Michigan is heating up. From fiery reds to blazing oranges, the color is working its way across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Magnificent colors are lighting up our forests, hills, parks, golf courses, shorelines and backyards. This weekend is full of color and filled with an abundance of family fun. But fall is not just for rich jeweled-toned leaves and breathtaking scenery; it’s also packed with festivals.

UPPER PENINSULA
The Western Upper Peninsula is displaying stunning yellows and oranges inland. Closer to Lake Superior, the change is running a bit behind with less intense tones. Visitors to the area can get a bird’s eye view of the splendid landscape with fall color chairlift rides at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and at Copper Peak Ski Jump and Adventure Ride. 

As nights dip down into the thirties, the colors around Sault Ste. Marie are coming on fast. The eastern end of the Upper Peninsula is at about 30-40% saturated in fall colors, but further inland the color is closer to 50%. The city’s Soo Locks Park is bursting with amazing trees that are filling with brilliant fall color, which makes the perfect backdrop for an afternoon stroll.

Locals in and around St. Ignace are reporting fading summer foliage and pops of color on the trees—a sure sign peak color season is staging its annual debut. You’ll find good color at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Grand Island. This weekend would be your perfect weekend to travel to the Eastern U.P.

The fall color show on Mackinac Island is just starting to develop in pockets along back roads and hiking trails. For the most current UP forecast, visit the Upper Peninsula fall color reports.

NORTHWEST LOWER PENINSULA
Some of the best fall color for the Grand Traverse Bay Region is on the interior of Leelanau Peninsula, further from the coastline. The winding highways and hills show off the density of foliage. M-72—which is the quick route through the Leelanau Peninsula to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—is spotted with a mix of color. Make sure to stop at Empire for the Hops & Harvest Festival, taking place October 4-5.  Downtown Traverse City is also seeing some color change, but even more so, that classic fall smell. Go for a stroll down Washington Street and watch the sidewalk illuminate in gold as the sun shines on the Oaks above.
The drive around Lake Charlevoix is a popular Northern Michigan color route, which will take you through East Jordan and Boyne City. This weekend, color seekers can celebrate nature’s harvest at the annual Charlevoix Apple Festival. Park the car and enjoy panoramic, bird’s-eye views of fall color at Northwest’s Michigan’s Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls and Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs.

In Manistee County visitors will find Inland color is turning ahead of the coastal areas. Every Friday and Saturday in October, the S.S. City of Milwaukee, transforms into Ghost Ship, Manistee’s most unique spooky experience.

Peak conditions are forecasted to reach all of the Northwest Lower Peninsula in one or two weeks.

NORTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA
Traveling from Frederic to Kalkaska on Old US-27, viewers will find a scenic hilly drive with good color.  The oak and maple trees along M-72 from Grayling to Traverse City are displaying a stunning array of fall color.

Roscommon County’s fall colors are most splendid off the main highway roads. M-18 is closed north of Prudenville, but the detours along CR-100 and CR-104 will take you on a scenic drive between Houghton and Higgins Lakes. Be sure to drive through Roscommon to get a glimpse of the ghosts and goblins adorning the roadsides.

Grayling, Oscoda, Houghton Lake, and most other communities of North East Michigan are reporting to be one or two weeks away from peak viewing conditions.

WEST CENTRAL LOWER PENINSULA
Those traveling along US-31 between Muskegon and Ludington will see a bit of vibrant color on interior roads. Traveling east of the lakeshore in Muskegon County, color seekers will see only a very slight color change.
Area festivals, farms and cider mills offer great family fun throughout West Michigan. If you’re near Grand Rapids, Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery offers seasonal guests horse-drawn hayrides, u-pick apples, wine tastings and a corn maze.
Holland, Mount Pleasant, Grand Rapids and Battle Creek trees are still covered with primarily green foliage.  Peak conditions are estimated to be longer than four weeks.

EAST CENTRAL LOWER PENINSULA 
Saginaw, Midland and Bay Counties, as well as most other West Central Michigan counties,  have mostly summer foliage. Overall leaf saturation for East Central Michigan is less than 25 percent; peak color is still two to three weeks away.

SOUTHWEST LOWER PENINSULA
Trees throughout Kalamazoo, Van Buren and Berrien counties—including the lush vineyards of the Paw Paw wine country area—are still donning predominately summer foliage. Visitors to these areas will find the best color this coming weekend along the back roads. Colors for the Southwestern Michigan communities typically peaks from mid-October to early November.

SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA
For the Lansing area, most trees are just starting the transition. This weekend, enjoy an afternoon at Uncle John’s Cider Mill for Family Fun (now through October 6) with goodies and activities like wagon rides to the pumpkin patch and corn maze, train rides, and more.

Fall colors are just beginning to appear in and around Ann Arbor. Take a scenic drive along Huron River Drive and see the edges of leaves just starting to change to gold and crimson. Celebrate that fall feeling and visit Dexter Apple Daze for a crisp treat and festive hayride.

Trees in Detroit and the remaining Southeastern Lower Peninsula counties are just at the beginning of the color transformation stage with bronze and gold hues among area Hickory, maples and oaks decorating a mostly green landscape. Overall leaf saturation for Southeast Michigan is still longer than four weeks away.

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Pure Michigan Fall Color Page

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