Foliage has peaked in upstate New York and northern New Jersey, but New York City is expected to hit peak the week of Nov. 11–17, according to I LOVE NY, the state tourism office. Here are eight parks worth visiting before the leaves are gone, including Central Park, Prospect Park, the New York Botanical Garden, Fort Tryon Park and Palisades Interstate Park.
Foliage in upstate New York and northern New Jersey has mostly passed its peak, but New York City and Long Island are in full color now. The Nov. 4–10 foliage report from I LOVE NY, the state tourism office, forecast that Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island will reach peak the week of Nov. 11–17. On Long Island, about 90% of the trees along major parkways are already at or past peak. Here are eight parks in New York and New Jersey where you can enjoy late autumn before the leaves fall, without traveling far.
1. Central Park (Manhattan)
This is the place in New York City where foliage lasts the longest. Highlights include The Ramble, with its winding woodland paths; The Mall, with its tunnel of elms; and the Conservatory Garden at the park's northeastern end. The area around The Lake is ideal for seeing the colors reflected in the water. Admission is free.
2. Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Created by Olmsted and Vaux, who designed Central Park, the park is especially lovely in foliage season, with the wide lawn of Long Meadow and the wooded paths around the lake. The Ravine, a wooded gorge inside the park, is so quiet that you forget you are in the middle of the city.
3. New York Botanical Garden (the Bronx)
Inside the garden, you can walk through the Thain Family Forest, one of the largest remaining old-growth forests in New York City. The forest trails along the Bronx River and the maple gardens are worth seeing in late autumn. Admission prices vary by date and place of residence, so check the website.
4. Fort Tryon Park (Upper Manhattan)
Set on a hill at the northern tip of Manhattan, the park offers a sweeping view of the foliage on the Palisades cliffs in New Jersey across the Hudson River. The Met Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is inside the park, making it easy to combine a museum visit with a foliage walk. It is close to the 190th Street station on the A train.
5. Palisades Interstate Park (Fort Lee and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey)
The park is a few minutes by car from the Korean American communities of Fort Lee and Englewood Cliffs. From the cliff-top trails and overlooks along the Hudson River, you can see the river, Manhattan and the foliage on the cliffs together. State Line Lookout, at the north end of the park, offers excellent views and is a popular autumn drive.
6. Staten Island Greenbelt and Snug Harbor
The Greenbelt in the middle of Staten Island is one of the best woodland walks among New York City parks. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden on the island's north shore is also named a foliage destination by I LOVE NY. You can get there from Manhattan on the free Staten Island Ferry.
7. Planting Fields Arboretum (Oyster Bay, Long Island)
This state arboretum on Long Island's North Shore has broad gardens and woodland paths around a historic mansion. With Long Island foliage past peak, this weekend is effectively the last chance.
8. Cold Spring and Beacon in the Hudson Valley (Metro-North)
If you want to see foliage without a car, Metro-North's Hudson Line is convenient. Cold Spring and Beacon are a little over an hour from Grand Central, and Metro-North is running extra weekend "foliage trains" through Sunday, Nov. 8. Foliage in the Hudson Valley has passed peak, but a stroll through the riverside towns and the late-autumn scenery are still worth enjoying.
Before You Go
Foliage can fall quickly after a single rainstorm. I LOVE NY's foliage report (iloveny.com) gives weekly updates by region, so check it before you set out. The sun sets around 4:40 p.m. in November, so head out in the morning or early afternoon. Wet leaves make woodland trails slippery, so wear shoes with good traction.