Every October, the town of Malone, New York, shifts gears and charges with the brisk energy of the Malone Fall Festival, a community celebration that draws visitors into the heart of the Adirondack foothills. The festival pulses through the crisp air with craft stalls, live music, and local food vendors, but it’s more than a simple gathering—it’s an outdoor adventure punctuated by the region’s fiery fall colors.

Malone's downtown streets transform into a lively path of discovery, inviting all to explore beyond the event with surrounding hiking trails that challenge varying skill levels. Just a short walk from the festival's core, the Glens Falls Trail offers moderate ascents through forested paths where leaves crunch underfoot and the landscape manages both quiet moments and sudden splashes of color. The trail spans roughly 3.5 miles round-trip with an elevation gain around 600 feet, steadily pushing hikers through mixed hardwood forests where maples and birches seem to deliberate their final blaze before winter.

Prepare for a day tempered by practicality: good boots with traction will handle the leaf-carpeted terrain, and layered clothing helps manage fluctuating fall temperatures. Hydration is pivotal as the dry air quickens thirst. Start hikes in the morning to capture the forest dripping with dew and Easterly light filtering through branches. On-site at the festival, local artisans display woven crafts and farm-fresh produce, inviting visitors to taste and take home small pieces of the season.

For those who want a bit more from the terrain, the nearby Twadell Mountain trail offers a roughly 4.5-mile loop with slightly steeper climbs and rocky outcroppings, rewarding with sweeping views over Malone’s rustic rooftops and distant Adirondack peaks. Both trails expose hikers to nature fierce in its seasonal molt—not something to tame, but a force to walk alongside.

The Malone Fall Festival itself anchors the experience with workshops and music that provide breaks between hikes, making it accessible and enriching. Vendors offer seasonal eats from pumpkin treats to hearty stews, perfect for refueling after morning explorations.

Whether you arrive for the festival festivities or the trails around it, Malone in fall presents an honest dialogue with nature: bold, sometimes brisk, but always invigorating.