National Recreation Area·New Jersey, New York·20,358 acres
Gateway National Recreation Area
Forecast issued Nov 12, 5:26pm ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Gateway National Recreation Area in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Gateway National Recreation Area around Oct 24, and the four days to aim for are Oct 23 to 26.
That's 1 day later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the recreation area | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | -1,000 to 0 ft, 0 to 1,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Peak color | |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Just past peak |
- 0–1,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2495%
- -1,000–0 ftFadingpeak Oct 245%
Height off 3DEP inside the recreation area’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the recreation area stands in it.
That’s 1 day later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.
The place
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for millions of visitors every year. Gateway offers green spaces and beaches alongside historic structures and cultural landscapes. Every day, Gateway is open for you to explore, envision, and enjoy!
Established 1972.
If you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Thursday, November 12 to Friday, November 13
You’ll find it fading.
Peak color was 20 days before you arrive, around Oct 24.
- What turns
- red maple, blackgum, sweetgum, water oak, bald cypress
What turns, and when
- red maple19%
- blackgum16%
- sweetgum16%
- water oak16%
- bald cypress14%
- river birch9%
Also named across New York, outside what the canopy read measures here: Sugar Maple, American Beech, Yellow Birch, Red Oak.
The Adirondacks produce color as vivid as anywhere in New England, with sugar maples blazing orange across mountainsides of birch gold and beech bronze, all reflected in thousands of lakes.
Questions people ask about Gateway National Recreation Area
- When is peak fall foliage at Gateway National Recreation Area?
Our forecast puts peak color at Gateway National Recreation Area around Oct 24, and the four days to aim for are Oct 23 to 26.
- Where is the best fall color at Gateway National Recreation Area right now?
On Nov 12 the recreation area is fading. The last band to peak was -1,000 to 0 feet, around Oct 24.
- How long does peak last at Gateway National Recreation Area?
About four days at the top, Oct 23 to 26, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Gateway National Recreation Area past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 24, and on Nov 12 it's fading.
- What trees turn color at Gateway National Recreation Area?
Red maple is 19 percent of the trees that turn here, then blackgum (16 percent), sweetgum (16), water oak (16), bald cypress (14) and river birch (9). Red maple and sweetgum turn red; blackgum and river birch turn yellow or gold; water oak and bald cypress turn russet. What turns, and when
This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. We score it here against 7 long-running forest cameras: two dates in three land within 13 days of the camera’s own peak. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Delaware Water Gap is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
- Peak Oct 7 best Oct 6 to 9
Fall color roads near Gateway National Recreation Area
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the recreation area, so allow more by road.
- Palisades Interstate Parkway
Runs along the Hudson River cliffs from the George Washington Bridge north. The understory turns gold beneath towering oaks.
- Route 97 (Hawk's Nest)
A short, thrilling stretch above the Delaware River near Port Jervis. Photograph from the overlook on the east side for the classic shot.
- Route 28 through the Catskills
From Kingston to Margaretville through the heart of the Catskill Mountains. Best in the first two weeks of October.
- Route 30 (Great Northern Catskills)
Runs through Schoharie Valley and into the northern Catskills. Less traffic than Route 28 with equally stunning maple color.
- Route 169
Designated a National Scenic Byway, this quiet road through the Last Green Valley is Connecticut's best-kept fall secret. Peaks late October.
- Mohawk Trail (Route 2)
The original scenic highway in America, crossing the Berkshires. The Hairpin Turn overlook at Florida, MA offers a 60-mile view of color.