Fall Leaf Color Identificatin Chart American Beech American Hornbeam American Mountain Ash American Sycamore Biternut Hickory Black Cherry Black Walnut Black Willow Common Hoiptree Common Horse Chestnut Flowering Dogwood Northern Red Oak Quaking Aspen Sugar Maple Sweet Brich Tulip Tree White Ash White Poplar     Yellow Birch

othing is possibly more delightful and beauiful than the colorful and spectacular display of Mother Nature as she shifts from the verdant green leaves of Summer to the bare limbs of Winter. In mid-September across the northern end of the Valley thru the end of October in the middle and southern end of the Valley, this magnificent progression of color signals the holiday season, the onset of cooler weather and a time of heightened activity.

A drive thru the countryside on any of the major roads is a delight. Wandering the country roads and village lanes can be an adventure in discovery. Throughout the Valley, farm stands are open, apple orchards and pumpkin patches welcome visitors for U-Pick fun and hamlets and villages are celebrating the season with fairs and festivals.

Plan a day trip or even better a weekend stay at one of the hundreds of unique B&Bs or Country Inns. Linger on our hillsides and kick a pile of colorful leaves. Pack the children in the car for an outing and adventure they won't soon forget. Have a picnic under a brightly colored canopy or sit in a sidewalk cafe. Eat from the harvest bounty of the Valley and savor the freshest and most succulent produce and products to be found.

All of this is waiting for you just minutes away, yet a whole world away from your everyday life.

Scenic Drive Suggestions

1. Thru the Gunks - Take the NYS Thruway to New Paltz and head west toward the Gunks. Follow Route 44/55 up thru the crags and stop at either Minnewaska State Park Preserve or the Mohonk Preserve and have a stroll thru the beauty of the season. Continue west and turn north on Route 209. Turn right onto Route 213 in Stone Ridge and stop in High Falls and visit the D&H Canal. Continue on Route 213 to Route 32 in Rosendale and turn south back to New Paltz and the NYS Thruway.

2. A Catskill Adventure - Drive the NYS Thruway to Kingston and head west on Route 28 and drive along the Esopus and the Ashokan Reservoir. You will find dozens of hamlets and interesting places to stop and play, eat and browse. Continue on Route 28 to Route 42 in Lexington and turn North. Drive this very scenic road up to Route 23A and head east. You are ascending to the top of the Catskills and drive thru numberous picturesque and quaint hamlets filled with shops, cafes and fun adventures. East of Hanes Falls you decend the very eastern face of the Catskills following the fabled Kaaterskill Creek. In Palenville follow Route 32 South back to Saugerties and the NYS Thruway.

3. A Harlem Valley Drive - A bit more of a challenge to start, but well worth the small amount of time. Take the Taconic to lower Dutchess County and head east on any of the exits you like. When you come to Route 22, turn left and head North. Now just drive and stop where ever something takes your fancy. You will go thru picturesque villages, past farm stands and fields. On your right will be the Taconics and off to your left the Catskills in the distance. Route 22 and the Harlem Valley are one of the most cautiously kept secrets in all of the Hudson Valley. Its an area of rolling hills, farms and sleepy untrodden villages. Drive north until you have finished your day then head back east on any one of many roads to the Taconic Parkway and return home.

There are literally hundreds of possibilities for adventure in the Fall for you to enjoy in the Hudson Valley, these are just three of them. Arm yourself with a map and get off the big highways and back onto the small roads and country lanes. Wander the hillsides dipping and weaving in and out of groves of trees, over hilltops with commanding views and past orchards and produce stands. For a particularly spectacular drive, follow one of the roads that hugs the river on either the East or West Bank and enjoy unsurpassed views both around you and across the majestic Hudson. Whatever you do, don't rush, take your time, stop and pick an apple, collect some leaves for your holiday table, and let the kids have a romp at the petting zoos and mazes and pumpkin patches.

Enjoy your visit, relax, let the colors of the season fill you with pleasure and fill your soul with delight.