Leaves of New York with Kids: A Nature Explorer Guide (+ Free Map)

New York's fall foliage is one of the great natural spectacles of the American Northeast — and one of the most varied.  New York's trees are as diverse and dramatic as the state itself — and families who learn to identify and understand them discover a layer of meaning in the New York landscape that most people walk through their entire lives without seeing.

Engage your kids in outdoor exploration with Nature Explorer Club's Leaves of New York Activity Book to track every leaf your family discovers.

Best Spots for Leaf Spotting in New York

We mapped the best leaf spotting locations in New York so you can plan your adventure before you go.

1. Central Park, New York City — One of the most remarkable urban leaf-spotting destinations in the world — 843 acres of trees in the heart of Manhattan including the finest urban Ginkgo display in the northeastern United States. In October the park's Ginkgos turn brilliant butter yellow before dropping their leaves simultaneously — creating gold carpets on the paths around the Mall and the Bethesda Fountain that are among the most photographed autumn scenes in New York City. The park's diverse tree collection includes elms, oaks, maples, beeches, and dozens of other species — all accessible by foot from any Manhattan hotel.

2. Prospect Park, Brooklyn — Frederick Law Olmsted's other New York masterpiece — a 585-acre park in Brooklyn with a magnificent collection of mature trees and outstanding fall foliage. The Long Meadow is one of the largest uninterrupted open spaces in any American urban park — bordered by mature oaks, maples, and beeches that turn brilliant colors in October. The park's combination of urban accessibility and genuine natural character makes it one of the finest family leaf-spotting destinations in New York City.

3. Bear Mountain State Park, Rockland County — A beautiful state park in the Hudson Highlands with outstanding fall foliage on its rocky ridgeline trails. The summit of Bear Mountain gives families panoramic views of the Hudson River valley surrounded by fall foliage in every direction — one of the finest accessible fall foliage viewpoints in the New York metropolitan area. The mature hardwood forest on the mountain slopes turns brilliant red, orange, and gold in October.

4. Franny Reese State Park, Poughkeepsie — A beautiful state park on the Hudson River with outstanding fall foliage in its mature forest and dramatic river views. The elevated position above the Hudson gives families outstanding views of the fall foliage reflected in the river below — one of the most beautiful autumn scenes in the Hudson Valley. The park is accessible from the Walkway Over the Hudson — the world's longest elevated pedestrian bridge — giving families a spectacular river crossing alongside the leaf-spotting experience.

5. Thacher State Park, Voorheesville — A beautiful state park on the Helderberg Escarpment west of Albany with outstanding fall foliage from its dramatic limestone cliff overlooks. The escarpment gives families 40-mile views across the Hudson Valley and the Adirondack foothills — surrounded by fall foliage in October. The limestone cliffs themselves support unusual plant communities and the Indian Ladder Trail along the cliff face is one of the finest family nature walks in the Capital Region.

6. Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson — A stunning state park preserve on the Shawangunk Ridge with outstanding fall foliage around the clear blue sky lakes perched on the white quartz conglomerate ridgeline. The combination of the brilliant blue sky lakes, the white rock, and the fall foliage creates one of the most photogenic autumn scenes in New York. The carriage roads give families easy access to the finest fall foliage sections of the preserve.

7. Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville — A beautiful state park near Syracuse with two remarkable meromictic lakes — lakes whose deep and shallow water layers never mix — with an extraordinary turquoise blue color year-round. The fall foliage around the lake shores and on the surrounding forest slopes creates a spectacular contrast with the blue water. One of the most visually distinctive fall foliage destinations in central New York.

8. Letchworth State Park, Castile — Sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the East — a spectacular state park where the Genesee River has carved a gorge up to 600 feet deep through the upland plateau. The gorge walls turn brilliant red, orange, and gold in late September and October — creating a color display visible from the canyon rim overlooks that is among the most dramatic fall foliage scenes in any American state park. Three major waterfalls within the gorge add spectacular water elements to the foliage display.

9. Tifft Nature Preserve, Buffalo — A beautiful urban nature preserve in Buffalo with outstanding fall foliage in its mature forest and wetland habitats along Lake Erie. The preserve's location on the Lake Erie shoreline creates conditions for an extended fall foliage season — the lake's moderating influence delays leaf color change compared to inland areas. One of the finest accessible urban family leaf-spotting destinations in western New York.

10. Adirondack Interpretive Center, Newcomb — A beautiful interpretive center in the heart of the Adirondacks with outstanding fall foliage in its boreal forest and lake shore habitats. The Adirondack fall foliage season is the earliest in New York — Sugar Maples in the high Adirondacks begin turning in mid-September, weeks before the Hudson Valley peaks. The interpretive center's trails give families access to the finest Adirondack fall foliage in a beautiful wilderness setting with outstanding educational programs.

Turn Your New York Adventure Into Exploration

Give your kids a mission before you go. Our Leaves of New York Activity Book is a nature journal for ages 7 to 12 — with a leaf tracker, fun facts about each species, drawing pages, games, and puzzles.

Interested in exploring more?  Check out our New York Nature Explorer Series.