The Adirondack Mountains are renowned for their bold and beautiful changing leaves, with peak foliage season starting around the last week of September and extending through mid-October in the lower-lying southern Adirondacks. If you’re planning to check out the colors this fall, Adirondack Mountain Land has your guide to the best leaf peeping excursions in the area, from the most quintessential to the truly unique.
Fall Hikes
Pack a pair of hiking boots and your favorite fall flannel for mountain-top views of the area’s peak foliage. Baker Mountain near Saranac Lake is a relatively easy hike offering summit views of the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness area and High Peaks, while the open summit at Mount Jo in Lake Placid offers one of the best views of the High Peaks and Heart Lake for relatively little effort. For a more moderate trail away from the crowds, hike to the fire tower on Azure Mountain in Waverly, NY, or challenge yourself with a hike up Debar Mountain between Malone and Paul Smith’s, NY – both offering stunning fall foliage views at the top.
Scenic Bike Rides
Pedal through a canopy of fall foliage along several tree-lined bikeways in the Adirondacks, including the Adirondack Rail Trail, which features 10 miles of paved paths between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, as well as a 15-mile path from Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road in the St. Regis Canoe area. There’s also the Champlain Valley section of the Empire State Trail, which passes through Ticonderoga, Westport, Keeseville, Plattsburgh and Rouse’s Point, and the Warren County Bikeway, a 9.5-mile multi-use trail that stretches from Lake George to downtown Glens Falls.
Gondola Rides
Take your leaf peeping to new heights with a gondola or chair lift ride at one of the Adirondack Region’s ski centers. Both Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, NY and Gore Mountain in North Creek, NY offer gondola rides and a bird’s eye view of the surrounding High Peaks bursting with fall color. Titus Mountain in Malone, NY also features scenic chair lift rides as part of their annual Oktoberfest weekend held annually in early October.
Railway Tours
Enjoy the fall foliage from the comfort of a restored vintage train car as it winds along the rails from Utica to Old Forge, NY. Travel through forests bright with fall colors, over rivers, and across streams. The Fall Gateway Tour is provided by Adirondack Railroad and is approximately 5.5 hours long. Visit the café car for light and hearty fare, or upgrade to first-class for table seating and a dedicated passenger car attendant, as well as northbound hors d’oeuvre, a southbound dessert, and nonalcoholic beverage service.
Sightseeing Flights
For a truly unique leaf peeping experience, take to the skies with a sightseeing flight. Payne’s Air Service in Inlet, NY is an Adirondack Seaplane Service offering scenic tours, fly-in wilderness fishing, hunting and camping trips with an Adirondack bush pilot as your guide. Likewise, Untethered Aviation in Saranac Lake offers 45-minute scenic flights that give you the opportunity to view the Adirondack fall foliage from above. See the Saranac chain of Lakes, the Adirondack High Peaks, the Lake Placid Olympic Venues, and even Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Enjoy More Fall with Your Own Adirondack Acreage
Can’t get enough of the fall foliage and Adirondack Mountains? We feel the same way. That’s why we live here and why we are passionate about helping others find affordable and buildable land in the Adirondacks. We currently have several waterfront lots for sale in Twin Ponds Preserve near Malone, NY, as well as other acreage throughout the Adirondacks. Browse our listings, or give us a call at 518-624-6055 for assistance with your search.