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When Does It Peak?
How Long Does It Last?
What Colors Will I See?
Reservation Tips
Photo Ops
Scenic Overlooks
Suggested Itineraries
Fall Farm Stands
Suggested Links For Additional Info
Museums/Historic Sites
Estimating “the peak” is a daunting prospect since the whole
season in any given area only lasts about three weeks. When the leaves
will change is purely speculation and prediction and it's about as reliable
as predicting how much snow we will have for Christmas.
The "middle"
of Foliage Season is roughly around the first week of October. In the
northern part of the High Peaks one could comfortably say "peak"
will be then, although there may be splendid colors in late September
and even through the end of October in the lower elevations and along
Lake Champlain.
One day of
solid rain and/or wind can change everything overnight as will two very
cold nights as can a few unseasonably warm days...the variables are too
many to list.
Click
Here for our Foliage Report
For more
extensive Foliage Reports from throughout New York State Call: Call 1-800-225-5697.
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Generally, in each area, the foliage change lasts about three weeks. Sometimes
you will see a tree that has begun to turn late in the summer. Trees that
begin to turn very early are usually diseased or stressed in some way.
The most
favorable weather conditions for brilliant red colors are warm sunny days
followed by cool nights with temperatures below 45 degrees F. Rain and
wind will end the show pretty quickly once the colors have changed.
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Yellow…red…scarlet…brown…purple…and some
yet unnamed colors…
Yellow: Aspen,
Birches, Beeches, Poplar, Cherries, Hickories, Maples
Red/Scarlet: Cherries, Maples, Oaks
Brown: Maples
Purple: Ash
Orange: Some Oaks, Some Maples
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• If
you are traveling a long distance to the Adirondacks or you plan on making
a weekend trip, we suggest that you make lodging reservations in advance.
Click
Here For Lodging Information.
• Try to plan your trip during mid-week; you will likely find more
lodging availability and that roads are quieter giving you more opportunity
to enjoy the views.
• Make an adventure out of your trip, explore the some of the back
roads. Some of the best sights are off the beaten path.
• Don't worry about missing "peak" color. You will still
be able to enjoy a full array of colors that can be found before "peak".
The spectrum of color is awesome!
• Make time to explore outside your car. Visit some areas on foot,
by bike or on water. Hiking, biking or by canoe allow you to truly experience
the foliage.
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These days
more and more people are purchasing digital cameras – not only are
the prices going down, there are no processing costs. So, go ahead, experiment
when taking pictures of this season’s beautiful Adirondack fall
foliage. If you don’t like the picture, delete it, or use photo
editing software to adjust the colors, sharpness, size, etc.
Here are
some additional tips:
•Come Informed - Before you start shooting, glance
through your camera’s manual – it’s sure to have a few
good pointers.
•Don't Miss Out – Don’t wait for the
leaves to start changing in your backyard before you plan your visit to
the Adirondacks. Check out foliage reports on www.lakeplacid.com
to make sure you visit at the height of the season.
•Think
Small – Often times its difficult to capture vibrant colors
in big, overall shots. As far as composition, keep it simple. Look for
a dominant element, such as one tree in a field or a single branch of
leaves against the sky. Try isolating elements by using a shallow depth
of field. Also, change your point of view – get down on your belly
or up into that firetower.
•We Don't Need No Sun -
Early morning and late afternoon provide the most interesting light, but
overcast and even rainy days will often show color better than sunny days
(as long as there is enough light to illuminate the leaves). Sometimes
the best days are when the clouds are high and thin... it softens the
direct rays of the sun.
•Brighter Colors - A polarizing filter will improve
color for both film and digital cameras. In sunny conditions, a polarizing
filter will cut glare and capture brighter colors in the leaves and sky
offering better overall definition.
•Focus on the Scene – If your camera has
a scene mode for distance or landscape, use it – it will help the
camera focus.
•Zoom – If you’re using a long zoom
lens, consider a tripod or making sure the camera is very steady. If your
camera has a shutter option, try to keep the shutter higher than the focal
length scale on the camera to ensure sharp images.
•It's All About Balance - If your camera has a
choice of “auto white” balance or choosing a setting, pick
the “daylight” setting. When you shoot brilliant colors, the
camera will read them and even exaggerate them a bit. An “auto white”
setting may neutralize the colors.
•Don't Shoot For The Sky - When shooting trees
from a distance, keep the amount of sky to a minimum (no more than one-fourth
or one-third of the picture). Water, though, is a great accent. Try to
position water between yourself and foliage.
•Options, Options - When you find a good subject,
take it from a few different angles and slightly different exposures.
Try both the wide angle setting on the camera and the telephoto zoom,
as they offer two different types of pictures.
And here
are a few additional tips for those of you who are taking photos with
point-and-shoot cameras:
•Use 400-speed color print film. The lenses of
most point-and-shoots are fairly slow. A fast film helps you on those
less-than-bright days and the quality and sharpness of modern 400-speed
print films is outstanding. Don't worry about using it when the sun is
bright. Print films have broad exposure latitudes and at worse, your automatic
camera will be using its fastest shutter speeds (cutting down on camera
shake) and its smallest lens openings (improving depth of focus).
•Add Depth. Add a sense of depth to your landscapes.
When shooting the distant hills of color, include a closer tree, or other
object in the foreground.
•Scale.
Occasionally include an object for a sense of scale to visually depict
how large a landmark is in real life. This way, when you're home looking
at your vacation photographs, you can point to how high you were on top
of Whiteface Mountain, for instance. You can include a man-made object
such as the ski jumps or another person to achieve a sense of scale.
•Think
Macro! Don't forget the macro setting on your camera. Most point-and-shoot
cameras have a close-up or macro setting (many times indicated by a tulip
symbol on the controls). Bringing your camera as "up close and personal"
as its minimum focusing distance will allow, can give you a whole different
type of foliage photo to enhance the large landscapes.
•Cloudy
Skies? - Don't Despair! If the sun isn't out,
sometimes the best foliage shots are possible. As long as you're not insistent
on having blue sky in your photos, the light available from overcast even
rainy days can give you a host of colors with a nice even contrast. On
especially dark days, one of the new 800 or 1000-speed films might be
advisable.
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Basically, if
you're in the valleys, look up and if you're in the High Peaks or along
Lake Champlain, look around. The views are everywhere!
HIGH
PEAKS/LAKE PLACID REGION:
• Adirondack Scenic Railroad - a scenic train ride between Lake
Placid and Saranac Lake
• From the top of the Ski Jumps
• Boat Cruise on Lake Placid
• John Brown Farm
• Along the Cascade Lakes, Chapel Pond on Rt 73
• High Falls Gorge
LAKE
CHAMPLAIN REGION:
• Mt Defiance overlooking Fort Ticonderoga
• Crown Point Historic Site
• Essex Ferry on Lake Champlain
SCHROON
LAKE REGION:
• Newcomb VIC Center
• Blue Ridge Road between North Hudson and Newcomb
• Great Camp Santanoni
WHITEFACE
REGION:
If you want extra height…great panoramic opportunities exist, visit...
• Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway (via car) to
the top and the Castle
• Whiteface Mountain Scenic Gondola ride to the top of Little Whiteface
• Drive along the West Branch of the Au Sable River
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The
following are some possible routes to explore while visiting the Adirondacks
and experience the beauty of the Fall Foliage season.
The "Loops" listed below correspond to the areas highlighted
and numbered on the Map. Please note that you may select any "starting"
and "stopping" point and combine as many "Loops" as you care to explore
during your visit to the Adirondacks.
Click on an area of the map below to view suggested Itinerary Loops.
Click here to view all Itineraries |
