Route: Lake George Village → NY-9L → Pilot Knob Road → Schumann Preserve
Best for: Lake views, Adirondack scenery, and a short foliage hike
Type: Out and back

Most Lake George scenery pulls toward the western shore and Bolton Landing. This drive goes the other way, exploring the quieter side of the  From Lake George Village, NY-9L wraps around the southeastern side of the ‘Queen of American Lakes.’ Then, Pilot Knob Road climbs north into thicker woods, with the lake weaving in and out of view through the trees.

The key turn to make is the Schumann Preserve at 1142 Pilot Knob Road in Fort Ann. There, a marked trail climbs 0.7 miles and 620 feet from the parking area to a gazebo overlooking Lake George and the Adirondack range. It’s open year-round from dawn to dusk. The Lake George Land Conservancy asks visitors not to park along the road if the lot fills up, so plan for a return trip if needed.

Fort Ann rounds out the stop with a taste of the season. Lake George Distilling Company pours handcrafted spirits nearby. Or, drive a little further down Route 149 into the center of town for Battle Hill Brewing, which serves both beer and food made with local ingredients.

While you’re in town, make a pit stop at the Fort Ann Interpretive Plaza to learn more about the town’s rich history, including the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Fort Anne! It’s located at 89 Clay Hill Rd, Fort Ann, NY 12827.

Route: Fort Edward → Black House Road → County Route 42 → Argyle → NY-40 → County Route 49 → Carters Pond → Cossayuna Lake
Best for: Open views, wildlife, and farmland
Type: Point to point

Fall foliage drives usually stick to forested roads, but this one heads somewhere different. Starting near Fort Edward, home to Slickfin Brewing Co. right off the Champlain Canalway Trail, the route runs through the Washington County Grasslands. This area of working farms, open meadows, and wetlands also serves as habitat for grassland birds and migrating raptors.

Two stops along the way have dedicated parking and viewing access. First, the Washington County Grasslands Wildlife Management Area at 390 Black House Road includes an accessible walkway and viewing platform. Farther along, the Alfred Z. Solomon Grassland Viewing Area at 160 County Route 42 is a popular birding spot with gravel parking and views stretching toward the Adirondacks.

From there, County Route 49 leads to the Carters Pond Wildlife Management Area, where a boardwalk and observation platform sit along an accessible half-mile trail. Finally, the Cossayuna Lake public launch, with parking for roughly 30 vehicles and trailers, makes a good final stop near the water at 555 E Lake Rd, Argyle, NY 12809.

Head South Through Easton to the Rensselaer County Line 

Route: Greenwich → NY-40 south → Easton → Victory View Vineyard → Tiashoke Farm Store → Borden’s Orchard
Best for: Rolling hill views, wineries, orchards, and farm stands
Type: Point to point

Greenwich anchors the start of this drive, and it earns a stop on its own. There, you may want to stop in at Argyle Brewing Company, who shares a tasting room with Main Street Distillery. Nearby, you’ll find tons of unique small businesses lining the town’s Main Street that you could spend a full day exploring!

Just outside of town, Hand Melon Farm offers u-pick apples, pumpkins, and cider doughnuts. A little further along is the Washington County Fairgrounds, where every October, the Washington County Antique Fair brings over 200 vendors to the area.

From Greenwich, NY-40 drops south into Easton, a stretch known for rolling hills that run as far as the eye can see. Victory View Vineyard overlooks the site of the Revolutionary War’s Turning Point battles, with tastings Friday through Sunday. One minute away, Tiashoke: Farm, Store & More fills a renovated 200-year-old barn with local goods, pumpkins, and gourds. If you plan  your timing carefully, you can even enjoy a delicious lunch from their kitchen using local ingredients!

This drive ends at Borden’s Orchard, a family farm since 1837 growing more than 25 apple varieties. Their farm store carries cider, cider doughnuts and more.

Of course, several of these stops also appear on the September County Bounty Tour, a fitting kickoff for the season this drive is built around!

Follow the Battenkill from Salem to Cambridge 

Route: Salem → County Route 64 → Shushan → County Route 61 → Eagleville Road → NY-313 → Cambridge
Best for: River scenery, covered bridges, and small-town stops
Type: Point to point

Salem has its own reason to stop, even before the bridges begin! Salem Art Works‘ Cary Hill Sculpture Park is free and open dawn to dusk, with a road that climbs to the top of the hill for panoramic views across the valley toward Vermont’s Green Mountains. This makes it a popular pick for foliage photos. Fuel up before or after your hike at On a Limb Bakery Cafe in the heart of town.

From Salem, County Route 64 leads to Shushan, home to a historic covered bridge that now houses a seasonal museum. The road continues toward Eagleville, where the Eagleville Covered Bridge remains open to vehicles and gives the route one of its most iconic photo stops. If you have the time, Center Cambridge Road makes a nice a scenic detour, known locally for its rolling hills and old barns.

Nearby, the Batten Kill State Forest has a designated parking area and river access on Eagleville Road, plus a second lot on NY-313 for the Folded Rock Trail. That trail runs five miles round trip, so treat it as an optional add-on rather than a quick stop.

Last but not least, the town of Cambridge makes a strong finish to the day. Canteen Coffee Co. is a solid stop for something warm, and the Cambridge Depot, a restored 1901 train station turned pub, makes a memorable place to end the drive. Battenkill Books on Main Street rounds it out for anyone who wants to browse before heading home from your Lake George fall foliage getaway.

Take the Back Roads from Argyle to Granville 

Route: Argyle → NY-40 → County Route 45 → County Route 30 → Rowe Hill Road → North Granville → Truthville Loop → Granville
Best for: Farm views, rolling hills, and local history
Type: Point to point

This route trades highway mileage for true country back roads. From Argyle, County Routes 45 and 30 and Rowe Hill Road climb through working farmland toward North Granville, with shifting views of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains along the way. Truthville Loop crosses the Mettowee River before the route settles into Granville, an area well-known for its panoramic mountain views in both directions. There, Mettowee Park has river access, trails, and picnic space for visitors to enjoy.

Granville Village Stops

In the village, the Slate Valley Museum brings the region’s slate industry to life with exhibits on the immigrant families who worked the quarries and a WPA mural spanning the walls, open through mid-October. Just up the street, the Pember Museum offers a different kind of stop entirely, a natural history collection housed in a historic Main Street building, open Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM.

Visitors may also want to check out the brews & bites available at Slate Town Brewing Company, or pick up supplies for a fiber project at the Village Yarn Shop before winter sets in.

Apples, Cider and the Pember Preserve

For a taste of the season, The Olde 1840 is a farmhouse full of antiques and local folk art on the way to Slyboro Ciderhouse, set inside Hicks Orchard, New York’s oldest u-pick orchard, open daily during the season.

Last but not least, eight miles south of Granville on NY-22, the Pember Nature Preserve adds more than two miles of trails through forest, fields, and wetlands for anyone looking to stretch the drive into a full afternoon.

Drive from Whitehall Along South Bay to Putnam 

Route: Whitehall → NY-22 → South Bay → Clemons → Dresden → Lake Road → County Route 3 → Putnam Station
Best for: Lake Champlain, wetlands, and wide-open northern scenery
Type: Point to point

Whitehall to South Bay

The northern county trades farmland for water. This drive starts at Whitehall‘s waterfront, where the Champlain Canal meets South Bay, then follows NY-22 north between wooded Adirondack foothills and the Vermont border.

Before heading out, Cigar Brothers Brewing Co. and Apple Hill Orchards are both worth a stop in Whitehall, the orchard offering u-pick and pre-picked apples across several varieties. The South Bay Pier sits directly on NY-22, a 300-foot universally designed fishing pier with benches that serves as a solid place to stop and take in the bay.

North to Putnam Station

Drivers with time for a detour can reach the East Bay Wildlife Management Area from Whitehall by following a few back roads. A short accessible path leads to a viewing platform overlooking grassland, the Poultney River, and a rare cliff community, an area that draws waterfowl and raptors during fall migration.

Back on NY-22, the drive continues through Clemons and Dresden before Lake Road and County Route 3 descend toward Putnam Station, with views across Lake Champlain into Vermont. This route ends at Bob & Betty Cummings Memorial Park, where visitors can enjoy lakeside views as well as covered picnic tables perfect for settling down and enjoying the view.

Huletts Landing makes a good separate add-on for a Lake George-focused trip, reached from Whitehall by County Route 6 through steep, heavily forested terrain with fewer places to pull off along the way. The hamlet sits on Lake George’s eastern shore and centers on Huletts Park, Huletts Landing Marina, and Huletts on Lake George, a family cottage community with roots back to the mid-1800s. Its rhythm runs on summer, with the golf course, casino, and cottages built around that season. Visitors driving through in the fall should expect a quieter hamlet with limited services, not a bustling summer lakefront.

One More Option for Adventurous Drivers 

Mount Tom State Forest is one of the few state forests open to driving, with nearly seven miles of access roads and a handful of parking areas. The roads are unpaved, trails are unmarked, and conditions can change with the weather. This one suits drivers comfortable checking current road conditions locally before heading in, not a first stop for a family outing.

Planning Your Lake George Fall Foliage Getaway

Six drives, six different sides of the county, and still only a starting point. Washington County’s Lake George fall foliage season rewards visitors who give themselves room to wander, stop, and stay a while.

Turn any of these routes into a full weekend by staying somewhere that puts you close to the next morning’s drive. Hungry after a day on the road? Check out unique places to eat near Saratoga Springs for a meal to match. History lovers can extend the Salem to Cambridge drive with the county’s full covered bridges tour, while wine lovers can explore the rest of the wineries near Saratoga Springs. Fans of Cary Hill’s views should also check out the county’s full Sculpture Trail, and anyone who fell for Borden’s Orchard or Hicks Orchard can trace the rest of the county’s Apple & Berry Trail.

Before setting out on any of these drives, check current conditions and hours directly with each site. Looking for more fun things to do? View the full fall event calendar for Washington County.