Fall has a way of making even the most stubborn city dweller start googling foliage maps, and this year there’s one road that keeps showing up at the top of the list.
The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway has just been named one of the 10 best roads in America for fall foliage in 2026, according to a new ranking from MarketWatch, and if that sounds familiar, it’s because this stretch of upstate New York earned the exact same honor last year too.
Back-to-back recognition on a national list is rare. A drive this close to the city pulling it off twice in a row is rarer still.
Here are more details about this one-of-a-kind route and why you should already be bookmarking it before the leaf colors start changing.
The route that keeps winning
The byway traces 70 miles of New York’s Route 97, running alongside the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River between Port Jervis and Hancock, and its signature move is contrast: deep blue-black river water on one side, hillsides erupting into orange, red, and gold on the other.
MarketWatch specifically called out that pairing in this year’s list, describing the drive as a chance to take in “the contrast of the deep hues of the water against the backdrop of oranges, yellows and reds.”
It’s not just MarketWatch that’s noticed.
In 2024, the byway won the National Byway Award for Partnership from the National Scenic Byway Foundation, and it’s also picked up recognition as USA Today’s top drive in the Northeast and the number two autumn drive in the country.
This year, the byway is even running its own “Every Mile Tells a Story” photo contest, open through November 1, encouraging drivers to document the route as they go, which tells you locals take this scenery just as seriously as the magazines do.
What you’ll actually see along the way
Expect cliffside overlooks, slow river bends, and glimpses of historic landmarks like Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the country, tucked right into the drive.
Peak color typically hits from late September through mid-October, when the hillsides shift from patchy green-and-gold into a fuller blaze of red and orange, so timing your trip toward the middle of that window tends to pay off.
A few overlooks worth building stops around:
- Hawk’s Nest, a dramatic, cliffside curve with sweeping valley views
- State Line Lookout, where you can take in the river cutting between two states at once
Where to stop, eat, and stay a while longer
Here’s the case for treating this as more than a day trip.
Port Jervis sits a little under two hours from Manhattan, and Hancock is about two-and-a-half, which technically makes the whole route doable in a single day. You wouldn’t necessarily want to, though.
Towns like Narrowsburg and Cochecton make easy lunch stops, but they’re just as worth an overnight, and staying an extra day gives you time to dig into the growing dining scene around Kenoza Lake or take a short detour to Bethel, the actual site of the original Woodstock festival.
Further along, Callicoon and Barryville round out the river town circuit, both known for leaning fully into foliage season with farmers markets, indie shops, and riverside dining that gets a lot cozier once the temperature drops.
Where it ranks nationally
MarketWatch’s full 2026 list puts the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway in some genuinely heavyweight company, several of which typically require a flight to reach:
- Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
- Currier and Ives Scenic Byway, New Hampshire
- Route 6, Pennsylvania
- Ozark National Forest Scenic Byway, Arkansas
- Park Loop Road, Maine
- Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee
- Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway, Maryland
- Independence Pass, Colorado
- Smuggler’s Notch Road, Vermont
- Upper Delaware Scenic Byway, New York
Landing at number 10 alongside routes as famous as the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace Parkway says a lot, especially since the Upper Delaware is the only entry on the list you can reach from New York City rather easily.
Why MarketWatch keeps ranking it
MarketWatch’s methodology for the full top 10 list comes down to a few consistent factors: real deciduous tree cover that actually turns color, slower-speed roads built for looking around rather than rushing through, charming towns worth pulling over for, and easy accessibility so you’re not trekking hours into total wilderness for a decent view.
The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway checks every box, and its proximity to New York City is really what separates it from the rest of the list, most of which requires a flight or a multi-day commitment to reach.
If you’re mapping out your leaf-peeping calendar for the season, this one earns its spot two years running for a reason, and it’s still one of the only routes on that national list you can reach without ever booking a hotel near an airport.