Where to go late season foliage hunting?

November 7, 2006 11:16 AM

Where is the best place to take in the late-season fall foliage, in the tristate area ?

I took a peak at the foliage maps and suggestions from the previous AskMes with the foliage tag, but none seemed to really cover this late in the season. I know a lot of the maps show most of the NorthEast US to be "past peak", and I've missed the best colors, but maybe there are some holdouts.

I'd be leaving from exit 10 on the NJ Turnpike, and can drive for a good radius, lets say 2-3 hours. Pennsylvania, New York State, Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut are all game. The city is probably out since I'm here everyday, I want to travel outside my usual range as a weekend daytrip.

Bonus points if you live where you are suggesting I go, and tell me first-hand how good/bad the foliage is right now.

Thanks !

posted by GreenTentacle to travel & transportation (5 answers total)

Go South. I just drove from home to New Hampshire from North Jersey, and there's pretty much nothing north of the NY/NJ line.
posted by dseaton at 11:29 AM on November 7, 2006

Delaware Water Gap.
posted by Sassyfras at 12:03 PM on November 7, 2006

D'oh! That should have said: "...drove home to NH from North Jersey..." although I'm sure you got the point.
posted by dseaton at 12:08 PM on November 7, 2006

One thing to remember is that there really haven't been alot of frosts this fall and that will make the foliage less vibrant this year. Two to three hours from exit 10 might not get you deep into the altitudes that would have the color, but Hunter Mountain up in the Catskills might work. Take NJ Turnpike to NY Thruway to exit 19 (Kingston) and go up to Phoenicia then look for signs for Hunter Mountain.
posted by spicynuts at 12:15 PM on November 7, 2006

There aren't going to be many (if any) leaves left up in Hunter- or anywhere in the Catskills. See this this recent photo of Hunter or this photo from nearby Windham Mountain. The leaves drop earlier at higher altitudes and further north, so you'll probably need to go south from Exit 10 to get foliage.
posted by andrewraff at 7:41 AM on November 8, 2006