Catskills New York Fall Foliage: The Ultimate Scenic Drive

If you're chasing Catskills New York fall foliage, there's no better way to see it than from behind the wheel on the Catskills Scenic Byway. Fifty miles of mountain roads wind past fire towers, covered bridges, and small towns just as the leaves start to turn.

Timing your Catskills New York fall foliage trip right means catching the reds and golds at their peak, usually from early to mid October depending on elevation. Here's how to spend the day.

TAKE A SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF THE CATSKILLS

Want the stories playing automatically as you drive through peak color?

Take our Catskills Scenic Byway Driving Tour. It's a self-guided, GPS-triggered audio tour that starts at the Catskills Visitor Center and takes you past the Upper Esopus Fire Tower, Big Indian Park, and Belleayre Lake.

Along the way you'll discover:

• The legend behind the Big Indian statue

• The surprising history of the Catskills' Borscht Belt resort towns

• Where to find the best-kept covered bridge on the route

Stories play automatically as you drive, so you can keep your eyes on the road, all the way to Wayside Cider in the Andes Historic District, perfect for a fall cider toast.

Check out our Catskills Scenic Byway Driving Tour here.

THE BEST FOLIAGE VIEWPOINTS ALONG THE ROUTE

Some stops on the byway are made for fall color. The Upper Esopus Fire Tower offers sweeping views over the changing mountains, while Belleayre Lake and its Pine Hill Covered Bridge frame the season's reds and golds perfectly.

Big Indian Park makes for an easy scenic pull-off beneath the towering Big Indian statue, and the high-elevation overlooks near Belleayre Mountain Ski Center offer some of the best vantage points on the whole route.

SMALL TOWNS WORTH THE STOP

The Catskills New York fall foliage drive passes through small towns just as charming as the scenery. Phoenicia is home to the famous pancakes at Phoenicia Diner, while Fleischmanns marks the historic heart of the Catskills' Borscht Belt.

Margaretville is a walkable mountain town named for Margaret Lewis, and Andes rounds out the route with Wayside Cider, pouring craft hard ciders from local apples.

TIPS FOR A FALL FOLIAGE DRIVE

• Weekends fill up fast, so aim for a weekday if your schedule allows

• Popular pull-offs and viewpoints fill early, especially during peak color

• Bring cash for small-town stops, breweries, and cideries along the way

• Layer up, mountain mornings run cooler than you'd expect in fall

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Ready to see the Catskills at their most colorful? Check out our Catskills travel guide for tips on where to eat, where to stay, and how to plan the perfect fall foliage day (or two) on the byway.