For a few weeks each October, the hills around Ellicottville put on the best show in Western New York. The hardwood ridges turn gold, orange, and deep red, and the higher you climb, the wider the view. Here are five ways to be right in the middle of it.
1. McCarty Hill Loop
The signature foliage hike right outside town. The McCarty Hill loop climbs through hardwoods to open ridge lines that look out over rolling, color-soaked hills. It shares ground with the mountain bike network, so keep an ear out for riders and step aside on blind corners.
2. Art Roscoe Trails, Allegany State Park
The Art Roscoe area offers more than 20 miles of wide, forested trail cut through high ridges inside the largest state park in New York. The grades are gentle and the tread is smooth, which makes it a great pick for families or anyone who wants a long, relaxed walk under a canopy of color.
3. A Lift-Assisted Ridge Walk at Holiday Valley
You do not always have to climb for the view. On fall weekends you can ride a chairlift up the mountain and walk the open slopes and ridge trails at the top. It is the lowest-effort way to get a summit view of peak color, and a favorite for photographers.
4. Rock City State Forest Wander
Rock City rewards a slower pace. Wind through the hardwoods and past the mossy rock formations that give the forest its name, with color overhead the whole way. Trails here are shared with bikes, so keep an ear out for riders and stay alert.
5. The Backroads Loop by Car
Not every leaf-peeping day needs boots. The county roads around Ellicottville string together some of the best drive-up views in the region. Roll the windows down, stop often, and end back in the village for something warm.
Timing peak color: Foliage around Ellicottville usually peaks from early to mid October, though it shifts a week or two each year with the weather. Higher ridges turn first. Watch the forecast and go on the first clear day after the color arrives.