Reporting by Nickie Hayes and Victoria E. Freile, Poughkeepsie Journal
While there may still be some remnants of lush summer greenery in the mid-Hudson Valley, the tops of the trees have been kissed by the sun and vibrant foliage is fading in.
Those reds, yellows and oranges aren’t going to last for long. Chillier nights, less daylight and any inclement weather will bring that fall foliage to the ground quickly.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tom Kines told us if you’re looking to do some leaf peeping, hop to it.
“Get out in the near future,” he said. “Don’t wait too too long.”
In the mid-Hudson Valley, Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18 will be prime time and that’s “pretty typical” for the area, he said.
After the weekend of Oct. 17-18, “it’s certainly not going to be as colorful,” Kines said
However, with Hurricane Isaias coming in on the evening of Oct. 11 into Oct. 12 for the region, according to AccuWeather, the leaves may be pushed to fall sooner than later.
We’re going to have particularly vibrant fall foliage this year
According to AccuWeather’s fall foliage forecast for 2026, the mid-Hudson Valley, the greater upstate New York area and New England are supposed to have the best fall colors, and there are a few reasons why.
“It’s tough to beat the color those places display,” Kines said.
Kines said the mid-Hudson Valley must have gotten adequate rain during the summer months. Plus, September and October’s weather had to “behave itself,” he said, meaning little wind to keep those leaves on, for a vibrant foliage outcome.
Even though we did have the nor’easter only a couple weekends ago, which certainly left a mark in some parts of our region, many of the leaves were able to hold on.
As far as fall foliage is concerned, Kines said if that storm happened later, it would’ve been much worse.
Late spring freezes can pose an issue, particularly in May, but the April freeze earlier this year, which was detrimental to many New York farmers, did not pose as much harm to the tree buds, he explained.
“While it was certainly late in the year, it might have been early enough that it didn’t have a huge effect on the tree leaves,” Kines said.
Options for an outdoor day trip
Catskill Mountain Railroad — This Ulster County-based railroad offers scenic train rides from Kingston up to Hurley Mountain and back. Foliage rides last about 75 minutes. The Catskill Mountain Railroad also offers seasonal family-friendly rides to a pumpkin patch as a separate excursion via its Pumpkin Express (90-minute ride).
Bear Mountain State Park — This 5,205-acre state park spans Orange and Rockland counties, roughly 40 miles north of New York City. The park includes more than 200 miles of hiking trails, including trails that lead to Perkins Memorial Tower, which offers panoramic views from atop Bear Mountain. The park also features a trailside museum and zoo with local animals and a carousel.
Cold Spring and Beacon — Try two cozy towns along the Hudson River: Cold Spring in Putnam County and Beacon in Dutchess County. Cold Spring is known for its stunning landscape and quaint atmosphere. Nearby is one of the Hudson Valley’s most famous hikes, Breakneck Ridge, a challenging trail with steep climbs. Beacon, with its art scene, natural beauty and small-town charm, could also be a closer, but fun, fall outing.
Leaf-peeping resources
Check out I LOVE NY’s annual fall foliage reports and interactive foliage map for weekly updates on New York’s changing colors, tracked by over 100 volunteer field observers: iloveny.com.
On New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s website, a search tool can help pinpoint the best state parks by location and amenities for your foliage viewing at parks.ny.gov/parks/.
For more information on AccuWeather’s fall foliage forecast, visit accuweather.com.
Nickie Hayes is the Breaking & Trending News Reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal and focuses on how to make the most of what the mid-Hudson Valley has to offer. See her most recent articles here. Contact reporter Nickie Hayes: NHayes@poughkee.gannett.com, 845-863-3518 and @nickieehayess on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal.
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