Fall Foliage in the Finger Lakes National Forest

New York’s only National Forest calls the Finger Lakes home and provides the region between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes with one of New York’s best fall foliage viewing destinations. Fields of grazing cattle, wild blueberries along the trails, and pond-side vistas make this National Forest a unique New York experience.

Closest to Yale Manor are the Interlocken and Backbone Trailheads on Parmenter Road. The Interloken Trail is the longest and most popular of the Finger Lakes National Forest hiking trails and is a small section on the Finger Lakes Trail. At 11.1 miles, this easy but long trail is located completely within the National Forest and is marked with orange. Because of its length, the Interloken Trail is a 12-hour journey so starting at the Parmenter Road trailhead and planning a loop hike on one of the many intersecting trails is your best option against this one-way marathon. Plan stops at the Foster and Teeter Pond areas for excellent views of fall foliage across the water

For a more easily-identified loop hike including great views, fall forests, and even two cow pastures, the Burnt Hill Loop is a 3.8 mile hike that takes about two hours. To view more information on the Burnt Hill Trail and Loop, as well as view a detailed map with trailheads, visit this website. 

Fall foliage in the Finger Lakes spans a two to three week period around mid-October, with three to four days of peak colors. Visit this website for a current fall foliage report.

Finger Lakes National Forest

5218 State Route 414

Hector NY

607.546.4470