Hudson Valley Peak Fall Foliage: When Will it Happen?

When is the First Day of Fall This Year?

If you're over the sweltering summer heat, you're not alone. We're not wishing for the cold winter temperatures, but we can't wait for it to cool off just a smidge.

Thankfully, fall will be here before you know it. Yes, we're in the thick of August and those dog days of summer, but according to the calendar...we don't have too far to go.

The first official day of fall 2026 is, drum roll please...

Tuesday September 22, at 8:05 p.m.

With that, plan accordingly.

New York's 2026 Fall Foliage Predictions

Now that we know when fall officially begins. It's time to start planning our fall foliage escapes.

There's no better place to be for peak fall foliage than New York State, and specifically in the Hudson Valley and Catskills. The Old Farmers Almanac has released their 2026 Fall Foliage Map and Forecast, which gives us a little insight into when the bright red, orange and yellow leaves will be on display.

The Old Farmers Almanac writes:

Color first appears in the Adirondacks in late September before gradually working its way south through October, often lingering into early November in New York City and on Long Island. Popular destinations include the Adirondacks, Catskills, and Hudson Valley.

We played with the interactive foliage map for more clarification and it looks like most of the Hudson Valley will see foliage colors pop up by September 25th.

Peak foliage will blanket the Hudson Valley by October 20th. Check out the interactive map yourself at Almanac.com/fall-foliage.

Where's your favorite place to look a fall foliage or is it a secret hidden gem?

What Will Winter Look Like in the Hudson Valley in 2026?

Okay, we promise we wont get too into the weeds with this. But there have been some predictions already made about what winter will look like this year.