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

Peak Fall Color Reports - 2022

Fall Color Update October 3, 2022

Minnesota North Shore - Color change has been modest, generally less than 50%. But that could change quickly with cool and dry weather coming soon. Best Fall color this coming week can be found from Judge Magney State Park to Grand Portage. Otherwise expect two weeks before Peak Color begins to show. Get more information here

Wisconsin South Shore - Peak Color is arriving around Hurley-Ironwood area. Madeline Island is around 50% Peak Color. Maybe some color will be showing for the Bayfield Apple Festival. This coming week expect the best color around Copper Falls State Park, Potato Falls, and Hurley-Ironwood area. Otherwise along the Wisconsin South Shore expect two weeks before Peak Color. Get More Information Here

Michigan Upper Peninsula - Some color is starting to show in Porcupine Mountains State Park and the ChairLift rides have begun. Ditto for the Keweenaw towards Copper Harbor. Ironwood at or near Peak. In the rest of the Western UP, expect 50% peak color or more this coming weekend and peak color may not be far away. But Peak Color is probably two weeks away in the rest of the UP.

Peak Color is here in Ironwood, Michigan

Where is the earliest Fall Color
around Lake Superior?

Overview

Below is our Overview of what to expect for the 2022 Fall Color Season in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan Upper Peninsula drives along Lake Superior.

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

One 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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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

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

Ross Reinhold - roscoetrails@gmail.com

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

Weather Channel Links:
Ironwood, Michigan UP
Houghton, Keweenaw Peninsula Michigan UP
Marquette, Michgan UP
Sault Saint Marie, Michigan UP
Ashland-Bayfield Peninsula, Wisconsin
Duluth, Minnesota
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Wawa, Ontario Canada
Thunder 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.