Published: October 26, 2006 12:55 pm            

Foliage fans still have time to take in nature's beauty

HIGHLAND — Rita Downing is looking for leaves.

She steps out of the car on a sunny fall day, walks to the shore of the Hudson and surveys the trees on the horizon. They form a broad ridge of green, red and yellow.

“Look over the river,” she says. “It’s almost peak, or pretty near peak.”

That’s not just Downing’s impressionistic opinion. That’s the observation of an official New York leaf-peeper.

Downing is one of 60 volunteers statewide who gather information for New York’s fall foliage reports, which tourists check online and by phone to guide their autumn outings.

Of course, the leaves remain perfect only for a week or two in any given region. By the time Downing reports peak foliage for her area in the mid-Hudson Valley in mid- to late October, the Adirondacks are long past peak. The lower Hudson Valley is nearing peak, and trees on Long Island and New York City are just starting to change.

But Downing accepts the ephemeral nature of her task and emphasizes how much else there is for visitors to do in the area after the colors have faded from the landscape.

Driving around, she points out pumpkins glistening in the sun in a pick-your-own field by the side of the road, and a display of rainbow-colored tie-dyed T-shirts outside the Groovy Blueberry, a store on Main Street in New Paltz. Nearby is the Gilded Otter, a brew pub, and La Stazione, an Italian restaurant.

Every crossroads seems to lead to an apple orchard where the trees blush with red fruit, or a winery where visitors line up for tastings. While the pumpkins and apples won’t be pickable much past Halloween, events and tours at the wineries take place well into December.

At Adair Winery, owner Marc Stopkie poured grapes into a roaring machine that spit out the stems and piped the pulp into a giant steel vat. Blackberry kir, a blend of berries and dry white wine, was offered to guests inside the showroom, located in a picturesque 215-year-old barn.

Downing’s stops included the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, where she walked, crunching fallen leaves beneath her feet, to a picturesque bridge that’s a favorite subject for artists. She also took in a panoramic view of the valley, steps from the entrance to the Mohonk Preserve on Mohonk Mountain, a popular destination for hikers.

As Downing made her rounds, she ran into others out enjoying the season, like two women collecting tiny maple leaves along the rail trail.

“We make leaf art,” explained Lili Panek, who was there with her mother, Joan Holt, looking for the most colorful and perfectly shaped leaves they could find. “We use them in picture frames. No two frames end up alike.”

Downing, who works in Highland as a real estate agent, began surveying the foliage years ago with her brother, Maurice, when he was a leaf-peeper.

“I just loved the scenery and the whole thing,” she recalled. “I’d tag along with him, listening to his musings and ramblings. Was it more than last week, brighter, more colorful?”

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IF YOU GO

• FALL FOLIAGE: Foliage in much of New York state is past peak, but southerly regions of New York peak end-October and first week of November. Check iloveny.com or call (800) 225-5697.

• ADAIR VINEYARDS: 52 Allhusen Road, New Paltz, (845) 255-1377. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through October, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday in November. Adair is one of 11 wineries on the Shawangunk Wine Trail. The wineries’ “Wreath Fineries” event takes place Dec. 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17. Participants receive a grapevine wreath, souvenir wine glass and holiday ornaments, plus tastings and food.

• HUDSON VALLEY RAIL TRAIL: Highland. Parking and access off Route 299, either at Tony Williams Park on Riverside Road, or on New Paltz Road. Trail is paved for 2 1/2 miles. Winterfest, Jan. 21. Cross-country skiing as weather permits.

• MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE: 1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz; mohonk.com or (845) 255-1000. Rates range from $258-$775.

• MOHONK PRESERVE: New Paltz; mohonkpreserve.org or (845) 255-0919. Admission: $9, hikers and bikers; $15, climbers; children 12 and under free. Guided hikes and other events every weekend.

• ORCHARDS: Listings for Highland-New Paltz area under Ulster County at nyapplecountry.com. Call to check produce availability.

        

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