We returned to the US after visiting the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on a late September day. We followed the meandering road eastward through the quiet New York state countryside, excited to see the foliage starting to change colors. We passed the idyllic City of Little Falls, tucked in the woods, on the banks of Mohawk River and stopped at the top of a turn to take in the panoramic view of Mohawk Valley, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains.

We settled for the night at Royal Mountain Campground, a quiet place in a picturesque setting by a lake, a preferred summer retreat for many locals.

Traveling northeast, we gleefully enjoyed brighter fall colors on our way to our next stop, Draper’s Acres.

We LOVED visiting Lake Placid! Known as a Winter Olympics venue and a hub for snow sports, Lake Placid is an outdoor activities paradise. In the center of town, Mirror Lake has a trail around the shoreline and we took full advantage of the beautiful fall weather to walk around. We explored some of the local shops, and Roxie (our dachshund) manged to get a little memento of her own: a bird feather that stuck to her nose.