Fall color is the theme of the first full weekend of November in the city's parks, and the Urban Park Rangers and park partners have filled it with walks, hikes and hands-on programs in all five boroughs. Here are eight things to do from Friday, November 6, through Sunday, November 8, with the times, the meeting spots and the nearest transit for each.

Manhattan: fall color and a waterfall in the North Woods

On Sunday from 1 to 2:30 p.m., the Urban Park Rangers lead a leaf-peeping hike through the North Woods of Central Park, the most wooded corner of the park, with a stop at one of its waterfalls. The walk covers both the science of why leaves change color and the look of it. Meet at the park entrance at West 100th Street and Central Park West; the B and C trains stop at 103rd Street.

Manhattan: smash your jack-o'-lantern in the East Village

Two East Village gardens are taking leftover Halloween pumpkins on Sunday and turning them into compost. The East Fourth Street Community Garden collects plain, painted or carved pumpkins from 10 a.m. to noon (no glitter or candles). From noon to 3 p.m., the LES Ecology Center runs a full Pumpkin Smash at La Plaza Cultural: weigh your pumpkin, pick a tool, crack it open with a toss or a mallet, then chop it small so it breaks down faster. There is also painting with watercolors made from food scraps, plus light refreshments.

Manhattan: the salt marsh on Randall's Island

On Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m., Rangers lead a Discovery Hike through the Randall's Island salt marsh, explaining how tides, native plants and marsh habitat support wildlife and protect the shoreline, and how the East River's ecology has changed. Meet at the Ward's Island Footbridge, which crosses from East 103rd Street.

The Bronx: a foliage walk in Soundview Park

On Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Rangers walk Soundview Park on the Bronx River, talking through the ecology of a fall forest and the chemistry of changing leaves. Meet at Lafayette Avenue and Colgate Avenue. The 6 train stops at Morrison Avenue-Soundview, about a twenty-minute walk from the park.

Brooklyn: migrating birds and a Lott House update in Marine Park

The Salt Marsh Nature Center in Marine Park has two programs on Saturday. From 10 to 11:30 a.m., Rangers lead a beginner-friendly birding walk on the Salt Marsh Nature Trail to look for fall migrants, including warblers and raptors. At 1:30 p.m., a board member of the Lott House, Marine Park's historic farmhouse, gives an update on its reopening as a living neighborhood museum and how it will tell the story of the Lott family and Brooklyn's past.

Queens: Fairy and Gnome Day in Forest Park

From 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Forest Park hosts a Fairy and Gnome Day for children ages 3 to 12, with crafts and a guided walk along a magical forest trail. Costumes are welcome. Meet at Metropolitan Avenue and Forest Park Drive; the Q54 bus runs on Metropolitan Avenue.

Staten Island: a fast hike across the North Shore

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, the Urban Park Rangers lead the Staten Island North Shore Parks Super Hike, a quick-paced walk over varied terrain from Snug Harbor through Allison Pond, Goodhue and Jones Woods. Admission is free, and the Rangers plan support for visitors with sight, hearing and mobility needs. Meet at the Visitor Information Booth at Snug Harbor Cultural Center; the S40 and S44 buses run there from the St. George Ferry Terminal.

Staten Island: map reading and a geocache in Great Kills

On Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Rangers at Seaside Wildlife Nature Park in Great Kills teach map reading on an orienteering hike that ends at a geocache with prizes inside. Binoculars are provided for spotting ospreys, cormorants, geese and swans along the way. Meet on the park's lawn area.

Before you go

Ranger programs can fill or change with the weather, so check each NYC Parks listing on the morning you go. Bring layers: the North Woods, Soundview and Marine Park walks are on trails and boardwalks that run cool and damp in November.

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