Fall colors 2025: Where to see the best colors of fall

NEW YORK (WABC) — It’s that time of year already!

October is the peak time for most leaf peeping across the Tri-State area.

There are only three places on the planet where deciduous forests transform into the reds, oranges and yellows of fall. And nowhere else is it as bright and brilliant as in Eastern North America.

The autumnal equinox officially started on Sept. 22.

New York State’s 2025 fall foliage season is underway. Beautiful peak fall colors will continue to spread through the Adirondacks and Catskills, and are expected to arrive in some parts of the Chautauqua-Allegheny and Finger Lakes regions this weekend. By mid-October, the Catskill Mountains will flourish with a spectacular display of color.

ILoveNY.com is providing weekly updates on where to see the best colors in New York.

Peak season will arrive by mid-October across much of Connecticut. You can check the interactive map on the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection website for the the best areas.

In New Jersey, the fall foliage season will reach peak viewing in the north in mid-to-late October.

The New Jersey Forest Service posts updated fall foliage conditions on its Facebook page and you can find the best places to visit during the month at visitnj.org.

If you want an early view of fall foliage, head to New England where peak colors can be seen as early as the end of the month in some places.

The farther away you are from the equator, the less sun you get. Plants in the northern regions produce more chlorophyll during the spring and summer, and when they stop pumping out to the leaves, the colors are even more spectacular.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are well known for their fall foliage. Millions come to see the leaves erupt into reds, oranges and yellows during October. The same sugar that creates true maple syrup triggers chemical reactions in the leaves, resulting in the more brilliant reds. If you visit too early, the colors will seem dull, but mid-October is prime viewing time.

One of the best resources to find good viewing locations across the country is the fall foliage prediction map from Smoky Mountains National Park. You can check color projections for anywhere in the country every week through November 20.

Be sure to check the AccuWeather forecast too when planning your trip!

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Some information from the Associated Press