Hey adventurers! Fall in the Sullivan Catskills is like stepping into a storybook. The trees are painted in fiery colors, pumpkins glow at night and the smell of hot cider floats through the air. Whether you’re here with your family for a day or a whole weekend, there’s a ton of fun waiting for you.
Leaf Party Time (aka Why Leaves Turn Bright)
In fall, trees stop making green stuff (chlorophyll). When that fades, reds, oranges, and yellows get to shine.
- Leaf Collectors’ Tip: Bring a notebook or scrapbook. Press your coolest leaves between the pages—they’ll stay colorful all winter.
- Spot the Show-Off Trees: Sugar maples often flash red and orange first.
- Trivia Time: The Catskills are part of one of the largest continuous forest areas in the Northeast—so there’s color everywhere!
Fests & Pumpkin Magic You Can’t Miss
1. Harvest Festival, Sundays through Oct. 5 at Bethel Woods
Imagine the biggest fall party ever — with rides, games and yummy treats everywhere! At the Harvest Festival, you’ll see, experience and taste:
- Hayrides that bounce and bump across the fields.
- Games galore like ring toss, duck pond, and “knock the can.”
- Local goodies like apple cider, warm donuts, pies, and roasted corn (mmm!).
- Live music — fiddles, guitars, maybe even drums you can dance to!
Kid Tip: Wear sneakers! You’ll want to run, skip, and jump from the rides to the food to the games.
Fun Trivia: It takes about 36 apples to make just one gallon of apple cider. That’s like a whole basket of apples squished into your cup!
2. Peace, Love & Pumpkins, October 10 – November 2 at Bethel Woods
Bethel Woods is famous for the Woodstock music festival (ask your parents about it!). But in the fall, it turns into a pumpkin wonderland.
- Giant carved pumpkins shaped like dinosaurs, silly monsters and funny faces.
- Glowing pumpkin trails after dark — it looks like the pumpkins came alive!
- Photo spots everywhere — strike a goofy pose with your favorite pumpkin buddy.
- Pumpkin scavenger hunt idea: count how many pumpkins have teeth!
Kid Tip: Bring a flashlight — you’ll feel like a pumpkin explorer in the glowing night.
Fun Trivia: The heaviest pumpkin ever grown in the U.S. – near Buffalo, New York in 2022 – weighed 2,554 pounds! That’s like a small car!
3. Logging Days Adventure, October 14–15 in Narrowsburg
Travel back in time and see how people worked in the forests long ago. Logging Days is like stepping into a history storybook!
- Lumberjack shows — watch strong loggers chop, saw and maybe even roll on logs.
- Draft horses pulling logs, just like in the olden days.
- Crafts and fun booths with local treats and handmade goodies.
- Folk music and storytelling that make the past come alive.
Kid Tip: Bring earplugs if loud noises make you jump — saws and axes can get noisy!
Fun Trivia: Lumberjacks used to have contests to see who could climb a tree fastest — some could do it in under 20 seconds!
The Big Kid Challenge!
Can you complete the 3-Event Fall Fun Quest?
- Taste something yummy at the Fall Festival (donut, pie, or roasted corn).
- Spot the silliest pumpkin face glowing at Peace, Love & Pumpkins.
- Cheer for your favorite lumberjack at Logging Days.
If you do all three, you’ve unlocked the title of Fall Fun Champion of the Catskills!
Farms & Pumpkin Patches to Visit
Want to meet furry farm animals, pick the perfect pumpkin and have awesome fall adventures? Check out these real farms in and around Sullivan County!
Heads-up: Always call ahead or check the farm’s website before you go. Some farms open only weekends or have limited pumpkins late in the season.
Leaf Hunts & Trail Adventures
Grab your grown-ups and hit the backroads around Callicoon or Livingston Manor. The hills look like a giant quilt made of red, orange, and yellow patches.
Kid-Friendly Hikes: Hop out of the car and onto the trail—these hikes are made for adventure!
- Stroll around Frick Pond Loop: Wander through forests, wetlands, and meadows around Frick Pond in Livingston Manor. It’s about 2.2 miles and great for spotting birds or frogs along the way.
- Glide on Parksville Rails to Trails: Follow the old railway bed along Little Beaverkill River. It’s fairly flat and smooth—perfect for walking, biking, or pushing a stroller.
- Wander in Lumberland Circle Park: Explore shaded forest paths and cross over clear streams. The trails wind gently and are great for a relaxed nature adventure.
- Amble along Neversink River Trail: Walk beside the riverbanks from Hiram Jones Road—listen to the water, watch for fish, and enjoy peaceful river views.
- Ramble the D&H Canal Linear Park Trail: Follow the old canal path through woods and wetlands. It’s mostly level and easy to walk, ideal for families.
- Trek East Branch Callicoon Creek Trail: Trace the creek’s path on a short pretty walk from Stone Arch Road. Hear water trickle and breathe in the crisp forest air.
Nature Detective Game: On your drive or hike, see how many squirrels, chipmunks and mushrooms you can spot!
Bird Watch: Look for bald eagles or hawks soaring overhead near rivers.
Make, Move & Giggle This Fall
1. Visit Art Galleries & See Colorful Art
- In Livingston Manor, check out the Catskill Art Space — it’s like a big room full of cool paintings and sculptures. You can play “I Spy” with the art: “I spy something orange like a pumpkin!”
- In Narrowsburg, stop by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. They show pictures and artwork that change all the time. Ask your kids to pick their “favorite fall picture” and explain why.
- Some towns even have special art walks in the fall (like the Callicoon Art Walk), where you can peek inside shops and see art everywhere.
2. Dance to the Music
- At festivals like the Jeff Jamboree in Jeffersonville or the Oktoberfest at Catskill Brewery in Livingston Manor, you’ll hear fiddles, banjos, and guitars. Kids can clap, stomp, and twirl in the grass.
- Try playing a dance game: every time the music gets louder, everyone jumps; when it gets quiet, everyone freezes.
- Bring scarves or ribbons and let kids spin and wave them to the beat — instant fun!
3. Bring a Sketchbook
- Challenge kids to draw a pumpkin they see at a farm stand, a tree with rainbow leaves, or even their own silly “leaf monster.”
- If you visit a gallery first, let them sketch their favorite painting in their own style.
4. Try Leaf Printing
- Collect leaves on a walk — pick big, little, bumpy, or smooth ones.
- Paint one side of the leaf, press it on paper, and peel it off. Kids can make a whole forest of colorful prints.
- For extra fun, let them turn the leaf prints into animals (add eyes, legs, or wings with markers).
Campfires, Story Nights & Stargazing
1. Roast Marshmallows & Make S’mores
- Make banana boats in tinfoil. Mix it up with different fillings: peanut butter + banana slices, Nutella + strawberries, or caramel bits + cookie crumbs.
- Use graham crackers, chocolate bars, or even salty crackers for contrast in your s’mores.
- Try “campfire cones”: stuff a waffle cone with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and berries, wrap in foil, and heat until melted.
- For a healthier twist: skewer fruit (pineapple, apple, peach slices) and lightly toast them over the coals.
- Let each person invent their own “fire snack” combo and have a taste-testing round.
2. Share Spooky Stories
- Start with lighthearted, silly tales: “The Great Marshmallow Heist,” or “How I (almost) set my tent on fire.”
- Try a “chain story” — one person begins with one sentence, the next person continues, and so on; see how wild it becomes.
- Use story prompts to spark ideas: “You hear a rustle in the bushes…” or “A shadow lurks just beyond the firelight…”
- Incorporate props or flashlights to cast shadows on faces, adding dramatic effect (but not too scary for young kids).
- Invite a “ghost light”: someone tells a tale of a friendly forest ghost or glowing creature, leaving the ending open for others to invent alternate endings.
3. Cuddle Under Blankets & Stargaze
See if you can spot bright constellations like:
- Pegasus flying high
- Cassiopeia shaped like a big ‘W’
- Andromeda stretching across the night.
- If you’re lucky, Orion’s Belt will begin to peek up over the horizon, hinting at the winter skies to come.
Trivia Time: On a really crisp fall night, you might see thousands of stars—including faint milky galaxy streaks.
Family Tips & Adventure Boosters
- Dress in Layers: Mornings are chilly, afternoons mild, nights cool.
- Nature Bag: Use a small bag or pouch for acorns, pinecones, leaves, and “found treasures.”
- Flashlight for Night Walks: Pumpkin trails or forest paths get dark!
- Bring Snacks: Exploring makes you hungry fast.
- Book Big Events Early: Peace, Love & Pumpkins often sells out for evening slots.
- Cash & Cards: Some farm stands prefer cash—bring both just in case.
Ready, Set, Fall Fun!
Wow, adventurers — you’ve just explored the best fall fun in the Sullivan Catskills! From bumpy hayrides and glowing pumpkins to lumberjack shows and leaf-hunting hikes, there’s something amazing waiting around every corner.
So grab your sneakers, pack your flashlight and don’t forget a big smile — fall here is like living inside a storybook where you get to be the hero.
Want to find even more family fun, festivals, farms and trails? Ask your grown-ups to visit sullivancatskills.com and plan your next adventure!
