Letchworth State Park
State park · New York
New York's 'Grand Canyon of the East' carries the Genesee River through a 17-mile gorge with cliffs up to 550 feet, framed by three major waterfalls and dense maple-and-oak forest. Overlooks near the Castile entrance turn brilliant red and gold through early-to-mid October.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 9–October 13
Color builds from September 30 · mostly bare by November 1
Sampled at Letchworth State Park’s own coordinates and elevation (390 m) rather than a regional average.
This window comes from 27 weather points across New York, nudged 2 days later to match 2 published peak dates from smokymountains.com and almanac.com. Against New York's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 4 days earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to Letchworth State Park
You get about 20 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly October 20. That is about 1 day earlier than New York as a whole. The elevation is 1,280 ft, which pulls the turn earlier.
It is roughly 44 mi out of Rochester. Buffalo is about 47 mi out.
Letchworth State Park on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of New York, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Frequently asked
- When does Letchworth State Park peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 9–October 13 (best estimate October 11). Color starts around September 30 and is mostly bare by November 1.
- How do I get to Letchworth State Park?
- The closest city is Rochester, about 44 mi away. It's part of New York's fall lineup.
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