From pretty to paranormal, autumn in Rochester has no shortage of unique seasonal activities! Scenic train rides, leaf-peeping in our arboretums, fall bird migrations and ghost walks happen only in autumn so take advantage of them while you can!
Autumn in Rochester: Observe changing foliage
Pick a place with tree-diversity—it may even be your own neighborhood. Observe the autumn changes once a week, maybe on your way home from work or on Sunday mornings. I have a few favorite places I like to frequent in the fall because of their dramatic displays.
Mount Hope Cemetery is a special place all year-round, but there’s something about Autumn that turns it into a virtual painting.
Mendon Ponds Park is the largest Monroe County Park with 2,500 acres of woodlands, ponds, wetlands and glacially created landforms.
Highland Park was designed to be enjoyed year-round. Every pathway, every tree, every vista & every relationship between the land & water is intentional. And there is so much more to Highland than the lilacs, though they are extraordinary!
Webster Arboretum at Kent Park
Follow the pathways that meander around Webster Arboretum’s 40 acres of open spaces, flower & herb gardens, water elements, and a wide variety of trees.
Durand Eastman Park’s landscape design was inspired by the work that Olmsted had done 20 years earlier in Highland, Seneca, and Genesee Valley Parks.
Witness the autumn migration
Massive migrations of waterfowl, wading birds and raptors come back through New York on their way south toward open waters. These areas around Rochester are dedicated to giving them safe harbor to eat and to rest. Bring your binoculars!
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Swallow Hollow Nature loop trail is an accessible trail of ramps, gravel pathways and boardwalks making it easier to enjoy this unique ecosystem.
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a 7,000-acre preserve located on the north end of Cayuga Lake, under one of the most active flight lanes in the Atlantic Flyway.
Braddock Bay Fish and Wildlife Management Area
The Braddock Bay complex includes the bay and the surrounding wetlands. We break it down so you can start exploring!
Autumn in Rochester: Take a drive
You don’t have to be in the Catskills or Adirondacks to find an inspiring view. Pick any slow-road leading out of Rochester and just drive!
- County Road 21, or 12, or 33, or 36 into Naples. Stop at the “jump off” in Ontario County Park, Harriet Hollister or Bristol Mountain along the way.
- Lake Ontario Seaway Trail east to Oswego, or west to Olcott
- Route 96 to Seneca Falls and Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
- Route 20 east to Skaneateles or Lafayette or Cazenovia
- Route 98 to Salamanca and Little Rock City
- Route 20A west to East Aurora
- Route 19 to Rushford Lake
- Route 15-15A loop around Hemlock Lake
- Drive through Letchworth, Mt. Morris to the Glen Iris Inn
- Seriously, I could keep going!
Take a hike
A walk anywhere in a park or forest, along a lake shore or your own neighborhood is satiating enough! I love a combination of tree-diversity, water elements, moments of canopy and vista, and a bench to take it all in. Try these!
Oatka Creek Park in Wheatland is one of the more strollable in the Monroe County Park system, with little change in elevation along the 3.3 mile loop trail.
Powder Mills Park favorites include the fish hatchery, Daffodil Meadow Trail, and the Mushroom House, which is technically private property but still draws a crowd as a roadside attraction!
Mendon Ponds Park is the largest Monroe County Park with 2,500 acres of woodlands, ponds, wetlands and glacially created landforms.
Stony Brook State Park is absolutely stunning year round, but my favorite time to visit is on a mild November day, once the crowds and heat of summer have slipped away.
The trails at Meridian Centre Park are flat; some are gravel, others wood chip, with a section of beautiful boardwalk. There are nature paths & an arboretum in the western part of the park with plantings and wooden arches making this a popular destination for bird watchers.
You really can’t go wrong picking any of these trails.
Gorge trails call out to us from their deep, dark, and cool caverns. If you haven’t already, check these five spectacular trails off your list!
75 Hiking Trails Around Rochester
Here are a few less populated, rustic, or unusual trails around Rochester that will inspire you to take a hike. A diverse collection of rail-trails, waterside trails, and inland trails.
Monroe County parks are free, so take advantage of 12,000 acres of natural, zoological, horticultural, historical and geological experiences!
49 New York State Parks Within a 2-hour Drive of Rochester, NY
Venture into one of these New York State Parks within a 2-hour drive of Rochester and discover what makes them each unique!
Ride the rails on a scenic train
These fall foliage trains around Rochester are a unique way to enjoy the season!
Rochester Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
Once a month, between June and October, you can spend the day riding the train at the Rochester Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
New York Museum of Transportation
Enjoy a scenic 2-mile round-trip ride on an 90-year-old electric trolley car at the New York Museum of Transportation, and themed-events during the year.
Arcade and Attica Railroad offers a 2-1/2 hour train experience, including a 30-minute layover at Curriers Station where you can explore the train yard and grab a bite to eat.
Adirondack Scenic Railroad is an ambitious day trip, but enjoyable nonetheless!
It is a 2-hour drive to Utica’s Union Station, or a 2.5-hour Amtrak ride if you’d rather sit back and enjoy the scenery. The round trip on Amtrak gives you time for dinner in Utica. Grab an Uber to Nail Creek Pub, Swift’s Restaurant & Pub, or walk down to The Tailor and The Cook or Oyster Blue Restaurant & Oyster Bar.
- Rochester to Utica train (8:36am – 10:51am) There is an earlier one too if this cuts it too close for you.
- The Fall Foliage “No-Layover” Trip Itinerary:
Depart Utica – 11:30am
Arrive in Thendara – 1:30pm
Depart Thendara – 2:15pm
Arrive Utica – 4:30pm - Utica to Rochester train (8:48pm – 11:09pm)
These would probably require an overnight unless you’re feeling ambitious! I’d also recommend them more in September when the mountain regions are nearing peak foliage change.
- Amtrak’s Adirondack Great Dome Train (Albany to Montreal)
- Catskill Mountain Railroad (Kingston)
- Delaware & Ulster Railroad (Arkville/Catskills)
Follow the river
Spend time along the Genesee River on its course through the City of Rochester. Take Guided Hike with the Lower Falls Foundation and learn about Rochester’s history and the importance of the river to our beginnings.
Turning Point Park’s most striking feature is a 3,572 ft-long bridge over the Genesee River Turning Basin, part of the greater Genesee Riverway Trail.
You can climb the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse’s 40 foot high tower and enjoy the view of Lake Ontario, the Genesee River, and Ontario Beach Park.
Maplewood Park is a linear park that follows the river from Driving Park and the Lower Falls to just north of Route 104, ending at the pedestrian bridge over the Genesee.
The Seneca Park Zoo is a but a small part of the greater 297-acre Seneca Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1893.
Genesee Valley Park is a Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park located at the intersection of the Erie Canal, Red Creek and Genesee River.
ROC the Riverway: Rochester’s Genesee River Romance
Rochester’s ROC the Riverway Weekend is held every October. It is a celebration of life along the river, with City-sponsored activities, tours, and events.
Get above the canopy
There is nothing like leaf-peeping from above the tree line!
In the fall, the Comet Express lift is open Noon-4pm for folks to enjoy a quiet and scenic ride to the summit of Bristol Mountain.
Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area
Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area is a New York State Park located in the hills six miles south of Honeoye Lake.
The Jump Off Trail: Ontario County Park Gannett Hill
The Jump Off Trail in Ontario County Park is ADA-accessible and affords one of the most beautiful scenic views in the Finger Lakes Region.
Take a ghost tour
Ghosts are active all year long, but there is something about October that peeks our interest in the paranormal. From storytelling to investigating, these tours help to explore “the other side” of Rochester.
- Landmark Society’s Ghost Walk
- Cobblestone Museum Ghost Walk
- Rolling Hills Asylum Ghost Hunting
- Rochester Candlelight Ghost Walks
- Events around NYS along the “Haunted History Trail“
Or a haunted hayride
These may scare you more than the ghost tours!
- Haunted Hayrides of Rochester (Williamson)
- Rochester, NY Haunted Hayride (Spencerport)
Autumn in Rochester: Fun on the farm
Grab some cider & donuts, get lost in a corn maze, and pick your favorite pumpkin on family farms around Rochester.
Pumpkins: 14 Places to Pick Your Own Around Rochester
It’s so much more than simply buying pumpkins. It’s about family time on the farm, with wagon rides, hot cider & donuts, corn maizes, and games.
Stokoe Farms offers a full day of family activities. On a beautiful Autumn day, you can expect it to be a very popular place! Stop back in December to cut your own Christmas tree.