One of the best places to really see the true beauty of the great outdoors is at a state park. Well known for our state parks, Finger Lakes Wine Country is no exception. Finger Lakes Wine Country boasts six state parks and the Finger Lakes National Forest - the only National Forest in New York State, by the way. I'm going to focus on four of the state parks for taking in fall foliage, although I can promise you that any of them would be a perfect place to do some leaf peeping. Keuka Lake State Park ranks at number 22 on our Top Foliage Views. Keuka Lake State Park is a perfect place for a day with the family in the great outdoors. Enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, and even kayaking or canoeing. You can swim there too, but for fall foliage views, I doubt the water would be warm enough. Put that on your list of things to do for summer! The hills surrounding Keuka Lake have been talked about throughout this blog if you've been keeping up with our Top Foliage Views. Some of the most breathtaking scenery in the region, Keuka Lake also boasts some great restaurants and of course, wineries. Make a day of leaf peeping on Keuka and you'll never be let down.
Pinnacle State Park in Addison, right outside of Corning, is a great place to go golfing while in Finger Lakes Wine Country. Of course it also offers visitors camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, and biking, the golf course is a great way to check out the fall foliage and enjoy some fun with family or friends. Fall is a great time to visit Corning, we've mentioned the Gaffer District and of course the Glass Harvest at The Corning Museum of Glass, and Pinnacle State Park is just up the road. A great place to spend a fall day, which is why it's number 23 on our list.
Newtown Battlefield State Park is located right outside of Elmira and is a great place to not only do some serious leaf peeping, but also a great place to induldge in some Revolutionary War history. The battle of Newtown was the decisive clash in one of the largest offensive campaigns of the American Revolution. A stone monument was dedicated at the top of the hill on the centennial of the Battle of Newtown in 1879. The present granite monument was erected in 1912. During the 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps crews built and developed many of the present facilities of the park, including a beautiful, rustic lodge. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Newtown Battlefield State Park is a wonderful place to camp or even just have a picnic. The beautiful rolling hills and peaceful surroundings are the reason Newtown Battlefield State Park is number 24 on our list of Top Foliage Views.
Last but certainly not least is the well known Watkins Glen State Park. Arguably one of the best known State Parks in the region, Watkins Glen State Park offers visitors an all encompassing experience. Hike the trails through the glacially carved gorge and count all 19 sparkling waterfalls that line the walkways. It's a wonderful place to camp and offers visitors a very convenient location to stay while visiting Finger Lakes Wine Country because it's right in the heart of downtown Watkins Glen, a central point in Finger Lakes Wine Country. The fall foliage against the slate and stone of the gorge and the highlight of the crystal waterfalls is why Watkins Glen State Park is number 25 on our list of Top Foliage Views.
If you were wondering the only other two state parks are they are Mark Twain State Park, another good golf course, and Stony Brook State Park, another great place to see some waterfalls. We hope that you've had a chance to see the gorgeous foliage in Finger Lakes Wine Country this year. It's hard to believe fall is nearly over and we're on to thinking about the holidays. We hope you've enjoyed getting some great ideas for places to leaf peep around the region and look forward to sharing with you some holiday fun in the coming weeks.
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