My Fall Helicopter Tour Over Saratoga

Flying over Saratoga Race Course in autumn.

Back in the summer of 2015, I took a helicopter ride with Independent Helicopters and flew all over Saratoga. I blogged about it here. I recently decided it was time to go back up again, and this time capture the beautiful fall foliage of upstate New York. What resulted was a second trip up that could not have been more perfect. Here are some of my favorite shots of my hometown from the air.

I was thrilled to see Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield, where I volunteer, from above. In this shot, you can also see Kayderosseras Creek to the left. Click here to order a print of this photo. As always, any time you purchase a print of Old Friends at Cabin Creek, I donate my profit to the farm to help care for the retired thoroughbreds who live there.
In this tighter shot, you can see Roaring Lion (bottom), Doc N Roll and Strummer (next paddock up), Watchem Smokey and Cool N Collective (next paddock up from there), Like Now (top), Slew’s Brew and This Hard Land (next paddock down), King Congie (in the large paddock in the lower left), and Naughty New Yorker (far left paddock). Click here to order a print of this photo.
Here we close in on Slew’s Brew and This Hard Land (left) and Like Now (right). Click here to order a print of this photo.
Another shot of this beautiful farm from above. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Looking down at the Kayderosseras Creek. Click here to order a print of this photo.
There’s so much to see in this one! At the bottom we have downtown Saratoga and off in the distance we see the Oklahoma Training Track, and to the right of that, Saratoga Race Course. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Loughberry Lake is a vision from the air. Maple Avenue Middle School, where I teach, makes a cameo in the background of this photo. Click here to order a print of this photo.
The east side of Saratoga, with St. Clement’s Church and school as well as The Grove apartments on the righthand side. Downtown can be seen at the top of the photo off in the distance. Click here to order a print of this photo.
The track is the main focal point of this photo, with Godolphin’s Greentree Stables (directly behind), the Harness Track (behind to the right), and Saratoga Lake all visible in the background.
I used a tilt-shift effect in this photo to make the track look miniature.
Let’s zoom in on the roof of the Clubhouse!
Another view of the track with the Oklahoma Track visible in the background. Downtown is visible in the top left portion of the photo.
The light couldn’t have been more perfect!
With so many similar shots, I went for a black and white treatment of this photo looking down at the trees in the infield of the track.
I think this might be one of my very favorite shots. I love how it’s the track, but you can’t necessarily tell from looking at it.
The paddock looks so colorful in fall, although the saddling shed looks a little bare without its signature awning.
The Oklahoma Track is the main attraction in this photo, with the main track visible in the background.
The Whitney Viewing Stand at the Oklahoma Track looks so tiny from up above.
Let’s zoom in on the far turn of the track.
The many recognizable buildings of Saratoga’s downtown are reduced to a miniature size in this photo. Click here to order a print of this photo.
In this shot we can see Lake Avenue Elementary School (bottom left corner), downtown (righthand side), the track, the harness track, and Saratoga Lake. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Congress Park, the carousel, Canfield Casino, and the Saratoga Arts building can been seen in this shot. It’s hard to see here, but a bride and groom are standing outside the casino.
The bride and groom are more easily seen just beside the front steps to the casino in this shot.
The Spirit of Life statue can be seen in this look down at Congress Park. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Saratoga Spa State Park was our next stop.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center anchors the bottom of this photo, with the other buildings that comprise the park scattered throughout the rest of the photo.
SPAC surrounded by fall foliage.
The Gideon Putnam is yet another building located inside the State Park.
Last but not least, we arrived at Saratoga Lake. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Lakefront property can be seen off in the distance along the shore. Click here to order a print of this photo.
The warm colors of the fall foliage is contrasted by the blue of the lake in this photo. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Snake Hill is hard to miss in this shot. Click here to order a print of this photo.
Somewhere along the way back to the airport, I got this shot of some amazing fall foliage. Click here to order a print of this photo.
I took this selfie of myself (right), our pilot Chad (left) and Old Friends at Cabin Creek owner JoAnn Pepper, who joined me on the ride.
Safely landed!

While we’re at it, I made this video comprised of most of the photos that make up this post, as well as many others. I call it “CopterLapse.” Email subscribers, click here to view the video.

To see more of my Saratoga area photography be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. All photos and videos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.

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