12 Short And Sweet Fall Hikes In New York With A Spectacular End View
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Lea Monroe
Author
Anyone who’s ever gone exploring in New York knows that there are many advantages to going hiking during our fall season. Not only will you get to enjoy the gorgeous colors of our foliage, but you also won’t have to deal with things like bugs and large crowds. While determined adventurers may be heading up to our High Peaks that feature longer, more strenuous trails, some of us are simply in search of shorter hikes that will give us equally rewarding views. Keeping things short and sweet, here are some of the best trails for you to take this season.
Part of the Adirondack Loj, Mount Jo offers two different trails that will get you to the top. Those who decide to hike the mile-long trail can either choose the short way up which is steeper or take the long way up, giving you a more gradual climb. From the top, you'll have a view of our High Peaks and the stunning Heart Lake. To find out more information, click here.
Covering more than 14,000 feet of New York, you can find a variety of hiking trails within Letchworth State Park. From less than a mile to two miles long or more, visitors can choose what length hike they're willing to take on. But no matter which path you decide to go and explore, you'll almost always find yourself with a view of a waterfall and our fall foliage. To find out more information, click here.
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A hike that you'll want to be sure you stay on the path for, pictured above you can see Bastion Falls that greets you at the very start of the trailhead. Right off of Route 23A, the .5-mile long hike (1-mile round trip) ends at the base of Kaaterskill Falls. Standing tall at 260 feet, the area is known to be slightly dangerous so you'll want to be as cautious as possible when exploring! To find out more information, click here.
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One of the more unique short hikes that you can find within the Catskill region, Overlook Mountain is right in the charming town of Woodstock. The hike is one that will take you just over 2 miles to reach the top, but just before you reach the summit, you'll get the chance to see the ruins of an old hotel! Not only that but the summit also features a fire tower, making this hike even more intriguing. To find out more information, click here.
Gain access to the Mohonk Mountain House and you'll get the chance to enjoy hikes like the Skytop Tower. To reach the top you can either take an easy path that goes up the mountain, or you can push yourself through the Lemon Squeeze! Taking the Lemon Squeeze route will have you climbing above, under and through large rocks, as well as eventually taking you through a small crevice in the mountainside. Worth all the effort, you can find out more information if you click here.
An amazing destination out in the Finger Lakes that you'll want to visit ASAP, checking out the Gorge Trail before it closes for the winter is something you need to cross off of your bucket list. Not only will you get to view 19 waterfalls along this short two-mile-long trail, you'll get to enjoy all while being surrounded by our stunning fall colors. To find out more information, click here.
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One of our most epic and underrated waterfalls, Eternal Flame Falls can be found out in Western New York. The trail itself is just over a mile long, with whimsical flame trail markers that will guide you the entire way. Eventually, you'll find yourself in front of a waterfall unlike any other in our state, one that keeps an actual flame lit inside of it all year long. To find out more information, click here.
Part of Schoharie County, the 1.7-mile long hike is one that's considered to be quite easy by those who have hiked it. A great hike for families or people with dogs, the easy trail will give you spectacular views of the area that you normally wouldn't be able to have. To find out more information, click here.
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If you've never seen the two lakes that make up Green Lakes State Park, it's time you head over to this incredible state park now. The park has easy trails that you can hike that will take you right along the shores of these epic lakes that don't experience any turnover. Incredible natural wonders of Central New York, you won't regret spending a day walking around these lakes to see all of their beauty. To find out more information, click here.
All around the Lake George area, you can find some of the easier trails and hikes that make up the Adirondacks, one of the best being Black Mountain. The hike is one that takes most people anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to hike, with the first .7 miles of the trail being completely flat. A great hike that allows you to ease into your adventure, you'll have views of Lake George and our Adirondack Mountains from the top. To find out more information, click here.
There are plenty of easy ways that you can view Taughannock Falls in this state park, an over 200-foot tall waterfall. The tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Mississippi River, you can reach the base of the falls by taking the 1.9-mile long hike that's within the park. Giving you a grand look at why all of us call this area "gorges," you can find out more information if you click here.
Those who live in the area of the Capital Region may have heard that our favorite Indian Ladder Trail has been closed due to an injury that took place. So if you're out in this area and are looking for another great hike to check out, head over to the Christman Sanctuary! The parking lot for this scenic spot is small, but if you can manage to park here you won't regret it. A 2-mile long loop trail will take you to several waterfalls, giving you an easy trail to follow through the woods that won't tire you out. To find out more information, click here.
What’s your favorite hike to take during the fall? Once you’ve had your fill of adventure, next try one of these 17 Picture Perfect Fall Day Trips To Take In New York!
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