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Fall Foliage Tours, Fall Peak Color Change Report, Scenic Color Drives Along Lake Superior Circle Route

porcupine mountains in fall color
View from Summit Peak, Porcupine Mountains
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Park

Where can I find the best color around Lake Superior?

-- Scroll Down for Sept 28th Fall Color Update - -

Best Scenic Fall Color Drives Around
Lake Superior - Fall Color Pictures

Western Upper Peninsula Fall Color Scenic Drives along Lake Superior

Fall Color Black River Harbor
invisibleScenic Byway & Recreation Area

Presque Isle Scenic Recreation
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Porcupine Mountains State Park

Keweenaw Copper Harbor

Old Victoria Restoration

Fall Color Tahquamenon Falls

Color Drives Central Upper Peninsula

Maps Scenic Drives Fall Foliage Color Tours

Wisconsin Fall Color Drive Map

Michigan UP Fall Color Drive Map

 

Wisconsin Fall Color Scenic Drives along Lake Superior

Potato River Falls County Park

Bayfield & Ashland, Wi Area

Bayfield Orchard Tour

Copper Falls, Mellen, Wi Area

Amnicon Falls, Superior, Wi Area

North Shore Fall Color Scenic Drives; Fall Color Duluth, Minnesota

Scenic Highway 61 Fall Color

Moose Mountain Fall Color

Skyline Drive & Seven Bridges Road

Scenic Railroad Fall Color Train


Peak Fall Color Reports - 2023


Fall Color Change around Lake Superior
September 28, 2023

Fall color is arriving in many places around Lake Superior.

Wisconsin Lake Superior South Shore Fall Color

The Hurley-Ironwood area is reporting about 85% color change. Now is the time to go for decent color from Ashland to Hurley. Look for about 75% color change from Ashland to Aminicon Falls State Park along Highway 2. Going towards Bayfield and along the lakeshore on Hwy 13 there hints of color showing. Look for peak around Bayfield near Mid-October.

curry park campground
Fall Color Ironwood's Curry Park Campground - Sept 29, 2021

Upper Peninsula Lake Superior South Shore Fall Color

Fall Color is getting near Peak in the Western Upper Peninsula. Time to go is Now!

Some nice fall color is showing in the Central UP; look for the Peak in a week or two. Target mid-October for the Eastern UP.

Minnesota Lake Superior North Shore Fall Color

The earliest fall color along the North Shore occurs from Judge Magney State Park to Grand Portage. At present, the Birches are starting to turn, with reds and oranges on shrubs and undergrowth.

Further South the view from Look Out at the top of Lookout Mountain is producing a nice display with the red and orange of maples on the far side of the valley. Ditto for the maples near Tettegouche State Park.

Further South to Duluth color change is 25 - 50% of peak, Birches turning golden and Reds showing up on Maples.

Leaves are turning faster than last year; Peak Color along the North Shore could show up in early October.

oberg mountain fall color
View from Oberg Mountain Trail, late September


Where is the earliest Fall Color
around Lake Superior?

Overview

Below is our Overview of what to expect for the 2023 Fall Color Season in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan Upper Peninsula drives along Lake Superior.

Fall Color Bayfield to Ironwood Scenic Drives

Fall color Black River Harbor Scenic Byway
Along the Black River Harbor
Scenic Byway.
Photo by Tim Zheng

* See our regional tourism and weather report links midway down the page.

Some of the earliest Fall Color in September around Lake Superior can be found away from the lake south of Ashland, WI (around Copper Falls) and in the western Upper Peninsula North and East of Ironwood Michigan.

One early season color trip we've enjoyed in the past (and would be a great one most years) is a scenic waterfalls color tour in Northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula. This route takes in Copper Falls State Park, Potato River Falls, the falls along the Black River Harbor Scenic Byway, and the water falls along the Presque Isle River in the western park of Porcupine Mountains State Park.

FALL COLOR UPPER PENINSULA

In the Upper Peninsula, the earliest fall color in the Porkies can be found in the woods and trails that are away from the lake. Don't miss the view from the top of Summit Peak and from the Lake of the Clouds Overlook. Later in the season the best color is nearer the lake and in lower elevations along some of the hiking trails.

In the Keweenaw Peninsula, peak color generally arrives late September, early October.

In the central UP a scenic fall drive I'd recommend is the H58 county road between Munising and Grand Marais, Michigan. Also you'll find good fall color along the road to Miners Castle in Pictured Rocks National Park. If you take a Pictured Rocks Boat Tour, in addition to the amazing painted rocks you'll get to see some nice leaf color as a backdrop. East of Pictured Rocks, between Newberry and Paradise is Tahquamenon Falls, beautiful any time of the year but especially with fall color as a backdrop.

FALL COLOR MINNESOTA NORTH SHORE

In Minnesota Peak Color arrives in late September away from the lake and into the first week in October near the lake. We've found the best fall color along Scenic Highway 61 on Minnesota's North Shore is generally from Silver Bay to Lutsen, with hikes or a gondola ride to tops of mountain peaks giving the best color or a drive inland away from the lake. Some years along the North Shore you get a second season of fall color in October as the birches, aspen, and tamarack turn (always later than Maples, Oaks, and Hickories).

FALL COLOR WISCONSIN LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE

In Wisconsin, from Superior near Amnicon Falls to Ashland peak color usually arrives the last week in September and first two weeks in October. Sometimes peak color arrives at the same time as the annual Bayfield Apple Festival (the first weekend in October); other years it is a little later.

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Planning your Fall Color Tour Vacation.

For indicators of fall color change possibilities, see the summary of last year's reports below and check our Fall Color Change Report Updates Archives. For example, in 2014, several areas were showing good color by September 23rd; but in 2015 color change was more modest at this time of year. In 2016 & 17 color changed slower than recent years and lasted further into October. In 2019 color changed quicker, showing more in September than in recent years.

But watch out for waiting until Peak Color because some years the leaves start falling before they completely turn.




 

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triangle For useful historical comparisons of the Rate of Color Change, see our FALL COLORS REPORT Archives covering our reports from 2011 to 2021

triangle See weather report links (BELOW) for selected areas around Lake Superior

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Have a fall foilage or color report to pass along or a question - write me

Ross Reinhold - roscoetrails@gmail.com

Fall Color & Tourism Regional Tourism & Peak Fall Color Report Links:
Michigan UP Travel
Keweenaw Visitors Bureau
Wisconsin: TravelWisconsin.com
Bayfield, WI Fall Colors
Superior-Dougles County Fall Color Updates
Minnesota: DNR NorthShore Parks
Ontario North Shore: NorthofSuperior.org
Ontario North East Shore: Saulttourism.com

Regional Weather from the Weather ChannelWeather Channel Links:
red-balIronwood, Michigan UP
red-balHoughton, Keweenaw Peninsula Michigan UP
red-balMarquette, Michgan UP
red-balSault Saint Marie, Michigan UP
red-balAshland-Bayfield Peninsula, Wisconsin
red-balDuluth, Minnesota
red-balGrand Marais, Minnesota
red-balWawa, Ontario Canada
red-ballThunder Bay, Ontario Canada

Why Do Leaves Change Color?

"A growing season with ample moisture that is followed by a rather dry, cool, sunny autumn that is marked by warm days and cool but frostless nights provides the best weather conditions for development of the brightest fall colors," - - - Learn more from this article from the PBS News Hour's website.

 

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See our Directory of our favorite Upper Peninsula Scenic and Recreation areas.Upper Peninsula Porcupine Mountains


Walking along Canal Park Drive Don't miss experiencing Duluth's Canal Park, Shopping and Entertainment District.

Enger Park Tower Duluth MN
Duluth's Enger Park Tower provides a panaramic view of the city of Duluth.

porcupine mountains hiking trails
See our reviews on Best Hiking and Camping Guides around Lake Superior.


Piorcupine Mountains Lake of the Clouds
Outstanding Fall Color Porcupine Mountains Lake of the Clouds scenic overlook.

rainbow falls - color tour
Fall Color & Waterfalls along Black River Harbor Scenic Parkway

Upper Tahquamenon Falls
Tahquamenon Falls State Park offers some of the best fall color in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden Enjoying lake breezes and views at the Duluth Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden - Canal Park.

Devils Island Lighthouse Apostle Islands
See the lighthouses on an Apostle Islands Cruise.

Travel Information

lake superior road map of Lake Superior Shoreline
Lake Superior Circle Tour Road Map & Guide to Travel Attractions around Lake Superior.




How to recognize Lake Superior Agates and Beach Rocks.Lake Superior Agate?


Best Lake Superior Agate Beaches

saxon harbor beach


Understanding and Finding Agates
See Our Reviews of the best guides to Lake Superior Agates and Beach Rocks.

Enger Park Tower
Duluth's Enger Park Tower provides a panaramic view of the city of Duluth.

Oberg Mountain Oberg Lake
Fall Color Hikes along Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Drive.

Grandpa Tony's madeline island and Most popular Madeline Island AttractionsSee our guide to interesting and fun things to see and do on Madeline Island.


rose garden plantings
See Duluth's Rose Garden at Leif Erickson Park.

Golf Courses Around Lake Superior
See our
Reviews of golf courses around Lake Superior.