There’s nothing we love more than the colors on the trees changing, giving us dazzling displays of fall foliage in the Hudson Valley. Luckily, 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. 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 for amazing views of the Hudson Valley’s fall foliage in Rockland, Ulster, Orange, and Dutchess counties, plus some amazing fall foliage cruises.
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Fall Foliage in Rockland County
1. Bear Mountain State Park
Route 9W North, Bear Mountain
845-786-2701
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk
Price: Through March 31, 2022: $10 per vehicle weekends and holidays, 8am-5pm
Bear Mountain fall foliage is considered a “must see” in autumn, especially the Perkins Memorial Tower. You can either drive up to the 40-foot tall stone look-out tower and then climb the steps to the observation windows, or, if you're feeling ambitious, you can hike from a lower point to the top. For a less strenuous walk, drive to the tower and then follow the Bear Mountain Summit Loop hike. Then, once you’re done, head over to the Bear Mountain Zoo to visit the animals.
2. Kennedy Dells Park
355 N. Main St., New City
845-364-2670
Hours: daily, 6am-7pm
The park is heavily wooded with hemlocks, white pines, beeches, maples, black and red oaks, white ashes, and black locusts.
3. Rockland Lake State Park
299 Rockland Lake Road, Valley Cottage
845-268-3020
Hours: daily, daylight to dusk
Price: Through Oct. 24: $10 per vehicle Saturday-Sunday and holidays, 8am-4:30pm
The park offers hiking trails with breath-taking views of the Hudson valley along with a variety of activities like tennis, golf, grilling, playgrounds, and water features.
4. High Tor State Park
415 S. Mountain Road, New City
845-634-8074
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 8am-7:30pm
Price: $8 per vehicle
Hike to the top of High Tor mountain and enjoy 360 degree views of the Hudson River and miles of fall foliage.
5. Haverstraw Bay Park
21 Gagan Road, West Haverstraw
845-364-2670
Hours: daily, 6am-7pm
Hike, participate in one of the many activities, or view many of the beautiful wildlife creatures like the Belted Kingfisher, Mallard, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Blue Jay, Song Sparrow, Great Black-Backed Gull, and the Northern Mockingbird.
6. Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site
44 Battlefield Road, Stony Point
845-786-2521
Hours: Museum: Wednesday- Saturday, 10:00a.m.- 4:30p.m.; Sunday, 12:00p.m.- 4:30p.m.
Restrooms: Wednesday- Saturday, 9:00a.m.- 4:30p.m.; Sunday, 12:00p.m. to 4:30p.m.
Grounds: Wednesday- Saturday, 9:00a.m.- 5:00p.m.; Sunday, 12:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. (weather & staffing permitting). Grounds Closed: Monday and Tuesday
Price: Battlefield access is free during regular hours
Visit the site of the Battle of Stony Point, one of the last Revolutionary War battles in the northeastern colonies and home of the Stony Point Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on the Hudson River. There are three scenic overlooks here, looking out over the Hudson River and Haverstraw Bay.
Fall Foliage in Westchester
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.
2. Rockefeller State Park Preserve
125 Phelps Way, Pleasantville
914-631-1470
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk
Primarily a hardwood forest, the Rockefeller State Park Preserve is home to oak, tulip poplar, maple, and beech trees. Some of the trees here are more than 150-200 years old! Plus, hemlocks can be found along the 13 Bridges and Witches Spring trails.
3. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
Route 35 and 121 South, Cross River
914-864-7317
Hours: daily, 8am to dusk
This 4,315-acre park is Westchester County’s largest park, which means there’s plenty of local flora and fauna to see year-round. Its rustic woodlands include evergreens, oak, hickory, and maple. Plus, this reserve is home to the Trailside Nature Museum.
4. Blue Mountain Reservation
435 Welcher Ave., Peekskill
914-862-5275
Hours: daily, 8am to dusk
Located in the northwest section of Westchester County, this 1,538-acre park was acquired in 1926. It features miles of unpaved trails for mountain biking and walking. And if you really want to see some great views of fall foliage, climb Blue Mountain (5-mile loop) or Mount Spitzenberg (1.6 miles).
5. Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park South between Broadway and Jerome Avenue, Bronx
Hours: daily, 6am-10pm
Located close to the Bronx/Westchester County line, The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, the Putnam Trail, the Muir Trail, and the John Kieran Trail provide beautiful native hardwoods to walk through and enjoy the changing fall colors.
6. Bronx River Greenway
1490 Sheridan Blvd., Bronx
Hours: daily, 6am-10pm
London planes, oaks, sassafras, red maples, tulip poplars, sycamores, and beeches line the greenway connecting many NYC parks. The Bronx River Forest is one of the oldest hardwood forests in the city.
7. Pelham Bay Park
Hutchinson River, Long Island Sound between Bronx County Line and Middletown Road, Watt Avenue
Hours: daily, 6am-10pm
Pelham Bay Park is the City's largest park property (yup, bigger than Central Park!). Take the Kazimiroff Trail through 189 acres of Hunter Island by the tall Norway spruces and white pines, which provide a habitat for great horned owls.
Fall Foliage in Orange County
1. Storm King Art Center
1 Museum Road, New Windsor
845-534-3115
Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 10am-5:30pm
Price: $23-$140, depending on number of people in vehicle. Tickets are released in two-week blocks and are available on Wednesdays starting at 12 PM, we strongly recommend visiting the site to get your tickets now if interested in visiting Storm King to leaf peep.
This 500-acre outdoor museum offers stunning views of hills, meadows, and forests of its site and the surrounding landscape.
2. Bellvale Farms Creamery
1390 Route 17A, Warwick
845-988-1818
Hours: Through Oct. 30: Monday-Wednesday, 12-8pm; Thursday-Sunday, 12-9pm.
This iconic ice cream creamery has stunning views of Warwick Valley and Greenwood Lake to enjoy while you eat your ice cream.
3. Trophy Point
United States Military Academy, West Point
845-938-4011
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk
One of the most visited places at the United States Military Academy, this scenic overlook of the Hudson River Valley has been the subject of many works of art.
4. Winding Hills Park
Old Route 17K, Montgomery
845-615-3830
Hours: Park: daily, dawn to dusk
Price: Vary by activity. See website.
A picturesque landscape offers a variety of amenities for anyone that enjoys what nature and the outdoors have to offer, including campsites, a 40-acre Diamond Lake, 4-acre pond, fishing, boating (car-top boats only), playgrounds, horseshoe pits, volleyball court, picnic shelter, picnic tables, nature trails, grills, ice-skating, ice fishing, and snowmobile trails.
5. Fort Montgomery State Historic Site
690 Route 9W, Fort Montgomery
845-446-2134
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 m. Usually closes for the season the third week of October
Price: See website
Montgomery was the scene of a fierce Revolutionary War battle for control of the Hudson River. Visitors today can tour the remains of the 14-acre fortification, perched on a cliff overlooking the magnificent Hudson
Fall Foliage in Dutchess County
1. Vanderbilt Mansion
81 Vanderbilt Park Road, Hyde Park
845-229-7770
Hours: Through October: daily, 7am-7pm
Price: $10
Explore the grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion high above the Hudson River with amazing views of the Catskills.
2. Staatsburg State Historic Site
75 Mills Mansion Drive, Road #1, Staatsburg
845-889-8851
Hours: check website
Price: $8 adults, $6 students and seniors, free for children ages 12 and younger
The property of the elegant country home of Ogden Mills and his wife Ruth Livingston Mills overlooks the Hudson River and the Catskills.
3. Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area and Research Preserve
Cruger Island Road, Tivoli
845-889-4745
Hours: daily, dawn to dusk
Price: Free
Hike along the Hudson River with stunning views of the Catskills.
4. Ferncliff Forest
68 Mt. Rutsen Road, Rhinebeck
Hours: Park open year-round; tower open daily, dawn to dusk
Ferncliff Forest Game Refuge and Forest Preserve is a 200 acre forest known as the second-best old growth forest in the Hudson Valley. The forest is available for hiking, camping, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, and picnics at no charge. Plus, there’s a tower you can climb for amazing views of the area.
5. Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park
23 Long Dock Road, Beacon
845-473-4440
Hours: daily, 6am-8pm
Kayak, picnic, stroll through wetlands, or simply enjoy the river.
Fall Foliage in Ulster County
1. Walkway Over the Hudson
87 Haviland Road, Highland
845-834-2867
Hours: daily, 7am to sunset
This steel cantilever bridge spans the Hudson River between Highland on the west bank and Poughkeepsie on the east.
Fall Foliage Cruises on the Hudson
1. Hudson River Adventures – Pride of the Hudson
4 Washington St., Newburgh
845-220-2120
Hours: See website for cruise schedule
Price: $30; $28 seniors ages 65 and older; $20 children ages 4-11; free for children ages 3 and younger.
Drive to Newburgh to hop aboard the Pride of the Hudson. This two-hour narrated cruise will take you past Washington’s Headquarters, Mount Beacon, Bannerman Island, Breakneck Mountain, Cold Spring, World’s End, Constitution Island, and West Point.
2. Hudson River Recreation
914-682-5135
Hours: depends on which tour you select
Price: $89-$178
If you prefer to take the river at a slower pace, Hudson River Recreation can put you in charge of your own boat. Your own really small boat, that is. It offers kayak tours on the Hudson departing from Sleepy Hollow, Croton-on-Hudson, and Rye. The tours generally run from mid-May to late September or early October, depending on the weather. Call for the current schedule.
Main image by Evgeny Atamanenko/Shutterstock.com
