Minnewaska State Park Preserve
State park · New York
On the Shawangunk Ridge 90 miles north of the city, sky lakes and white quartz cliffs frame pitch pine, chestnut oak, and maple color. Old carriage roads make the big overlooks easy to reach on foot or by bike.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 13–October 17
Color builds from October 3 · mostly bare by November 6
Sampled at Minnewaska State Park Preserve’s own coordinates and elevation (490 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 Minnewaska State Park Preserve
You get about 21 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly October 24. Against New York overall, that is 3 days later. Height explains the gap, since this sits at 1,608 ft. It sits at 1,608 ft, high enough to turn before the valleys do.
Figure about 71 mi from New York City.
Minnewaska State Park Preserve 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.
More things to do in New York
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Frequently asked
- When does Minnewaska State Park Preserve peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 13–October 17 (best estimate October 15). Color starts around October 3 and is mostly bare by November 6.
- How do I get to Minnewaska State Park Preserve?
- The closest city is New York City, about 71 mi away. It's part of New York's fall lineup.
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