Autumn in New York (State Parks and Historic Sites)

Short and sunny days, crunchy leaves, honking geese, the strong desire for pumpkin spice: it must be fall! Temperatures are just right for hiking, biking and outdoor adventure. It’s a time of year that sparks inspiration, curiosity and wonder. Our parks and historic sites are here to help you make the most of it! Read on for ideas on how to have the best fall ever.

Set Your Creativity Ablaze

Maybe it’s the fall foliage providing a newness to familiar views, or the memory of returning to school, but there’s something about autumn that renews and inspires. This year, stoke your creativity and stimulate your mind and soul with arts experiences at our parks and historic sites.

“River,” by Cindy Juyoung Ok installed at Mills-Norrie Park Marina, and Analogue Sites by Jorge Otero-Pailos at Jay Heritage Center. New York State Parks and Historic Sites frequently host arts-related events.

Poetry in the Parks has added five new sites. Ten sites in the Hudson Valley now boast public art selected by the Poetry Society of America and New York State Parks staff to resonate with their natural and cultural settings and to showcase a diversity of poetic voices.
Camouflage, an immersive installation by conceptual artist Ai Weiwei, is at Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island in New York City until Nov. 10. The installation explores the impact of war and the meaning of freedom.
Fiat Lux, an installation by Cheyenne Concepcion at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin Martin House in Buffalo, is on view until Oct. 27. Concepcion lived and built the elements of the exhibit inspired by the iconic fireplace onsite.
Analogue Sites created by Spanish-American artist and preservationist Jorge Otero-Pailos using steel salvaged from the US embassy in Finland is at Jay Heritage Center in Rye, on view until Nov. 1.
Ready to get creating? Explore upcoming crafting opportunities at our parks and historic sites.

Take Control Of Your Wellness

Supporting your personal well-being is always in season! At the dawn of 2025, our agency announced the Wellness Challenge, with 50 missions that you can do at any park or historic site to support all aspects of your well-being. Complete 25 and send the checklist back to get a free sticker.

*Stuck in a rut? The Wellness Challenge has 50 simple missions to reset your mind, body and spirit without breaking the bank. Complete 25 missions through the end of 2025 and get a free sticker.*

But before you send it back, keep a copy for yourself. Place it in a drawer, or take a picture of it, and when you or someone in your life is feeling run-down, depleted, or out of energy, come back to it. Simple missions like taking a walk while listening to music; taking a photo of something beautiful and writing about it; or getting together with a friend at a park can provide the light you need in troubled times and carry you through them.

–Written by Kate Jenkins, Digital Content Specialist

Leaf Peeping: A Towering Experience

Whether you’re an avid hiker or a weekend trail walker, fall is the perfect season to get outside and enjoy the 2000+ miles of state park trails.

*The view from the Grafton fire tower, a vast hemlock-northern hardwood forest in Grafton Lakes State Park. Fall is a popular time of year for hiking due to the cooler temperatures.*

Unlike in the height of summer, you’re far less likely to be breaking a sweat in autumn thanks to the cooler temperatures and fall breezes – perfect if you plan on climbing a fire tower. At Grafton Lakes State Park, the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower allows you to get high up above the tree line for a panoramic view of the park and surrounding mountain ranges. From this vantage point, you can see parts of the Adirondack, Catskill and Taconic Mountains on a clear day.

Another option for those looking to get high above the trees is Allegany State Park. Comprised of more than 65,000 acres, this park is a fall foliage paradise, with three fire towers, covered bridges, and a web of trails to live out your fall fantasies.

*Along the trails at Chittenango Falls State Park.*

Other state parks popular for their foliage include Chittenango Falls State Park in Cazenovia with its winding wooded paths leading to the falls, Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie with sky-high views of the Hudson River, and Stony Brook State Park in Dansville with trails that take you through and around a rugged gorge.

– Written by Jennifer Robilotto, Public Affairs Assistant

Get Off Your Feet: All You Can Handle [bar]

Go for a spin this fall and discover the scenic biking trails at New York State Parks. Biking is a great, low-impact exercise to enjoy with family and friends and a picturesque way to experience fall foliage in New York State. With so many trails to choose from, here are a few destinations from around the state worth exploring.

Heading towards Niagara Falls, the West River Shoreline Trail on Grand Island begins at Buckhorn Island State Park and stretches 8 miles alongside West River Road with expansive views of the Niagara River until Beaver Island State Park. Both parks are also listed on the NYS Birding Trail, so pack some binoculars and keep your eyes open!

Across the river, the 4-mile Niagara Scenic Parkway Trail begins in downtown Niagara Falls and heads north, winding along the Niagara River through DeVeaux Woods State Park, Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park. The parks offer scenic overlooks of the gorge, picnic area, and access to the Niagara Gorge hiking trail system if you’re looking to add on to your excursion.

*From rail to trail: the Genesee Valley Greenway State Park linear trail is a favorite spot for biking in western New York.*

For those looking for a longer adventure, the Genesee Valley Greenway State Park is a 90-mile open space corridor that follows the route of old Canalway and railway beds from Rochester down to Hinsdale. The Greenway passes through woodlands, wetlands, river and stream valleys, rolling farmlands and steep gorges – an ideal backdrop for a fall adventure. Historic features along the trail include locks, old railway bridges and bridge abutments and historic villages with interpretive signage provided along the trail at key locations.

In the Finger Lakes, the Black Diamond Trail in Ithaca travels along the western slope of Cayuga Lake. The converted 8.4-mile railroad bed has a stone dust surface and tree-lined trail, making it a pleasure to ride and connect to some amazing waterfalls and gorges including Taughannock Falls State Park.

If you’re in the Syracuse/Rome area, celebrate the Erie Canal Bicentennial with an excursion through Old Erie Canal State Park, a 36-mile stretch of the 363-mile Old Erie Canal, which has been designated a National Recreational Trail by the National Parks Service. The terrain is woodland and wetland and includes several areas with footbridges that aid access to the canal towpath where visitors can view the remnants of stone aqueducts. The park also passes through Green Lakes State Park and the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum.

*Biking on the Empire Trail at Old Erie Canal State Historic Park, East Syracuse. 2025 is the bicentennial of the Erie Canal.*

Further north, the Black River Trail in Watertown offers a 4.5-mile paved trail with scenic views along the Black River. A former railbed, the majority of the path is a gentle grade and is a great path for beginner cyclists.

The newly completed expansion of the North-South Road Multi-Use Path at Saratoga Spa State Park in the Capital Region creates a roughly 3.2-mile loop. The trail connects the Roosevelt Drive Corridor and scenic Avenue of the Pines with the East-West Road and access to the greater City of Saratoga.

*Along the trails and stone walls of the Hubbard-Perkins loop in Fahnestock State Park.*

The Hubbard-Perkins loop in Fahnestock State Park is a 9.5-mile multi-use trail that offers picturesque mountain biking with the trail weaving through old stone property walls and roads. Fun fact: four of the trail bridges were designed and constructed through a partnership with cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point as part of a civil engineering course.

Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn offers 10 miles of paths with amazing vistas of the New York City skyline and surrounding Jamaica Bay. The park has its own free bike loan program available Thursdays through Sundays.

Long Island’s Belmont Lake State Park includes a 4.2-mile path for both biking and hiking that follows Carll’s Creek south to the Great South Bay.

–Written by Tyler Wilcox, Community Relations Representative

Apples, Spice and Everything Fright

From harvest festivals to haunted happenings, our state parks and historic sites are full of autumnal magic: farmer’s markets, trick-or-treating, ghost stories, seasonal crafts, and walks and hikes through the wonders of fall. Explore all of our fall activities from the start of the season to Thanksgiving, or go straight to the spooky stuff.

The Fall Bird Migration Takes Wing

As we enjoy the fall colors, an epic drama plays out in the skies. Billions of birds fly south for the winter, and thousands of bird watchers flock to our parks and historic sites to watch them go! We’ll also be welcoming a smaller number of birds like the tundra swan – hearty northerners who are wintering in the (relatively) balmy climes of New York.

*Goodbye, chimney swifts, hello tundra swans! It’s fall migration and billions of birds are on the move.*

If you’re new to birding or want to flock with other birders, check out a birding event at a park or historic site. But you can also participate in the joy and excitement of the fall migration every day, no matter where you are. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology produces a live map to let you know when it’s busiest in your area. Download Cornell’s free Merlin app and identify the birds you observe by sight and sound.

*Birders enjoy the thrill of the (visual) hunt. You can bird anytime and anywhere, but it’s fun to get together as a group and look for birds.*

Bird populations are declining, with an estimated 2.9 billion fewer birds today than in 1970. But you can help. There are seven simple steps you can take to support bird populations. Dim your exterior lights from 11 p.m to 5 a.m. to help birds navigate at night. Apply decals to large windows at your home or office to prevent bird strikes, which kill countless numbers of birds annually.

The annual fall migration has inspired a sense of wonder and awe for millennia. Take a moment to look up this fall!

Fall for New York State History

Fall is a great time to connect with the rich history of New York, and there’s a lot to dive into in 2025. This year is the Erie Canal Bicentennial, and events and exhibits are taking place across the state. A replica of the boat that originally opened the canal, the Seneca Chief, set sail from Buffalo in late September and will make stops across the Empire State before it arrives in New York City on October 26.

*The replica Seneca Chief boat and the Revolutionary War kiosks are two major New York history initiatives. Seneca Chief photo courtesy of NYS Canals.*

Our historic sites are gearing up for the national Rev War 250 commemoration in 2026. Kiosks with short videos exploring the Revolutionary War from a broad variety of perspectives are ready for you to experience at multiple sites. And in December, look for events related to Henry Knox’ artillery expedition, a logistical feat also known as “the noble train of artillery.”

*Lantern tours at Fort Ontario are a staple of the fall season. In 2025, other historic sites are gearing up for Rev War 250 and celebrating the Erie Canal Bicentennial.*

A few other notable New York history events this fall:

–Written by Kate Jenkins, Digital Content Specialist

Capture The Fall Feeling

Though the temperature is starting to drop, our parks are as beautiful as ever! Folks come from far and wide to get snapshots of fall foliage, scenic landscapes, and flora and fauna amongst the colorful leaves. State parks and historic sites are the perfect spots to capture some memories with family and friends or enjoy the art of photography. We’ll ‘leave’ you with some inspiration for your own photos.