Jeepers creepers, make way for the leaf peepers now that fall foliage is painting a new landscape. And what better place for eye-popping vistas than the Finger Lakes?

The state's roadways and waterways are clogged with oglers, soaking in a smorgasbord of fall color, scents, and sounds.

Bikers and hikers hit the pavement; others navigate award-winning scenic Route 81 south from Syracuse to Binghamton to to get the full flavor of autumn in New York. The Finger Lakes Railway, Erie Canal Charters and hot air balloons provide unique perspectives of their own.

A peeper only has to hug the shores of any Finger Lake to find orchards, vineyards and cornfields adding texture to the abundant foliage.

Fillmore Glen, Long Point and Fair Haven Beach parks in Cayuga County attract plenty of peepers, as do nature centers at Montezuma and Sterling. Trekking through Watkins Glen's leaf-strewn paths is another favorite.

Clear sunny days and cool nights with temperatures in the 40s bring about striking colors.

Early foliage changes begin in the Finger Lakes in mid-September, but the first two weeks in October showcase colors at their peak.

Color changes tumble from bright greens to brilliant yellows, reds, and oranges through the Adirondacks and Catskills in late August and early September, spreading out and down across hills and valleys, ending on Long Island and in New York City in late October to early November. Color cycles are complete in about two weeks, with peak brilliance lasting three or four days in any one area.

Downtown Rochester's fall foliage tour on the Erie Canal departs at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 from Schoen Place in Pittsford. The $60 package includes dinner and entertainment, excluding beverages.

The Colonial Belle Tourboat captain, Lee Poinan, has been floating down the canal for 19 years. The canal boat stops at Corn Hll Landing in downtown Rochester and returns, going through two locks on the canal.

“The Canal is lined with trees and foliage all the way,” Poinan said. “We have one of the most spectacular views of downtown Rochester, all lined with trees. It's a magnificent old canal, and an incredible asset to New York state.”

The boat carries 149 passengers, but it fills up quickly, the captain said.

Finger Lakes Railroad has a Central NY Fall Foliage Ride starting at 10 a.m. and continuing all day Sunday, Oct. 5, between Camillus and Auburn. Fares are $35 per adult and $30 for seniors and children ages 3 to 13.

The trip starts in Camillus and travels west to Skaneateles Junction for a stop and photo run-by.

The next stop is in Auburn for a whistle stop, planned to pick up passengers from Auburn for a shorter round-trip ride.from 11:30 a.m It costs $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and children ages 3 to 13.

The train continues west to the village of Cayuga for a lunch layover in Harris Park. The $10 lunch includes a choice of roast beef, turkey or ham sandwiches with chips, a cookie and juice. Orders are made ahead with a ticket reservation.

There is a photo run-by in Cayuga, then reboarding and traveling west over the Cayuga Lake rail bridge and causeway to view a portion of Montezuma Wildlife Refuge area.

Auburn passengers return by 2:30 p.m., and Camillus passengers stop at Martisco for photos and a visit to Martisco Depot. They return to Camillus by 3:30 p.m.

Balloons Over Letchworth rides over Letchworth Falls' leafy gorges and foliage lined waterfalls might be the ultimate way to take in fall sights. It costs $250 per passenger for the ride with at least five passengers. Letchworth is about an hour south of Rochester - exit 47 on the Thruway.

Whatever their perspective on fall foliag - from the air, by boat, by train, bicycle, or on foot - residents of central New York have only to look out a window or open a door to find fall in all its majesty a few faltering steps away.

Kathleen Barran

253-5311 ext. 238

kathleen.barran@lee.net

Leaves that change colors across the central New York area

• American beech (brown)

• American hornbeam (orange)

• American mountain ash (chartreuse)

• American sycamore (red orange)

• Bitternut hickory (green)

• Black cherry (green with red tips)

• Black walnut (yellow green)

• Black willow (green)

• Common hoptree (brown and yellow)

• Common horse chestnut (orange)

• Flowering dogwood (red)

• Northern red oak (red)

• Quaking aspen (green)

• Red maple (very dark red)

• Red mulberry (yellow green)

• Sassafras (orange with red tips)

• Slippery elm (green)

• Sugar maple (red tips, yellow base)

• Sweet birch (orange)

• Tulip tree (light green)

• White ash (dark red)

• White poplar (green)

• Yellow birch (green)

How leaves change color when autumn arrives

• Chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins are involved in the color change process.

• As temperatures cool and days shorten while autumn approaches, leaf cells disintegrate and cause the chlorophyll (which is green) to decompose.

• As clorophyll fades, colors in the other two pigments surface in the leaf.

• Trees with carotenoids (beech, birch, willow) turn different shades of yellow.

• Trees with dominant anthocyanins (maples, dogwoods, sumac) turn red and purple.