Fall Foliage Begins in New York; Where to See it This Weekend

Believe it or not, the fall foliage season has officially started in New York State and there are a few places where you can actually do some leaf peeping this weekend.

The pumpkin spice lattes are flowing, mums are blooming and Spirit Halloween has already opened at the former Bed, Bath & Beyond. With the telltale signs of fall already in full swing, all that's missing is the actual season to begin. The official kickoff to autumn begins on September 22 at 2:19pm, but leaves have already begun to show off their colors in several spots around New York State.

Where Leaves are Already Turning Colors in New York State

According to the New York Department of Economic Development, there are several regions throughout New York State where fall colors have begun to emerge. This weekend, the best place to catch some yellows, oranges and reds will be in the Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes and Chautauqua-Allegheny area.

In the Hudson Valley, Delaware, Green and Sullivan Counties are already seeing up to 15% color in towns such as Liberty and Windham. In Ulster County, there's a 10% change at Belleayre Mountain with slightly muted red and orange leaves. Kingston is seeing about 5% color.

Best Places to See Color in the Hudson Valley

Recently, Travel and Leisure released a list of the top spots for viewing the foliage in the United States and the Hudson Valley was listed as number one. Hotspots such as Harriman State Park, The Walkway Over the Hudson, Hudson Highland State Park Preserve and the Shawangunk Mountains between Pine Bush and Ellenville were all noted as some of the best places to view the colors.