Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway
Scenic drive · New York
An 8-mile toll road built in the 1930s switchbacks from Wilmington up Whiteface Mountain, the Adirondacks' fifth-highest peak, ending at a castle and elevator to the 4,867-foot summit. On clear fall days the High Peaks unfold in every direction before the road closes for the season around Columbus Day.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 4–October 8
Color builds from September 19 · mostly bare by October 27
Sampled at Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway’s own coordinates and elevation (713 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 1 day earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway
You get about 26 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly October 15. That runs roughly 9 days earlier than the rest of New York. Height explains the gap, since this sits at 2,339 ft. At 2,339 ft, it turns before the lower ground nearby.
Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway 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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Leaves & views
Frequently asked
- When does Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 4–October 8 (best estimate October 6). Color starts around September 19 and is mostly bare by October 27.
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