Updated October 21, 2026
Adirondack fall foliage conditions for October 21, 2026. Map courtesy of I LOVE NY.
Autumn's grand finale has arrived in Lake George.
While much of the Adirondacks has passed peak foliage, Lake George is enjoying the season's brightest colors. The latest report puts the village area at 65% color change and peak conditions, with brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds lighting up the landscape.
Farther north, the picture is different. Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain, Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, and much of the Adirondack interior are past peak, with fading colors and more bare trees.
But don't put away the hiking boots just yet. Late October has its own Adirondack appeal, from golden oak-covered hillsides to quieter trails and scenic lakeside drives.
Here's where the color stands across the Adirondacks this week, based on the October 21 I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report, organized by ADK Taste's destination regions.
Adirondack fall foliage at a glance
Lake George: 65% change, at peak, with brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds.
Queensbury: 100% change, past peak, with remaining autumn color.
Lake Placid: Nearly 100% change, past peak, with village color and significant leaf drop on the hillsides.
Whiteface Mountain: 100% change, past peak, with muted oranges, yellows, and subdued reds.
Ticonderoga and Crown Point: Both 100% change and past peak, with lingering muted autumn shades.
Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake: Both 100% change and past peak, with fading colors and increasingly bare trees.
Long Lake: 100% change, past peak, with pockets of golden orange and yellow.
Benson: 100% change, past peak, but strong late-season oak foliage remains around Lapland Lake.
Lowville: 90% change, past peak, with orange, rust, red, and bronze tones.
About this report: ADK Taste’s weekly Adirondack Fall Foliage Report is based on observations published by the I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report. We organize those reports by ADK Taste destination region and add context to help you decide where to see fall color across the Adirondacks.
Read on for where to see Adirondack fall foliage this week.
Lake George.
Lake George Area: Peak color is here.
For leaf peepers still hoping to catch peak Adirondack color, Lake George is this week's standout.
The latest report puts Lake George at 65% foliage change and peak conditions, with very bright oranges, yellows, and reds. This is especially welcome for travelers who thought they might have missed the season.
The contrast with nearby Queensbury is striking. Just south of the lake, Queensbury has reached 100% change and passed peak, though autumn colors remain.
It's a reminder that fall foliage doesn't follow a perfectly synchronized schedule, even within the same county.
For those planning a late-October getaway, Lake George offers one of the strongest reported opportunities to enjoy peak color in the Adirondacks this week.
Wilmington Notch.
Tri-Lakes & High Peaks: A quieter, late-autumn landscape.
The High Peaks have largely traded their brilliant early-October foliage for a more subdued late-autumn palette.
In Lake Placid, foliage is nearly 100% changed and past peak. Yellow and gold remain, along with some muted reds in the village, but the surrounding hillsides show significant leaf drop.
At Whiteface Mountain Ski Area in Wilmington, foliage is 100% changed and past peak, with muted oranges and yellows and a few remaining subdued reds.
Farther west, Tupper Lake is also 100% changed and past peak. A few splashes of yellow and red remain, but many trees are bare.
Saranac Lake reports similar conditions, with fading reds accented by occasional yellows and oranges.
The landscape may be quieter, but late autumn still has its rewards: expansive mountain views, crisp air, and fewer leaves obscuring the scenery.
Central Adirondacks: Lingering gold in Long Lake.
In Long Lake, foliage has reached 100% change and is past peak.
Bright golden oranges and a few yellows remain, but many trees have shed their leaves.
The Central Adirondacks are well into late-autumn, with the remaining foliage offering occasional bursts of color against an increasingly open woodland landscape.
South Raquette Lake.
Southern Woodlands: Oak foliage steals the show.
Not all past-peak landscapes look alike.
At Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Resort in Benson, foliage is 100% changed and past peak, but strong late-season color remains around the lake.
Oak-covered upper hillsides are displaying oranges, rusts, bronzes, and golds, even as lower elevations show significant leaf drop and bare branches.
It's a particularly good example of how different tree species extend the Adirondack foliage season. Long after many maples have dropped their leaves, oaks can provide a beautiful late-October encore.
Lake Champlain & Adirondack Coast: The final colors linger.
Along the eastern edge of the Adirondacks, the season has moved past peak.
In Ticonderoga, foliage is 100% changed and past peak, with muted-to-average yellows and oranges and scattered red leaves.
Nearby Crown Point is also 100% changed and past peak. Lingering patches of muted gold, russet, and burgundy provide the remaining color.
For travelers exploring the Lake Champlain corridor, expect a more subdued autumn landscape than the brilliant peak conditions of earlier weeks.
Fall in the beautiful Champlain Valley.
Western Foothills: Rust and bronze in Lowville.
In Lowville, 90% of the foliage has changed and is past peak.
Orange, rust, and red leaves remain, alongside bronze and brown tones, but many trees are already bare.
The western Adirondack foothills are firmly in their late-season phase, with the remaining foliage creating a softer, earthier palette.
Is it too late to see fall foliage in the Adirondacks?
Not quite — but where you go matters.
For the brightest reported color this week, Lake George stands out, with peak conditions and vivid orange, yellow, and red foliage.
Elsewhere, the Adirondacks are moving into their quieter late-autumn season. Past peak doesn't mean every leaf has fallen, as the remaining oaks around Benson and pockets of gold in the High Peaks demonstrate.
The best advice for late-October leaf peepers? Adjust your expectations, check local conditions before you travel, and enjoy the Adirondacks for more than their foliage alone.
After all, there's something to be said for a mountain view without quite so many leaves in the way.
Source: Foliage observations and percentage estimates are from the I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report, produced by the New York State Division of Tourism. ADK Taste reorganizes the observations by Adirondack destination region and provides independent editorial context. Photos courtesy ROOSTadk.com.
Dix Mountain reflected in Elk Lake.
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