Outdoors · Scenic Drives & Byways
Scenic Drives in New York
New York's byways unspool past lakes, mountains, canal towns, river valleys, and old resort roads.
A New York scenic byway is usually a signed route over ordinary public roads, not a separate park road. Choose the part you want, download the official map, and decide where you will stop before the driver starts moving.
The big exceptions are summit toll roads, seasonal gates, parkways that restrict vehicle types, and mountain or shoreline weather. A route that works for a passenger car may not work for a trailer, RV, bus, moving truck, or commercial-plated vehicle.
The useful details
The rules that matter
A good scenic drive is a route plus safe places to stop. Match the official map to the vehicle, allow time beyond the mileage, and check the few roads and conditions that can change the plan.
- Use the official route
-
Start with NYSDOT's byway page and map. A named route may turn across several state, county, and village roads.
Save the map or route file before leaving. Signs can be missed, and a navigation app may choose the fastest road instead of keeping you on the byway. Pick a shorter segment when a full route is longer than the day allows.
NYSDOT scenic-byway list -> - Fees and permits
-
Most byways need no permit and charge no road fee. A summit highway, bridge, toll road, attraction, parking area, or State Park stop may charge separately.
A park pass does not cover every road or attraction, and a road toll does not cover every activity at the destination. Open the stop's own page rather than treating the byway name as one admission ticket.
NYSDOT byway program -> - Whiteface in 2026
-
Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway is a seasonal toll road. Its 2026 page lists tollhouse sales from May 15 through October 12 and daily highway hours of 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., subject to conditions.
Buy and arrival rules can change by date. Check the same-day summer report, summit weather, elevator status, and any event closure before the drive. The summit is at least 10 degrees colder than the base.
Whiteface Memorial Highway -> - Whiteface vehicles
-
Whiteface does not allow trailers or campers. RV access is allowed only when space is available; cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians are the listed users.
Do not arrive with a travel trailer and expect to unhitch at the tollhouse. Cyclists must enter by the posted cutoff. Anyone relying on the summit elevator should check that it is operating that day.
Whiteface vehicle and access rules -> - Parkway vehicles
-
New York State parkways are built for passenger vehicles. Commercial vehicles, trucks, tractor trailers, and buses are prohibited; other listed restrictions can include trailers and house coaches.
Some bridges are posted as low as 6 feet 11 inches. Use a vehicle-appropriate route for a moving truck, commercial plate, bus, RV, or trailer. Never follow a passenger-car app onto a parkway against a sign.
NYSDOT parkway restrictions -> - Closures and road state
-
Check 511NY before leaving and again at a safe stop. It shows closures, incidents, construction, traffic, cameras, and winter road conditions on covered roads.
A regular byway may stay open while one overlook, bridge, or connecting road is closed. Winter conditions are based on road reports and can change between updates, so signs and the road in front of you still control.
511NY road conditions -> - Safe stops
-
Stop only in a marked overlook, parking area, or legal space fully off the road. A narrow shoulder, travel lane, bridge, and trailhead entrance are not photo stops.
Choose stops before the drive and let a passenger handle maps and photos. If the driver wants the view, pull over legally. Do not slow suddenly or make a U-turn because a viewpoint appeared.
New York DMV safe-driving guidance -> - Time and daylight
-
Route mileage is driving time, not trip time. Add time for overlooks, meals, short walks, traffic, and the return before dark.
A 50-mile mountain byway can fill most of a day when stops are the point. Pick a turn-around time and a backup stop so a full lot or closed road does not force rushed driving.
NYSDOT scenic-byway routes -> - Weather and foliage
-
Check weather at the high point and shoreline, not only at the starting town. Use the state foliage report for timing, then use 511NY and the forecast for the road decision.
Fog, wind, lake-effect snow, ice, thunderstorms, falling rock, or an early freeze can matter more than leaf color. Color moves by region and elevation, so a date from last year is only a rough clue.
I LOVE NY foliage report -> - Fuel, charge, and signal
-
Start rural and mountain stretches with enough fuel or charge, save offline directions, and mark the next open service stop.
Cell service and late-day services can be thin in parts of the Adirondacks, Catskills, and border country. Do not count on a scenic overlook to have fuel, charging, food, water, restrooms, or a signal.
511NY traveler information -> - Share the road
-
Expect bicycles, motorcycles, farm equipment, wildlife, walkers near overlooks, and cars entering from trailheads. Drive for sight distance, not only the posted limit.
Curves, wet leaves, glare, fog, and stopped traffic can shorten the safe speed. Give cyclists room, avoid passing near a blind curve, and do not stop for wildlife in a travel lane.
New York driver manual ->
Ordinary example
A Whiteface and High Peaks day
A couple in a passenger car checks Whiteface's same-day report, buys admission under the 2026 rules, and confirms the elevator is operating. They leave the trailer at their campground because it cannot use the highway. After the summit, they follow only a short part of Route 73, stop in marked pullouts, and use 511NY before heading back rather than trying to finish every scenic mile.
What changes the answer
Facts that change the answer
- The road type
- An ordinary byway, State Parkway, toll highway, park road, and seasonal local road can have different access and vehicle rules.
- The vehicle
- Passenger car, commercial plate, moving truck, bus, RV, camper, and trailer do not fit every route or low bridge.
- The live condition
- Weather, construction, a crash, event, seasonal gate, full lot, or elevator outage can change the day's stops.
- The trip length
- A short segment with three good stops may be a better day than rushing through an entire named byway.
Do this next
Next steps
- Build the route Use the official byway page, choose a manageable segment, and mark legal stops and a turn-around point.
- Check the vehicle Before using a parkway or summit road, confirm the plate, height, RV, camper, and trailer rules.
- Check the live road Open 511NY and the destination forecast shortly before leaving, then obey posted closures and limits.
Good first stops
Great Lakes Seaway Trail
This is one of the nation's first National Scenic Byways, a long shoreline run past lighthouses, harbor villages, War of 1812 history, and state parks like Hamlin Beach and Chimney Bluffs. You can do a short piece or string together a multi-day trip.
Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway
Whiteface, at 4,867 feet, is the only Adirondack High Peak you can drive up. At the top you reach a stone castle, then take a stairway or the elevator carved through the mountain to a 360-degree view that can stretch to Vermont and Canada on a clear day.
Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
About 52 miles of mountain scenery, rivers, and small villages like Phoenicia, Fleischmanns, and Margaretville, threading past several wilderness areas. Great for a relaxed fall-color loop with plenty of stops for food and hiking.
Before you go
A few checks make the day easier.
- Public byways: free, no permit, drive anytime the road is open.
- Toll summit roads (like Whiteface): seasonal, fee charged, check current hours and price.
- State park stops may have their own vehicle fee.
- Foliage runs late September into November; north peaks first, downstate last.
- Summit roads are seasonal and close in winter.
Where to go
Great Lakes Seaway Trail
This is one of the nation's first National Scenic Byways, a long shoreline run past lighthouses, harbor villages, War of 1812 history, and state parks like Hamlin Beach and Chimney Bluffs. You can do a short piece or string together a multi-day trip.
Getting there: Runs along Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River across the top and west side of the state, on a series of marked local roads and state routes. Easy on-ramps near Niagara Falls, Rochester, Oswego, and Sackets Harbor. Follow the green Seaway Trail signs.
Plan the visit →Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway
Whiteface, at 4,867 feet, is the only Adirondack High Peak you can drive up. At the top you reach a stone castle, then take a stairway or the elevator carved through the mountain to a 360-degree view that can stretch to Vermont and Canada on a clear day.
Getting there: Near Wilmington, in the Adirondacks just outside Lake Placid; the toll road climbs from Route 431 toward the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Open seasonally, roughly late spring into fall, weather permitting. Check current hours, dates, and the toll before you go.
Plan the visit →Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
About 52 miles of mountain scenery, rivers, and small villages like Phoenicia, Fleischmanns, and Margaretville, threading past several wilderness areas. Great for a relaxed fall-color loop with plenty of stops for food and hiking.
Getting there: Follows Route 28 through the central Catskills, with short extensions on Routes 42 and 214, in Ulster and Delaware Counties. It's less than two hours north of New York City. Pick it up near Phoenicia and follow it west toward Andes.
Plan the visit →Lakes to Locks Passage
This 200-plus-mile route follows one of North America's oldest water highways, linking the Hudson River, the Champlain Canal, Lake George, and Lake Champlain. Expect water views, historic forts, canal locks, and waterfront towns the whole way.
Getting there: An All-American Road that runs north from the Capital Region near Waterford up through the Champlain Valley to Rouses Point at the Canadian border, largely along U.S. Route 4 and U.S. Route 9. Lake George Village and the Lake Champlain shore are the scenic heart of it.
Plan the visit →High Peaks Scenic Byway (Route 73)
Some of the most dramatic mountain driving in the state, with trailheads, the Cascade Lakes, and roadside views of the High Peaks. It's the main route into Adirondack hiking country, so parking near popular trailheads fills up fast on busy weekends.
Getting there: Route 73 connects the Northway (I-87) near Exit 30 to Lake Placid, through Keene and Keene Valley in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks. It's a free public road, open year-round, but plows and conditions matter in winter.
Plan the visit →Upper Delaware Scenic Byway (Route 97)
A river-valley drive beside the National Park Service's Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, with eagle-watching, the historic Roebling Bridge, and the well-known Hawk's Nest overlooks. Quiet, pretty, and easy to reach from downstate.
Getting there: Route 97 follows the Upper Delaware River along New York's southern border with Pennsylvania, between Hancock and Port Jervis in Sullivan and Orange Counties. The Hawk's Nest section is the famous curvy cliffside stretch.
Plan the visit →Palisades Scenic Byway / Hudson Valley (Routes 9G & 9W)
Cliff-top Hudson River views on the Palisades side, and a string of historic estates, parks, and river towns on the valley routes. A classic close-to-home leaf-peeping drive when the Catskills feel too far.
Getting there: The Palisades Interstate Parkway and nearby U.S. Route 9W run along the Hudson's west side north of the George Washington Bridge; Route 9G traces the east side through the mid-Hudson Valley. Both are easy day trips from New York City.
Plan the visit →Permits, tolls, and access
Most New York scenic drives are regular public roads. You don't need a permit, a pass, or a reservation to drive them, and there's no fee. You just follow the byway signs.
A couple of special summit roads do charge a toll, including the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway. These are privately or state-operated drives with seasonal hours. Because the toll amount and the open dates can change each year, check the official page before you head out rather than relying on an old number.
If your drive passes through a state park or you plan to stop and use a park, a separate vehicle-use fee may apply at that park. The state's official byways list is the best starting point to find each route and its own website.
- •Public byways: free, no permit, drive anytime the road is open.
- •Toll summit roads (like Whiteface): seasonal, fee charged, check current hours and price.
- •State park stops may have their own vehicle fee.
Official source — NYSDOT Scenic Byways list →
When is the best time to drive?
Fall is the headline season. New York has one of the longest, most colorful foliage runs in the country, generally from late September into November. Color tends to peak earlier up north in the Adirondacks and later down in the Hudson Valley and near the coast.
Mountain and summit roads are a summer-and-fall thing. The Whiteface highway runs roughly late spring through fall and closes for the season after that. River and shoreline routes like the Seaway Trail and the Upper Delaware are pleasant spring through fall too.
Color timing shifts year to year, so don't lock in a peak date from memory. Check the official New York fall foliage report, which updates weekly across the state's regions, to time your trip.
- •Foliage runs late September into November; north peaks first, downstate last.
- •Summit roads are seasonal and close in winter.
- •Use the weekly foliage report to time peak color.
Official source — I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report →
Road safety and current conditions
Mountain weather changes fast. A clear valley can sit under fog, wind, or even snow up on a summit, and roads like Whiteface close when lightning or high winds roll in. Check the forecast for the high country, not just your starting town, before you climb.
In the colder months, Adirondack and Catskill roads can have ice, snow, and falling rock. Drive for the conditions, watch for closures, and don't crowd narrow shoulders on curvy stretches like the Hawk's Nest. Pull all the way off at marked overlooks to enjoy the view.
Carry water, a charged phone, and a paper map or downloaded directions, since cell service is spotty in the mountains. For real-time road conditions and closures, check the state's 511NY travel service before and during your trip.
- •Check mountain-top weather, not just the valley; summit roads close in bad weather.
- •Watch for ice, snow, and falling rock in cold months.
- •Use 511NY for live road conditions; expect weak cell service in the mountains.
Official source — NOAA / National Weather Service forecast →
Quick reference
The Great Lakes Seaway Trail is one of the best known, since it was one of the first National Scenic Byways in the country
For mountain drama, the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway is the standout because you can drive a car to the top of a High Peak.
The Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway climbs Whiteface Mountain, 4,867 feet, the only Adirondack High Peak you can reach by car
Yes. At the summit you take a stone stairway or an elevator carved through the mountain to a panoramic view.
The byways are regular public roads, so there's no permit and no fee to drive them
No. A few special summit roads charge a toll, and stopping inside a state park may have its own vehicle fee.
It charges a toll, but the amount changes from year to year, so we don't list it here
Check the official Whiteface page for the current toll, hours, and open dates before you go.
Fall color generally runs from late September into November
It peaks earlier in the northern Adirondacks and later in the Hudson Valley and near New York City. Use the I LOVE NY weekly foliage report to time your drive.
Summit roads like Whiteface close for the season in winter
Many regular byways stay open year-round, but expect snow, ice, and possible closures in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Check 511NY for current road conditions.
The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway on Route 28 is less than two hours north
Closer still, the Palisades and Hudson Valley routes along Routes 9W and 9G give you river and cliff views within an easy day trip.
The Great Lakes Seaway Trail follows Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St
Lawrence River. The Lakes to Locks Passage runs beside Lake George and Lake Champlain, and Route 97 follows the Upper Delaware River.
Start with the New York State DOT scenic byways list
Each route links to its own page and map, and routes that run through national lands, like the Upper Delaware, also have a National Park Service page.
Official sources
Use the agency page when dates, fees, closures, permits, or safety rules matter. Reviewed July 2026.
- NYSDOT Scenic Byways list Official New York State DOT list of designated scenic byways and their pages.
- NYSDOT — Great Lakes Seaway Trail State DOT page for the Great Lakes Seaway Trail National Scenic Byway.
- NYSDOT — Lakes to Locks Passage State DOT page for the Lakes to Locks Passage All-American Road.
- NYSDOT — Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway State DOT page for the Route 28 Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway.
- Whiteface — Veterans' Memorial Highway (ORDA) Official ORDA/Whiteface page for the summit toll road; current hours, dates, and toll.
- Visit Adirondacks — Whiteface Memorial Highway Regional tourism page confirming Whiteface summit elevation and access.
- NPS — Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River National Park Service site for the Upper Delaware corridor along Route 97.
- I LOVE NY — Fall Foliage Report Official state weekly foliage tracker for timing peak color by region.
- I LOVE NY — Scenic Byways State tourism overview of New York's scenic byways.
- 511NY — Travel & road conditions Official New York traffic and road-condition service for closures and weather.
- National Weather Service NOAA/NWS forecasts; check mountain-summit weather before driving high country.
Related outdoors guides