The 10 Best Fall Foliage Runs in New York City

Autumn is a wonderful season for running in New York City. The temperatures are crisp, the air is drier, and the colors are beautiful as the leaves change. This article is a list of the Ten Best Fall Foliage Runs in New York City, chosen from among the Great Runs catalog of running routes in Manhattan and the Boroughs. For other leafy spots for running in the greater NYC area, see our guides to Long Island, New Jersey, the Hamptons, and **!  Many of those runs are a subway or short train ride away!

When is Peak Foliage in New York?

Typically, the leaves start changing in New York City around mid-October, with peak foliage in early November — right in time for the NYC Marathon (the first Sunday in November). Peak foliage is about a week earlier in the further out suburbs, where the night temperatures are lower. Each year is different, however, so use this fall foliage map, which has a slider bar to see your region, by date.

How Do We Choose The Best Foliage Runs in New York City

During the summer, some of the best places to run in New York City are along the water, such our routes along the Hudson River and East River. During fall, particularly as the colors change, we prefer running in parks or in leafy residential areas, in order to enjoy the splendor of fall. Please use caution if running in the parks at night, because they might not be well-lit.

The Best Foliage Routes in Manhattan

Central Park. This is iconic New York City route, and is especially beautiful in fall. We have multiple route options there, including the full perimeter loop and the ‘reservoir’ loop.

Fort Tyron Park & Iron Hill Park. Located at the northern end of the Hudson River Greenway near the GW Bridge. There are 8 miles of trails in this Olmsted-designed park, and lots of stair & hills for those who want to get their heart rate up! Adjacent Iron Hill Park has a couple of miles of woodsy paths, a salt marsh, and interesting rock formations.

High Bridge and Highbridge Park. Also in Upper Manhattan, there are great foliage views from the pedestrian-only High Bridge, which connects Manhattan and the Bronx over the Harlem River. Then enjoy leafy trails in riverside Highbridge Park. For a longer run, Fort Tyron Park is 1 mile west.

The Beast Foliage Routes in The Boroughs

Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Popular park for running. Another iconic Olmsted project, with beautifully landscaped roads and paths. We’ve got inner & outer loops.  Add-on with the leafy side streets of the Park Slope neighborhood.

Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx. NYC’s fourth largest park, at 1,146-acres. Great options for runners, with trails and marked cross-country courses through the park’s ridges, valleys, forests, wetlands, aqueducts, and lake. Includes the Putnam Greenway, which runs the length of the park.

NYC Botanical Gardens, Bronx. A popular visitor site. It’s permitted to run in these gorgeous gardens — best bet is the 3.3 mile outer loop.

South County Trailway, Bronx. The south end of this paved multi-use path that spans the entire length of Westchester County for some 35 miles starts at Van Cortlandt Park in Yonkers. Just 1 mile in, aparticularly pretty section in fall runs through Tibbetts Brook Park, which has additional trails and a connector to the Croton Aqueduct Trail.

Staten Island Greenbelt. Take the short ferry ride from lower Manhattan to enjoy leafy trails in this 2,800-acre greenbelt. Choose from the easier 2.6-mile multipurpose trail, or more rugged paths for some trail running.

Silver Lake Park. Staten Island’s answer to Central Park and Prospect Park. Run on the leafy paths and see the foliage on the 2-mile lake loop. Combine with adjacent Cloves Lake Park and the Greenbelt for a longer run!

Leafy Residential Spots. We love running leafy residential streets in the fall to enjoy the colors. A few favorite areas around New York City are the side streets of Park Slope (Brooklyn), and Bronxville & Hastings-on-Hudson, just over the line in Westchester county and easily reachable via a short train ride.