Peak foliage is arriving in the northern and central portions of the Thousand Islands-Seaway region while fading from the higher elevations of the Adirondacks and Catskills and appearing in select pockets across the state. This weekend, much of Upstate New York will showcase leaves in the midst of their seasonal progression, ranging from midpoint of change to nearly peak transition. This is according to the field reports from volunteer observers for the Empire State Development Division of Tourism’s I LOVE NY program.
Locations with the most significant foliage change this weekend will include Malone, Plattsburgh, Ticonderoga and Queensbury in the Adirondacks; Stratford (peak), East Nassau and Saratoga Springs in the Capital-Saratoga region; Liberty (peak), East Durham, and Round Top in the Catskills; Bainbridge, Guilford, Norwich, Cooperstown, Middleburgh and Cherry Valley (all peak) in Central New York; Bath (peak), Corning (peak), Hammondsport (peak), Hornell (peak), Castile and Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes; Chautauqua in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region; Alexandria Bay and Massena (both peak) in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region; East Aurora and Batavia in the Greater Niagara region; and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.
In Cayuga County:
- 55% change in Auburn with muted shades of yellow, plus some red and purple leaves.
In Chemung County:
- 60% change in Elmira with muted to average orange, yellow and brown leaves.
In Cortland County:
- More than 50% change in Cortland with average to bright orange and red leaves and some just-emerging bright yellows.
In Livingston County:
- 40% change in Geneseo with touches of muted yellow and red leaves.
- 60% at Letchworth State Park in Castile with slightly muted to average shades of yellow and orange and some pockets of red. Many leaves have dropped from the park’s northern hardwoods.
- 50% at Letchworth State Park in Mt. Morris with muted to average shades of orange and yellow, along with pockets of red and some droppage.
In Monroe County:
- 30% change in Rochester with increasing yellow along with some red, orange and rust-colored leaves slowly appearing, and some droppage.
In Onondaga County:
- More than 40% change at Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville with average to bright reds and oranges.
In Ontario County:
- 50% change in Canandaigua with bright seasonal colors.
- 40% in Farmington with shades of yellow and orange, plus some burgundy.
In Schuyler County:
- Up to 65% change in Watkins Glen with muted shades of red and orange, plus some brown.
In Seneca County:
- 30% change in Waterloo with bright gold, yellow, purple and red leaves.
- 40% in Seneca Falls with yellow leaves accompanied by emerging red and orange hues.
In Steuben County:
- 70% change and peak in Bath, Corning, Hammondsport and Hornell with bright autumnal colors.
In Tioga County:
- 60% change in Owego, Candor and Newark Valley with mostly muted orange, yellow and brown leaves.
In Tompkins County:
- 50% change in Ithaca and Trumansburg with a full mix of fall colors.
In Wayne County:
- 45% change in Lyons with yellow leaves and some muted reds.
In Yates County:
- 50% change in Penn Yan with muted to average shades of yellow of brown, plus some pops of red.
