Hidden In New York's Central Park Is A Grove Of Fall Colors Inspired By The Catskills And Adirondacks

Many would argue that fall is the best time to see New York City. If not for the cozy autumnal festivals that make NYC come alive, then it's great to visit for the beautiful scenery that emerges in the city's tree-filled parks. Central Park is a showstopper in the fall, but many travelers don't venture further north than the Great Lawn or past Strawberry Fields, a little spot where music lovers come to pay tribute. With fewer tourists and a surprisingly expansive forest landscape, the north side of Central Park is the perfect location for a tranquil fall retreat in the city. It's here that you'll find the North Woods, the park's least developed and most vibrant forested area. In fact, the North Woods were specifically designed to mirror the natural landscape of the Catskills and the Adirondacks, known for their striking fall foliage.

While most of Central Park was opened to the public in 1858, the North Woods was one of the last elements to be added in the 1860s. Unlike the southern portion of the park, its northern parts have largely kept the same topography they had naturally before the area was developed. Central Park's designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, wanted to incorporate much of the existing, rugged landscape here, which had a mix of rocky woodlands and swampland. Trees were added, particularly drawing from the woods of the Adirondacks. The North Woods' 40 acres are full of ash and maple trees, as well as oak and hickory. Meanwhile, its wildflower meadow blooms with white wood aster and woodland goldenrod, which are both flowers that peak in autumn. The park's swamp was converted into the 12-acre Harlem Meer lake encircled by bald cypress trees, which change color in the fall.

It's possible to walk from the famed southern entrances of Central Park up to the North Woods, though this route is a trek. Getting there would take at least an hour from the Columbus Circle entrance. The Central Park Conservancy's self-guided tour of the North Woods area recommends starting at the West 103rd Street entrance, which you can reach in about 20 minutes from Grand Central Terminal by taking the B subway train to the 103 St stop. The path proceeds past the Pool, a pond with a waterfall and a boulder grotto. It enters the North Woods via a meandering, wooded valley known as the Ravine. Here, a stream gently courses through with small waterfalls, a remnant of a naturally existing brook called Montayne's Rivulet. The Ravine is crossed by two historic, rustic bridges: the stone Glen Span and the Huddlestone Arches.

After traversing the Ravine, you'll advance deeper into the woods, where trees become more thickly clustered, and fallen branches and overgrown thickets are purposefully left in place to evoke a wild landscape. The Central Park Conservancy publishes an online Fall Foliage Tracker, so you can plan to visit when the trees are at their most fiery, usually in October and early November. Central Park is also home to over a quarter of America's bird species, and the North Woods is a particular birding hotspot. In the fall, you're likely to see warblers, thrushes, and numerous raptors. The North Woods' water features, including the Pool, are home to ducks, herons, and kingfishers. Make sure to also look for the 1814-built Blockhouse, an old fort (and the oldest building in Central Park), hidden on an outcrop in the North Woods.