on its best look as the air turns crisp and leaves transform into vibrant hues of gold, crimson, and yellow. A true paradise for leaf peepers, travelers here can soak in some great views by hiking on the Overlook Mountain Trail. This trail is five miles long and winds through lush forests and along the ruins of a 19th-century house as it leads to a mountain summit and fire tower with unobstructed views of the Catskill Mountains and the beautiful fall foliage. More charming autumn scenery can be enjoyed on the Kaaterskill Falls Trail, which offers a 1.7-mile round-trip hike with views of a 260-foot waterfall surrounded by yellow, golden, and orange leaves. Additionally, Woodstock is one of the major host towns of the Woodstock Film Festival, one of America’s top film festivals, held annually in the fall. The 26th edition of the festival is scheduled to take place from October 14th to 19th, 2025, and is a great experience to enjoy alongside the town’s charming fall foliage
Mount Morris

Located on the Genesee River, Mount Morris is famous for hosting Letchworth State Park, a popular park in New York for natural scenery and adventures. Known as the Grand Canyon of the East, this park alone is worth a fall vacation in Mount Morris, as the Genesee River and its large waterfalls, the deep gorge, and lush forests combine to create some of the most spectacular autumn scenes in the world. Over 60 miles of trails provide access to the park’s best views, while opportunities also abound for whitewater rafting and kayaking. However, one of the best ways to witness the park’s scenery is on a hot air balloon ride with Balloons Over Letchworth, which presents a bird’s eye view of the Genesee River Gorge, the waterfalls, and the surrounding trees painted in rich hues of yellow, gold, and orange. Hiking the Gorge Trail, one of the park’s top trails, is also an incredible way to enjoy the views here in the fall. This trail is 7.5 miles long and winds along the park’s major waterfalls, including the Upper, Middle, and Lower falls, all surrounded by enchanting fall foliage. The Gorge trail also leads to picnic areas and several overlooks, such as Inspiration Point, where one can stop to soak in the views. Besides Letworth, Al Lorenz Park is a great place in Mount Morris to picnic or stroll through wooded areas with beautiful fall foliage.
Wilmington

Wilmington is an amazing place to capture the beauty of autumn in New York, especially as it is located at the start of the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway, one of the top scenic drives in the country, open till mid-October. Stretching over seven miles, this highway invites bikers and drivers to enjoy a relaxing ride to the summit of New York’s fifth-highest mountain, where 360-degree views of the fall foliage-drenched Adirondacks can be enjoyed. Besides the ride, Wilmington has several trails with charming autumn scenery, and the High Falls Gorge Trail is one of the easiest and most beautiful. This short trail takes travelers across a wheel-chair accessible path and steel bridges to close-up views of four waterfalls surrounded by stunning rocks and charming fall foliage. Elsewhere, the Flume Knob Trail invites hikers to a 3.1-mile out-and-back adventure along the Ausable River, and through lush fall foliage-covered woodlands en route to a summit with impressive views of the Wilmington Valley. Perhaps even more unique and exciting, Wilmington is around 30 miles from Ausable Chasm, which is also known as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks. Carved hundreds of millions of years ago, this chasm invites fall travelers to hike around the stunning rock formations, walk on a staircase, paddle or tube on the Ausable River, while savoring the surrounding fall colors.
Lake Placid

Lake Placid is more than a winter hotspot that has hosted world-famous winter games, including two Winter Olympics. This town in the Adirondack Mountains is also a haven for leaf peeping, as it is surrounded by woodlands full of hiking trails. For starters, Henry’s Woods is in Lake Placid and invites fall travelers to hike the two-mile Henry’s Woods Loop Trail through a quiet and lush forest with colorful fall foliage. Just outside town, the Brewster Peninsula Nature Trail system is also a great place to hike and catch some autumn scenery and views of Lake Placid. Notably, Lake Placid is the start of the Adirondack Rail Trail, which stretches 34 miles through Saranac Lake, Lake Clear, and ends in Tupper Lake. Bikers are invited to hit this trail for a satisfying ride through the Adirondacks with sights of lakes and woodlands displaying spectacular fall colors.

Lake Placid is also just 10 minutes from High Falls Gorge, where one can enjoy a short walk with breathtaking sights of four waterfalls, rocks, and fall foliage. In the meantime, fall travelers here can enjoy the views more uniquely by paddling on Mirror Lake, which reflects the surrounding fall colors and mountains. The town’s namesake lake also offers opportunities for paddling with views of impressive autumn colors, the McKenzie Range, and Whiteface Mountain.
Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake is a gem in the Adirondack Mountains and a paradise for leaf peeping. Located on Lake Flower and surrounded by several other lakes, this town is characterized by a variety of tree species, including red oaks and sugar maple, all of which transform into vibrant scenes of gold, orange, yellow, and crimson as the air turns crisp. Thankfully, the town offers a couple of ways to enjoy the autumn scenery, and hiking the Baker Mountain Trail is one of them. This trail is 1.6 miles round-trip, leading through a forest drenched in warm colors to the 2,452-foot summit of Mount Baker, where fantastic views of McKenzie Mountain and McKenzie Pond can be seen. Haystack Mountain Trail is another great fall hike in the Saranac Lake area, offering a six-mile out-and-back adventure through a forest painted in fiery colors and full of fallen leaves. Additionally, bikers can hit the Adirondack Rail Trail for a ride through the fall foliage-covered woodlands and mountains of the Adirondacks. Back in town, Lake Flower invites fall travelers to kayak or fish while enjoying the views.
A Camera is a Must-Carry On A Trip To These Fall Hotspots In New York
Although New York sees some of the earliest fall foliage, with peak colors occurring between late September and early October, the views last well into late October. In these small towns in New York, travelers will have the chance to catch some of the state’s best fall colors. Head to these towns today and hit one or more of the recommended trails for a satisfying leaf peeping experience. For even more magical colors, fall travelers are advised to head to fall foliage hotspots at sunrise or sunset. As always, a camera is one of the most important pieces of gear to carry on a fall foliage hunting trip, as the timing and colors can be perfect for a legendary shot that will captivate millions.