Autumn has always been a favorite time of year for me. As we’ve traveled around, we have found so many stunning places to see the brilliant colors of the Fall leaves, and we wanted to share our favorite spots with you. We personally visited these places during the fall and thought they were spectacular. Check back as we add more spots to our list.
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Beechwood State Park – Sodus Point
Beechwood State Park is great any time of the year, but Autumn is when it shines. This park is very wooded, and the forest there burst into color. Visitors can enjoy a quiet walk through colorful leaves. I always enjoy walking along the lakeshore here, which is especially beautiful in the Fall.
Bentley Bonds Trail – North Rose
I love this trail. It checks all the boxes; waterfall, wooded trails, creek, and a fantastic view of Sodus Bay. The trails through the woods are beautiful and made even more so by the brilliant Autumn colors.
Canandaigua Lake Scenic Overlook – Naples
The view from this scenic lookout over Canandaigua Lake is breathtaking, but add the brilliant fall foliage to the tree-covered hillside, and the view becomes even more spectacular.
Carpenter Falls – Skaneateles
This preserve is amazing, with multiple waterfalls, one that is even handicap accessible via a wooden boardwalk. What really makes this a fantastic fall destination is the trail that leads down to Skaneateles Lake. The woods are almost on fire with dazzling colors, but believe it or not, it’s even better at the lakeshore.
Cascadilla Gorge Trail
This is a magical place to hike in the fall when the colorful trees accentuate the beauty of the Glen.
Charles Sexton Memorial Park – Webster
With its masses of maple trees, Charles Sexton Memorial Park (former North Ponds Park) lights up the sunny Autumn afternoon in crimson brilliance.
Durand East Park – Irondequoit
This is one of my favorite places to visit in the Fall. The vast variety of trees floods the hills surrounding the small lake in intense shades of red, orange, and yellow. However, what makes it incredible is the way these colors reflect in the water. Added Bonus: There is a legend surrounding this park. The Lady in White is said to haunt the woods, looking for those responsible for her daughter’s murder.
Emerson Park – Auburn
Emerson Park is beautiful in the Fall, not just for its colorful leaves but also for the general ambiance of the park. You can stroll the lakeshore, walk the pier, or explore the walking paths with enchanting little nooks to rest and enjoy the picturesque view.
Finger Lakes Nation Forest – Hector
If you want to see stunning fall colors, you should make sure you add the Finger Lakes National Forest to your Autumn Leaf Peeper Bucket List. Hike miles of trails that travel through spectacular colors.
Garrett Memorial Chapel & The Skyline Drive – Bluff Point
If you can coordinate a visit when the Garrett Memorial Chapel is open, this is a must-visit destination because of the chapel’s unique Norman Gothic architecture. There are so many tiny details hidden in the chapel’s design. Even if you can’t get the opportunity to visit the chapel, you should still make a point of visiting Skyline Drive. This road takes you to the center of the Y in Keuka Lake.
Guppy Falls – Skaneateles
The creek hike up to Guppy Falls is really spectacular in the Autumn, with trees hanging over the creek, creating a colorful canopy. The falls aren’t always full, but it is a beautiful creek hike regardless.
Indian Fort Preserve – Geneseo
This is another destination that has lots to offer visitors in addition to the beautiful foliage, like a waterfall and a section of the Genesee River. This preserve also happens to be an important archeological site. Between 1400-1500 AD, the preserve was a palisade for the ancient Lamoka Tribe.
Mount Hope Cemetery – Rochester
There are places where the autumn leaves are just incredible, and Mount Hope is one of those places. I believe this is due to the topography of the cemetery, with its rolling hills and abundance of old trees. Fall is our favorite time of year to visit the cemetery. Mount Hope just looks like the quintessential October cemetery that one would find in a movie.
Ontario County Park – Bristol
If you are looking for a spectacular view of the fall foliage, The Jump Off at Ontario County Park is a must-visit destination. It is absolutely breathtaking in the Fall when the hillside is practically on fire with Autumn colors. We enjoy hiking here in the fall; the colors are nothing short of magnificent. The best part, there is an ADA trail that leads to a handicap-accessible viewing platform.
Otisco Shores Conservation Area – Otisco
We visited Otisco Shores Conservation Area in the Autumn and it was absolutely gorgeous. Every tree, bush, and plant in the preserve was bursting with fall colors. However, nothing compared to the colors coming from all the trees across the Lake. This is a fantastic place to enjoy the fall foliage.
Owasco Bluffs Preserve – Auburn
Owasco Lake Bluffs is a stunning fall hike through a mature forest, with colorful leaves raining down and covering the ground. Visitors enjoy a lovely hike through fields, woods, and finally, along the cliffside overlooking Owasco Lake. The view of the Autumn colors across the lake really put the icing on the cake for this preserve.
Papermill Falls – Avon
If you can overlook the unfortunate amount of graffiti above the Falls, this is a lovely Autumn destination. The radiant fall leaves against the beautiful waterfall creates a breathtaking scene.
VanRiper Conservation Area & Whitlock Nature Preserve – Romulus
We visited the Preserve during the fall, and it was even better than we imagined it would be with the bright fall colors surrounding us as we hiked down to the lake. The view of Cayuga Lake is always amazing here, but with the autumn leaves along the lake and along the shoreline across the lake, it’s just dazzling.
Webster Park – Webster
We visited late in the fall. While most other parks trees were bare, this park miraculously still had some Autumn color to offer. We enjoyed a lovely hike along one of the many leaf-covered trails though out this massive park. This is a must-visit fall destination for leaf peepers.
Other Places to Visit Outside of the Finger Lakes
It would be extremely short-sighted of me not to include other amazing destinations that we have visited when the leaves are painted in all their Autumnal glory.
Letchworth State Park – Mt. Morris
There are several places in New York where the autumn colors are nothing short of spectacular, and Letchworth is one of them. Even if you don’t feel like hiking, just taking a drive through the park is worth the visit.
Eighteen Mile Creek – Hamburg
This is an incredible fall hike, especially for those who love waterfalls and really don’t want to break much of a sweat getting to them. The colors here are as brilliant as they are diverse, especially along the creek.
Buttermilk Falls at Hobuck Flats – North Evans
Through the generosity of the landowner, visitors are able to enjoy not only a beautiful waterfall but also a fantastic stretch of Eighteen Mile Creek. Radiantly colored trees surround the creek and trails, making this a fantastic place to enjoy the most colorful time of the year.
What is your favorite Fall destination in New York? Do you agree with our choices? Let us know in the comments below.