Multi-colored trees surrounding the forest trail with leaves on the ground

Forest

Section Navigation

Thain Family Forest
Year–Round

For thousands of years, this old-growth Forest has changed, adapted and survived. When you visit the Forest, you will walk along Native American hunting trails, see marks left by glaciers, and pass under trees dating back to the American Revolution. The unique beauty and ecological importance of the forest are one of the reasons why the founders selected this site for The New York Botanical Garden in 1895.

Today this is the largest uncut expanse of New York’s original wooded landscape. The Forest remains a magnificent reminder of the beauty and resilience of nature in the face of complex human-caused disturbances. To preserve the Forest for future generations the Garden manages invasive species, plants native plants, and performs research.

Now at peak color!

Follow along with the turn of fall’s foliage as reds, yellows, and oranges fill our 250 acres with vibrant seasonal color.

An illustration of red, orange, and pink leaves growing on curling brown stems

Hand holding a phone showing a view of crowded tall green trees in a forest, with the words of the Thain Family Forest and more text and icons for a map on the phone. The hand is over an image of yellow and green tall trees and a wooded pathway with a tree lined low fence in a forest.

Fall Foliage Stand-Outs

Self-Guided Digital Tour on the Bloomberg App

In autumn, NYBG is filled with colorful leaves, from oranges to burning reds. In this self-guided tour, discover the trees with the most brilliantly colored foliage around the Garden, and learn why some trees produce more saturated fall color than others.

Download the Free Bloomberg Connects App

Download the Thain Family Forest Program 2008–2025 to learn more about ongoing forest restoration, education, and research.

Season Galleries

  • Thain Family Forest in Winter and close up of yellow leaves over a path
  • Snow on the side of a birch tree
  • An orange leaf sticking up from the snow on the ground
  • Close up of tree bark with orange leaves. and snow on the ground
  • A path in the forest with leaves and snow on the ground and snow on the trees/branches
  • Close up of pale yellow, dry leaves with a visitor walking towards them
  • A single brown leaf with snow on it
  • Tree with small pink buds
  • Tree trunk with 4 small snowdrop flowers
  • Close up of green leaves and green flower coming out towards the forest path
  • Close up of green leaves
  • Path surrounded by fully bloomed trees and bushes with white flowers
  • Wetland surrounded by branches and trees
  • Sun peaking through tall green trees in the forest
  • Bird sitting on wood railing with leaves behind it
  • Tree bark lying on the ground with orange fungi growing
  • A path in the Thain Family Forest surrounded by green trees

    Through photosynthesis, plants remove carbon dioxide form the atmosphere and produce the oxygen we breathe. Forests are carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon from the environment in living plants.

  • Looking up at green leaves with the sun shining through them
  • Path of the forest surrounded by bright green trees
  • Aerial shot of the forest with the city in the background at sunset
  • Forest trail surrounded by multi-colored trees and leaves on the ground
  • Overhead shot of multi-colored trees and leaves and branches on the ground
  • Multi-colored leaf on tree trunk with moss
  • Multi-colored trees, leaves on the ground, and a visitor walking on the trail
  • Acorns, branches, and leaves on the ground
  • Multi-colored fall trees and their reflection in the river

Take a Class

Choose from 100s of classes in gardening, art, design and the environment.

Do It Yourself

Browse gardening tips, chores, and FAQs in our LibGuide collection.

Contact Plant Experts

Get assistance with in-depth, unusual, odd, curious, extraordinary or atypical questions.

Subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know about all things NYBG

Subscribe Now