An awesome Adirondack autumn

Fall is a spectacular time of year to visit the Adirondack Coast. As the Adirondack Mountains burst into color, reflections play off the water of Lake Champlain to magnify the experience. Our numerous other lakes and ponds also serve as perfect reflecting pools.

Here are some of the best ways to enjoy the views:

Up for a hike?

• Champlain Area Trails’ collection of 56 family-friendly trails throughout the region will directly connect you to nature and the vibrant Adirondack color of our forests, farms, fields, and wetlands that are so dazzling at this time of year. 
• Consider the Cheney Mountain Trail, Coon Mountain, or the Coot Hill/Big Hollow Trial. All offer stunning views from their summits with vistas stretching north and south for miles along this 125-mile long lake.
• The slightly more challenging hike up Poke-O-Moonshine.

Bring the bike

• Try one or more of the 14 Adirondack Coast Bikeways themed loops. Ranging in length from 13 to 36 miles, these themed biking loops will wind you through some exceptional landscape you might otherwise miss.
• Glide through farm country (Rolling Reber Ramble and Joe’s Random Scoot), alongside our rivers and streams (Women’s Suffrage Way and Water’s Edge Trail), in the shadow of our mountains (Stony Lonesome and Coon Mountain Circuit) or in the paths of our history (Fort to Fort and Iron to Iron). 

Scenic drives

• There is no shortage of scenery along Route 9N throughout the Lake Champlain Region, which offers stunning views of foliage along the coast and rolling farmland that you won’t see elsewhere in the Adirondacks.

2023 Fall Foliage Reports

October 23, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 100%
• Brilliance: muted to average
• Predominating colors: predominantly oranges and yellow/golds, some dark reds, and russets
• Rating: peak to past peak at elevation

October 16, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 60-85%
• Brilliance: average
• Predominating colors: lesser amount of greens, patches of russets, yellow/golds, occasional orange and reds 
• Rating: midpoint to near peak at elevation

October 9, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 50-70%
• Brilliance: average
• Predominating colors: some remaining green, patches of russets, yellow and golds, occasional oranges and reds 
• Rating: midpoint

October 2, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 25-30%
• Brilliance: average
• Predominating colors: a large share of remaining green, patches of russets, yellow/golds, occasional orange and reds
• Rating: beginning

September 25, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 10-15%
• Brilliance: average
• Predominating colors: still predominantly green, with a few sparse spots of russets, yellows and golds, and some oranges and reds just beginning
• Rating: beginning

September 18, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 5-10%
• Brilliance: dull
• Predominating colors: still predominantly green, with a few small spots of rusts, yellows and some tinges of color at elevation
• Rating: just beginning

September 11, 2023

• Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 0-5%
• Brilliance: dull
• Predominating colors: still predominantly green, with tinges of color at elevation  
• Rating: yet to begin / just beginning