Besides cozy oversized sweaters and warm drinks to keep us toasty, one of the best things about autumn is getting to catch the leaves changing colors, and most of New York state is reaching peak fall foliage this week!
And though the northeast’s fall foliage may not be as vibrant this year due to a rainy summer, just because the colors may be a bit muted doesn’t mean they won’t still be worth it to check out–New York is one of the prettiest places to visit in autumn, after all!
A team over at MarketWatch looked at roads in the United States where the leaves change colors before our very eyes, putting together a list of the top roads for fall foliage viewing–and one of the roads is only about two hours from NYC!
Coming in at #10 on the list is the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway in New York. The ranking states:
The 70-mile stretch of New York State Route 97 between Port Jervis and Hancock, N.Y,. is known as the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. Much of the road runs alongside the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, treating drivers to the contrast of the deep hues of the water against the backdrop of oranges, yellows, and reds. With Port Jervis a little less than two hours from Manhattan and Hancock around two-and-a-half away, the entire journey is doable as a daytrip from NYC.
They even suggest stopping at Narrowsburg and Cochecton along the way as they also offer gorgeous fall foliage views. Some of the most beautiful small towns in New York (in our opinion) are also in the area!
Though if you are just looking to make it a day trip it’s perfect to add to your autumn bucket list! If you’re not interested in leaving the city though, these are the 20 best spots to catch NYC’s peak fall foliage.