Despite this year's damp summer we still had plenty of heat to enjoy (or endure). As I write this the temperatures are just starting to dip below that 70 degree mark that has been spoiling us the past few months, and very soon we'll be back to the grey skies and 10 degree hell commonly referred to as "winter."

But don't get too ahead of yourself, it's only autumn. Fall may be here but the days of non-stop activities are far from over. Get up and go out. Exhaust yourself now and you'll be glad to be stuck indoors come late November or early December. Rochester is home to one of the most beautiful foliage displays in the northeast, with trees full of blazing colors, and there are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the scenery that surrounds us. Pick from an abundance of autumn-themed nature hikes, boat tours, and walking tours, some of the best ways to get out and enjoy the mild weather and gorgeous fall foliage that our region offers.

Leaf peeping: the time

Leaf peeping is the act of photographing or sight-seeing the leaves, and knowing the best time and place is necessary for a successful outing. In our region there is very little leaf change until the first week of October. Walter Nelson, extension editor at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Monroe County, is a firm believer that the peak of our season begins on Columbus Day (this year that's Monday, October 12). He explains that this day is exactly three weeks after the autumnal equinox, and that those three weeks are crucial for foliage development. However, that's just the start of the peak season. According to The Foliage Network - a group that collects data twice each week through autumn months, analyses it, and sends it along to newspapers, television stations, and websites - in 2008 the peak didn't arrive until October 15, and lasted until around October 30, when we got our first frost. Some local areas are hardier than others and have longer peaks, such as Charlotte, which doesn't often frost until after the end of October due to it's proximity to the lake.

The colors we see and the length that we see them depends heavily on the weather. And not just fall weather - spring and summer weather also has a large impact on the fall foliage season. A late spring bodes well for a good autumn due to the excess snow water that trees absorb, according to The Foliage Network. Warm summers without long heat waves and droughts are best for a good foliage display, so we could be in luck again this year.

As for the weather in autumn, Nelson says that leaf watchers should hope for mild winds and rains, and lots of short but sunny days. We don't tend to get many early autumn showers in this area, but we do get plenty of short sunny days, which cause the green pigment in plants (chlorophyll) to decay - that's when plants begin to get their fall colors.

Leaf peeping: the place

Our region is blessed with a wide range of plant life to enjoy in the fall, from dozens of different trees to plenty of autumn-blooming flowers. "The combination of diversity of plant material, especially maples that have red and orange, and the short days and cooler weather makes for a good season," says Nelson. "What is key is the diversity of plants here."

It's true that we have a large variety of plant life in this region, but we have our numerous area parks to thank for it. With all of the nature areas in the region it's hard to pick a "best" site. Durand Eastman Park is a great place to start, as it offers up a variety of scenes along its trails, especially Durand Lake Trail. The trail is 1.2 miles long and parallels Log Cabin Road before making a loop around Durand Lake. This trail is lined with tons of plant life, surrounds a lake, and has lots of easily scaled hills. It's quite the nature lover hot spot in both autumn and spring. Seneca Park is also a great stop; it too has a variety of hills and it sits on the shores of the Genesee River. The trails are easily accessed. Head out in the afternoon or early evening to watch the sun set. The sun casts through the leaves to make them glow all sorts of brilliant colors while the river reflects the bright sky.

Farther afield are Letchworth State Park in Mt. Morris and Chimney Bluffs State Park in Wolcott, both full of peaks and long views of hilltops and valleys that are alive with color in these cooler months. Letchworth is by far the best, in this writer's opinion. You get a heaping amount of hills to get beautiful sights from, but add the rivers, the gorge, and the dam and you really cannot get a better lookout in the region. The blue waters contrast the fiery red and orange colors from the trees sitting atop of the cliffs and make for some breathtaking sights. Take the hikes along the west side of the dam, but be sure to check the east side too. It is much less traveled, and provides a different view of the foliage that most hikers don't get to see.

Leaf peeping: the how

It's one thing to see the sights from a trail, but seeing the trees cast their colors over the various landscapes is a different experience. Dozens of area groups offer a good selection of foliage-themed tours you can take throughout the fall. Along the area waterways you can board the Downtown Rochester Fall Foliage Tour aboard the Colonial Belle on October 11, or take the Harbor Town Belle Fall Foliage cruise that goes all through October. If you can't make a specific tour, the canal rides aboard Sam Patch or Mary Jemison go through October as well and are simply gorgeous.

If the idea of boating makes you seasick, you can join the Genesee Valley Conservancy on October 17 for its fall walk of the privately owned Wheeler Gully in Geneseo. Lots of hills and a gorge on well trimmed lands should make for great photos. If you want to get more old-timey, consider the fall foliage train rides from the Finger Lakes Scenic Railways, where you board a train and travel through the woods. More locally there is the fall foliage tour of Mt. Hope Cemetery on October 24; the massive cemetery full of hills and trees is quite stunning in autumn. All the tours are beautiful, and you can try to take as many of them as possible to see the autumn beauty from different angles and locales.

Thanks to the temperate but soggy weather this summer, this autumn is shaping up to be a spectacular one, and as Nelson says, "There's no such thing as a bad foliage year. Some are just better than others." Be sure to enjoy it while you can, before the snow starts falling.