[itinerary | lodging] Like cherry blossoms in D.C. or lilac season in Rochester, fall foliage is a change event that draws thousands of tourists to upstate New York each year. Living among forests around Conesus Lake, residents and visitors alike enjoy the cozy feeling of walking down a country lane surrounded by falling orange and red leaves. For a truly immersive experience — a foliage journey uninterrupted by buildings or power lines — you can’t go wrong with a drive through Letchworth State Park. Just keep in mind you weren’t the first one to think of it on a peak fall Saturday in October.

Letchworth Waffles

To rev up for your foliage tour, you stop in downtown Mt. Morris for a sweet snack at a new eatery, Letchworth Waffles. The quaint storefront on Main Street features pink faux wisteria and a pink bicycle in the window; indeed, pink is the central theme of Letchworth Waffles’ little cafe. On your last visit to Mt. Morris, you had dined at High Banks Tavern next-door — still going strong alongside new business in the village. It’s a good sign that local economies encourage small business development, and you’re always happy to shop local.

^{A window box built for two: Letchworth Waffles in Mt. Morris, NY}

Inside, the waffle shop is decked out in pink floral arrangements, kitschy mid-century modern tables and chairs, and a neon sign beaming that “this must be the place.” The counter houses an ice cream case and toppings bar, while behind the shopkeeper several waffle irons are poised at the ready. It’s those fun, spinning ones you use during continental breakfast at hotels across America. An item on the menu — bubble wrap waffles — raises an eyebrow. Something new and innovative in the world of textured, batter-based foods. You order the Choco Oreo Bubble Wrap Waffle with vanilla ice cream to split with your fellow companions.

^{This must be the place}

An elderly couple stroll in, later followed by a family with three daughters. As the cafe gets busy, the waffle orders stack up, so to speak. At last your dessert is rushed to your table. While the presentation could use a little more finesse, the cone is an otherwise tasty treat and the perfect energy punch for an afternoon of collecting falling leaves in Letchworth State Park. After demolishing an ice cream scoop or two, you scoop up the family and take a quick drive down the road to the entrance.

^{Bubble wrap waffle with vanilla ice cream, Oreo, and M&Ms}

Letchworth State Park

The last time you went to Letchworth, you took Kisil Point Trail through deep woods to what appeared to be a site of Blair Witches. Later you would learn about the abandoned former village that sprung up around the Silver Lake outlet’s confluence with the Genesee River: Gibsonville. Once home to a grist mill-turned-paper mill, blacksmith, post office, schoolhouse, and several houses, the ghost village of Gibsonville eventually disappeared at the turn of the century as land was acquired by the state and utilized by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Only a couple buildings remain as evidence of a thriving community on the high banks of the Genesee River, but perhaps the spirit of the town lives on in the odd structures you found in the woods that day. Hiking can be a little hard with a toddler — though some day she’ll be encouraged to join you — so you skip Kisil Point Trail for today to occupy Letchworth’s famous overlooks. If you can find a place to park, that is.

^{Footbridge at Kisil Point Trailhead in Letchworth State Park}

Indeed, Letchworth foliage is the star draw of October. What feels like a giant fall festival throughout its 14,000+ acres, the park is teeming with people vying for that coveted photo opportunity. Coming from Mt. Morris, Hogsback Overlook is one of the first famous views. The rocky western cliffside of the Genesee’s awesome gorge lies exposed, sandwiched in between fluffy polka dots of yellow, orange, and red, like a homemade blanket your grandmother knit for you many years ago. Just as you point and shoot, a tourist moseys over for an unimpeded view of his own. You keep the shot anyway — a testament to Letchworth’s popularity at this time of year. It helps that he’s photogenic, at least from behind.

^{Tourist enjoying my view of Hogsback Overlook at Letchworth}

Always one to reach a little higher, you attempt to circumvent the sanctioned trails to get a closer look. There’s a reason overlooks get so crowded with photographers: without a cleared and maintained area, the view of the gorge is naturally marred by tree branches. You can only imagine how the Seneca people traversing the Genesee River might have felt perched at the top of the gorge. Did they see the same canyon you see today?

And did they also nearly stumble down the precipice for the sake of a view? The original nature influencers most likely had better sense than that. You back up from your steep photo booth, remembering that erosion is a thing.

^{Trying to get a closer shot can be hazardous — it ain’t much, but it’s honest work}

The next overlook is a 15-minute drive through winding forest road, surrounded by bursts of warm colors amidst the few remaining patches of green. You occasionally pull over briefly, as others do, to capture the feeling of autumn on digital film. Despite the fervor of Letchworth, you sense that you are lost in the woods — which is exactly what you’re going for. Fall feels like getting wrapped up in a blanket with your favorite book, the scent of burning cherrywood wafting in from the window.

You eventually reach a literal roadblock, as park staff have closed the way to Letchworth Middle Falls. The area is over-capacity with vehicles apparently. The only remaining outlet cut off, you double back to Gardeau Overlook. It’s the busiest stop so far, with a line of cars parked along the side. While the view of this heavily forested section of the gorge is nice, you gravitate toward the lone red leafed tree at the center of the cul-de-sac. It’s the most striking demonstration of foliage so far, a gradient of deep red at the top morphing slowly into orange down in the lower canopy. It’s surrounded by other photo-bombers like yourself.

Growing up, you would have waited for the perfect moment of dispersal to grab the shot. Then you’d have to get it developed at Tri-City Kodak Service, which is a really old-fashioned sentence now that you say it out loud. Nowadays, your camera-phone can remove all the people with an instant push of a button. The AI wizard waves its wand and POOF! The award-winning photo is ready for your likes and subscribes.

But that doesn’t tell the real story. You leave the photo-bombers in.

^{People really like taking pictures of this tree at Gardeau Overlook}

The irony is not lost on you: taking a picture of a person taking a picture of a person posing for a picture. Layers of staging, like Shakespeare’s play-within-a-play. Meta-discourse made manifest by Ugg boots and pumpkin spice lattes. In a world filtered through the lens of e-girls and podcast bros, you yearn for something more authentic. Mexican cuisine, perhaps?

Taqueria Rio Grande

The Village of Perry, New York, consists primarily of a charming downtown Main Street lined with dutifully maintained row buildings, garden features, wrought iron streetlamps, and public art and sculptures, culminating in the Silver Lake Trailhead parklet. Arriving there by way of the Perry Entrance to Letchworth, you park easily across from Taqueria Rio Grande. You and your travel companions have worked up an appetite.

The restaurant occupies a quaint storefront consisting of a handful of tables and a wrap-around counter facing the open kitchen. Colorful papel picados hang across the onyx tin ceiling. A cooler of Jarritos hums in the corner. You grab a Guava soda and proceed to the counter where a friendly young man greets you.

^{Lively decor, the papel picados, at Taqueria Rio Grande in downtown Perry, NY}

Taqueria Rio Grande boasts handmade tortillas and traditional Mexican staples such as tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and burritos, with a few specialty street foods including quesabirrias (consommé) and sopes (thick tortillas with toppings). You choose a barbacoa taco while your travel companion orders the asada taco. As you settle the little one into a highchair, a young couple enters with a little baby in a stroller. You can’t help but reflect back on those early days, your little companion graduating from kangaroo to stroller to wagon to finally walking on her own. You smile at one another, a quiet understanding passing between two sets of new parents.

Shortly, the young man brings a basket of homemade tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa. The crisp tortillas delight your salt tooth, tempered by the liquid sweet heat of the salsa. All the green flags, or should you say papel picados verdes, of an authentic Mexican restaurant are there so far. But the tacos seal the deal in the end: soft, homemade corn tortillas — street style — pocketing melt-in-your-mouth barbacoa or juicy spiced steak, garnished simply by cilantro, onion, and radish, with a lime wedge on the side. Oh yeah. This is the authentic experience you were craving. You get up and order another round of barbacoas for the table.

^{Tacos Asada and Barbacoa + homemade chips and salsa}

After a day of foliage-photo-hopping, you finally satisfy your hunger with delicious tacos and an authentic experience in Perry. Buying local puts you face-to-face with folks who put their skin in this game called the American Dream. Which is why a local craft brewery sounds like the perfect way to round out a day of authentic local adventures around Letchworth State Park. Silver Lake Brewing Project is just around the corner.

Silver Lake Brewing Project

^{Guardians of Silver Lake Brewing Project in Perry, NY}

If you thought you had escaped the hustle and bustle of Letchworth, think again. Clearly a popular watering hole, Silver Lake’s lofty tasting room is packed with boisterous beer enthusiasts. You squeeze the family into a two-top by the bar, greeted by a friendly woman who turns from her group to smile at the little companion. You dig the general atmosphere of the place and ask the barkeep for a flight of their lightest beers.

The flight takes you on a different kind of foliage tour, so to speak — with beers ranging from deep amber to passion fruit orange to crisp gold in color. The No Aloha Sour packs a flavorful punch, while the Lost Pyramid Wheat provides a refreshing balance. The German Pilsner tastes heavier than you would expect for a pilsner, owing to its German roots. But the Rauchbier stands out as the unicorn of the group: a smoky, spicy lager that evokes the feeling of fall. It’s the perfect photo finish to a day of capturing the peak autumn aesthetic.

^{No Aloha Sour, Lost Pyramid Wheat, German Pilsner, Rauchbier Smoked Lager}

On the way back to the car, you catch the brewery’s iron logo — an homage to the legendary sea serpent of Silver Lake. You reflect on the duality of the creature: on one hand, a hoax used by an inn keeper to drum up business; on the other, a mythical beast inspiring thrill-seekers to the region.

The serpent bends and twists its body, doubling back on itself like the Genesee River winding through Letchworth Gorge. Surrounded by a sea of decaying leaves, it disappears beneath the horizon like so many tourists driving home after their foliage tours. But if you’re lucky, you might catch it peeking its head above the water after the first melt of spring — if someone else doesn’t catch it first.

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