New York State Fall Foliage Report

Considerably brighter fall foliage is predicted for this weekend throughout New York State, according to volunteer observers for Empire State Development’s I LOVE NEW YORK program. Peak conditions will be found in the Adirondacks, Catskills, Central New York, Finger Lakes and Chautauqua-Allegheny regions. I LOVE NEW YORK defines “peak” foliage as the period when the leaves are displaying their best overall appearance of the season.

Brighter colors have emerged throughout the Adirondacks over the past week. In the Whiteface region of Essex County, expect peak to past peak foliage with nearly complete leaf transition and bright red, yellow, orange and green leaves. Colors have come on strong over the past week. Foliage is past peak in the higher elevations. This weekend, expect 90 percent foliage change with bright orange, red and yellow leaves, despite significant leaf droppage. Leaves will be at peak in the town of Minerva. Expect 90 percent color change and red, yellow and brown leaves of average brilliance. Lake Placid has seen a late emergence of brilliant color over the past few days. This weekend, look for just past peak conditions with some bright, beautiful shades of orange, yellow, gold and red.

In Ticonderoga, look for midpoint to near peak foliage with 65-70 percent color change and red, yellow, orange, green and brown leaves of average brilliance. Around Crown Point, look for mid-to-near peak conditions this weekend with between 50 and 85 percent color change, with greater change as you climb away from Lake Champlain. Lingering shades of green are being overtaken by average shades of gold, yellow and bronze, along with some reds. In the Lake Champlain area around Willsboro look for 50-60 percent color change and leaves of bright golden yellows and deep reds along the lake coast.

In Northern Franklin County, spotters in Malone are expecting peak foliage for the area this weekend with 65 percent color change. Deep reds and maroons are showing up amid the yellows and greens this week. Spotters in Saranac Lake expect peak foliage this weekend with 90 percent color change and muted to average shades of red, orange and yellow. In the Tupper Lake and Mt. Arab areas some bright color, unusual for this time of the season, has emerged over the past few days. This weekend, foliage will be past peak with 95 percent color change and clusters of golden yellow, russet, pumpkin and burnt orange leaves with intermittent hues of scarlet and burgundy.

In Hamilton County, Inlet will be past peak this weekend with 90 percent color change and shades of bright yellow and orange popping out as the last of the leaves turn. Foliage inSpeculator will also be past peak with spotters predicting 60-80 percent color change, and bright shades of orange and red among remaining green. Foliage will be past peak this weekend in Old Forge, in Herkimer County. Look for 85 percent color change and a variety of remaining fall colors of above average brilliance. In Warren County, foliage change will range from midpoint in the Lake George area to near peak in the northwestern areas of the county around Gore Mountain as brighter shades of red and orange emerge.

In the Catskills region, Delaware County will reach peak foliage this weekend, with nearly complete leaf change and bright gold and red leaves. Foliage throughout the Great Northern Catskills of Greene County will be at peak for the upcoming weekend with nearly complete leaf change and bright shades of red, yellows, oranges and purples. Above 1500’ foliage is just past peak. Look for some bright and beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange. In Sullivan County, foliage will near peak this weekend with 50-60 percent color change and bright red, purple and orange leaves, along with a hint of yellow. Ulster County spotters in Kingston expect foliage to be at midpoint of change this weekend with 35 percent leaf transition and increasing brilliant shades of yellow, bright orange and burnt red.

In the Capital-Saratoga region, foliage will range from midpoint of change to near peak. In Fulton County, spotters reporting from Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center in Northville expect near peak foliage this weekend with 80 percent color change and brilliant reds and oranges along with a variety of yellows and browns. Albany County spotters atThacher State Park in Altamont expect 70-80 percent color change and near peak to peak average shades of yellow, brown and some red. Saratoga County will be near to at peak with 70 percent color transition. The colors have changed dramatically over the past week and the full range of fall colors are visible including bright reds, yellows, and oranges, along with ambers and greens. In Rensselaer County, color change will be at midpoint, ranging from 40-50 percent in the western and southern parts of the county, and 50-65 percent in the eastern and northern parts. A significant amount of leaves have fallen, while many green and brown leaves remain on the trees. Schenectady County spotters in Glenville note an increase in bright oranges adding to the greens, reds, yellows and golds already present. Look for 35-40 percent color transition this weekend and foliage at midpoint of change.

In Central New York, Oneida County observers in Utica are calling for peak foliage this weekend and near complete leaf transition with muted shades of gold, yellow and amber accented with bright orange against a backdrop of assorted shades of green. Peak foliage arrives in Chenango County this weekend, according to spotters in Norwich. Look for 75 percent color change and a green backdrop giving way to more and more pops of bright red, yellow and orange leaves. Sumacs are particularly colorful. Spotters in Mohawk in Herkimer County predict near complete leaf transition by next weekend with brilliant peak red and orange leaves, along with some gold and purple. In Schoharie County, spotters reporting from Howes Cave expect peak foliage this weekend with 50-60 percent color transition and a very brilliant assortment of all fall colors. In Otsego County look for peak to just past peak leaves this weekend. Colors have noticeably brightened over the past week and include yellow and orange, along with some shades of red.

Broome County spotters in Binghamton expect near peak foliage and 45 percent color change this weekend. Look for bright yellow, red and green leaves. In Montgomery County, spotters reporting from Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site expect foliage change to be around midpoint this weekend with 60 percent color change and shades of orange and yellow of average brilliance, along with some deepening reds. Madison County spotters reporting from Cazenovia expect 30 percent color change with orange, yellow and red leaves of average brilliance dominating the shoreline of Cazenovia Lake.

Leaves have become noticeably brighter and more colorful in the Finger Lakes region. Peak foliage will arrive in Chemung County with 75-80 color change and very bright orange hues, along with shades of yellow and red. In Livingston County, spotters in Geneseo expect near peak foliage this weekend as the rain this week seemed to help the colors emerge. Look for average shades of yellow, along with some bronze, leaves despite is significant leaf droppage.

Foliage will reach near peak in other areas of the region this weekend. Tompkins County spotters reporting from Ithaca predict near peak leaves this weekend. Look for 75 percent color change and purple, yellow and orange leaves predominating along with some green and some bright red leaves of average brilliance. In Tioga County, Owego foliage spotters expect midpoint conditions heading toward near peak this weekend. Look for 65 percent color change and muted yellow, brown and green leaves. In Seneca County, foliage should be near midpoint of change with 60-65 percent color transition and increasingly brighter leaves of green and yellow, along with hints of red and orange. Spotters checking in from theCorning, Hornell, Bath, Hammondsport and Keuka Lake areas of Steuben County expect midpoint to near peak conditions this weekend with 60 percent color change and bright red, burgundy, gold, yellow and orange leaves.

In Cayuga County, Auburn spotters predict foliage at midpoint of change this weekend with 60 percent transition and orange, red, yellow and green leaves of average brilliance. Foliage at midpoint of change will be found throughout Cortland County, according to spotters there. Look for 50 percent color change and red, yellow and green leaves of average brilliance. In Ontario County, expect 45 percent color change by the weekend and average shades of orange and brown interspersed among the mostly green background. In the hills south of Syracuse, Onondaga County spotters expect 40 percent color change this weekend and midpoint conditions. The noticeable change from last week includes a brighter mix of yellow, orange and green, with pops of red throughout the display. In Onondaga County, spotters reporting from Syracuse University expect just 20 percent color change in the city this weekend with some yellow leaves of average brilliance emerging.

Foliage is approaching midpoint of change, according to Schuyler County spotters in Watkins Glen. Look for 30-40 percent color change this weekend and bright shades of yellow and orange, along with green. In Monroe County, spotters reporting from Rochester expect midpoint foliage with 55-60 percent color change this weekend. Look for subtle shades of light green, yellow-green and some red, dark red and russet colored leaves, along with a touch of orange. Trees that normally have yellow leaves in the fall have been slow to turn from green to yellow; often these trees are a combination of yellow leaves on the top (or underside) with the rest of the tree still retaining green leaves. Significant leaf droppage is also reported. North of Rochester, colors near Lake Ontario will range from 15-25 percent changed. There are spots where a large amount of trees are changed (mostly yellow), and then there other areas nearby with virtually no color. More trees in the area are starting to display shades of yellow, red and rust, but green still is the prominent color. Brilliance is mostly muted except for those areas with the greatest color change. In Yates County, near peak leaves are predicted for the weekend, with 75 percent color change and average to bright orange, yellow, green and some purple leaves. Color is considerably lower in the Rushville area. Look for beginning to midpoint foliage with touches of red and yellow still dominated by green.

In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, foliage at Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County will be at peak this weekend with 60 percent color change and mostly yellow leaves of average brilliance, along with a touch of red and orange. In Little Valley, foliage will be near peak this weekend with 40 percent color change and bright orange, green, gold, rust and crimson leaves. Leaves will be 30 percent changed in northern and southern Chautauqua County this weekend with predominating colors of green, along with some red, orange and yellow. The middle portion of the county will be 35 percent changed.

In the Greater Niagara region, Wyoming County spotters in Perry are predicting 60 percent change this weekend and midpoint conditions with average to bright shades of red, yellow and orange becoming more predominate. In Erie County, spotters reporting from Springville expect midpoint to some near peak foliage this weekend with 50 percent color change and yellow, orange and green leaves of average brilliance. Buffalo will be at midpoint this weekend with 25-30 percent color change and more and more average shades of red and yellow appearing. The foliage in the Buffalo Southtowns is further along and closer to near peak than near the hills, where it is around midpoint.

Leaf peepers checking in from Batavia in Genesee County predict 40-45 percent color change and midpoint conditions this weekend with bright red and orange leaves dominating the fall color. Foliage change has been slow in Orleans County. This weekend expect up to 30 percent color change with shades of green and gold of average brilliance, and some shades of red just starting to pop. In Niagara County, expect 20 percent leaf transition and a wide range of fall colors.

In the Thousand Islands-Seaway region, Alexandria Bay foliage reporters in Jefferson County are calling for peak foliage this weekend with nearly complete leaf transition and brilliant red, orange and gold leaves. Color change in St. Lawrence County will range from 50-75 percent. In the Adirondacks area of the county there are some pockets of past peak and peak foliage. In the St. Lawrence River Valley some pockets are near peak some pockets are at peak. Leaves are red, yellow and green and are of average brilliance. In Oswego County look for midpoint conditions and 50 percent color change by this weekend. The foliage is taking on the color of the harvest season. Some dull greens remain on the trees; purples, reds, oranges and yellows are coming through with small pops of brighter colors dotting the landscape.

In the Hudson Valley, foliage will be near peak this weekend in Orange County, according to spotters in Goshen. Look for 50 percent color change and glowing red, yellow and oranges. Leaves will be near peak and brilliant around the New City area of Rockland County, according to observers there. Expect 50 percent color change with bright shades of orange along with some red and yellow. Columbia County spotters reporting from Hudson expect 50-60 percent color change and midpoint conditions this weekend with green, golden orange and yellow leaves of average brilliance, along with some reds popping out. In Dutchess County, Poughkeepsie will see foliage at the midpoint stage with about 25 percent color change, featuring yellow and orange leaves of average brilliance. Color is expected to remain low in Westchester County this weekend. Look for 20 percent color change and some red and orange leaves of average brilliance.

On Long Island, Nassau County, spotters reporting from East Meadow predict 25 percent color change for the weekend with some yellow and red leaves of average brilliance emerging from the green backdrop. Most areas are just starting to turn, while other areas around ponds and lakes are at mid-point and beyond. In Suffolk County, leaves will be a little more than 10 percent changed. Spotters reporting from Tanger Outlets in Riverhead note fall colors of yellow and some purple of average brilliance.

In New York City, spotters reporting from the Morris Park section of The Bronx predict 10 percent color change for the weekend with more shades of yellow and red appearing sparingly. There has also been some droppage of colorful leaves.

Volunteer Leaf Peepers

The I LOVE NEW YORK team of volunteer Leaf Peepers, located throughout the state’s 11 vacation regions, are tasked with keeping track of the color change in their area as leaves progress each week. The information is then used for fall foliage reports, which are posted online each week, featuring a detailed map of color change throughout New York State, vantage points for viewing spectacular foliage, suggested autumn getaways and weekly event listings in each region.

About Fall Foliage

The weekly foliage report, a detailed map charting fall color progress, vantage points for viewing spectacular foliage, suggested autumn getaways and weekly event listings are available by visiting the I LOVE NEW YORK web site at www.iloveny.com/foliage. Reports are also available by dialing, toll-free, 800/CALL-NYS (800/225-5697) from anywhere in the U.S., its territories and Canada. To learn how to become a volunteer Leaf Peeper, e-mail your name, address and phone number to foliage@esd.ny.gov. Fall foliage reports are also available by dialing, toll-free, 800-CALL-NYS.

About New York State

New York State features 11 beautiful vacation regions. New York’s attractions span from landmarks such as Niagara Falls to the wine trails of Hudson Valley and treasures like the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Whether it’s wide-ranging outdoor activities for the whole family like hiking, culinary wonders and farm-to-table fresh foods, snowmobiling, skiing and snowboarding, or the rich history and culture of one of the 13 original colonies, New York State offers diverse activities for all travelers. For more information, visit www.iloveny.com. Media can find press releases and more at http://www.iloveny.com/thebeat/.

Follow the I LOVE NY social media channels for news on tourism in New York State. From NYC to Niagara Falls and all points in between, there’s so much to love to LOVE in NY! Check out I LOVE NEW YORK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for great ideas for your next getaway.