juiceman29
New member
When is the best time in the fall to come to the U.P. to enjoy all the colors of the trees?
Fall Colors
- Thread starter juiceman29
- Start date
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skylar
Guest
I've seen it peak anywhere from the last week of September to the 3rd week in October.
Here is one of my favorites from last October.
Here is one of my favorites from last October.
stormbringr1
New member
Skylar nailed it!
I think it may depend on where you go in the U.P. When I lived up there I remember seeing a lot of color north of Escanaba and south of Marquette, but when I actually got to Marquette very few of the trees had changed. Maybe it has something to do with Lake Superior? I usually figure that peak in the Munising area occurs in the 1st or 2nd week of October. Here are a couple of pictures taken October 11, 2008 in Munising. The colors were just awesome but the pictures do not do it justice.
cuzzinolaf
Active member
It has been a mild and dry summer. I'd expect the colors to be at their peak in late September.
juiceman29
New member
Thanks for all the input. I really appreciate it. The family and I are going to head up that way somewhere in that time frame. The wife has never been to the U.P. I come up every winter to ride and it is beautiful then, so I can only imagine the fall.
Watch this space: The Foliage Network: Midwest U.S. Reports are updated twice a week starting in September.
Perhaps not precise, but reasonably close to factual information.
You can browse through last year's entries, and additional archives to get a good general feel for the variations in the color's progress through da nort' woods.
Perhaps not precise, but reasonably close to factual information.
You can browse through last year's entries, and additional archives to get a good general feel for the variations in the color's progress through da nort' woods.
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scott_b
Guest
We always go up north (Lake Gogebic) on Columbus Day weekend (second Monday of Oct). We have never been disappointing in the color at that time of year, in many cases it hasn't hit peak yet.
Per John's Journal (all dates are Oct unless otherwise noted)
2008 - Peaked between the 8th and 12th
2007 - Maples peaked in Late Sept, rest in early Oct, Oct 14th was past peak
2006 - Nearing peak on the 8th (no other mention of color after this)
2005 - Peak around Oct 10th
2004 - Entry on the 8th expected peak around the 10th to 12th
2003 - Between the 9th and 13th - fast change that year
2002 - Between the 11th and 13th
2001 - Expected the weekend following the 4th
2000 - Journal entry does not pull up
1999 - Not enough detail
My personal experience has been that colors change in the UP is geographically diverse. If you don't like the colors in one area, drive somewhere else, they will be different. Bottom line there is nothing better than waking up on a cool fall day in the UP with a color show going on. The 3-4 weeks of late Sept to Mid Oct provide for some great experiences in the UP.
Per John's Journal (all dates are Oct unless otherwise noted)
2008 - Peaked between the 8th and 12th
2007 - Maples peaked in Late Sept, rest in early Oct, Oct 14th was past peak
2006 - Nearing peak on the 8th (no other mention of color after this)
2005 - Peak around Oct 10th
2004 - Entry on the 8th expected peak around the 10th to 12th
2003 - Between the 9th and 13th - fast change that year
2002 - Between the 11th and 13th
2001 - Expected the weekend following the 4th
2000 - Journal entry does not pull up
1999 - Not enough detail
My personal experience has been that colors change in the UP is geographically diverse. If you don't like the colors in one area, drive somewhere else, they will be different. Bottom line there is nothing better than waking up on a cool fall day in the UP with a color show going on. The 3-4 weeks of late Sept to Mid Oct provide for some great experiences in the UP.
booondocker
New member
I agree with Scott
WHERE you go makes a big difference. But there is usually good color somewhere by the last week of September, and there is often good color yet to be seen SOMEWHERE as late as mid October.
That gives you some wide latitude for tripping to the Upper and seening some nice color.
Winds and rain can take it down in a hurry, so frontal movements across the upper in this time slot can make a difference too.
WHERE you go makes a big difference. But there is usually good color somewhere by the last week of September, and there is often good color yet to be seen SOMEWHERE as late as mid October.
That gives you some wide latitude for tripping to the Upper and seening some nice color.
Winds and rain can take it down in a hurry, so frontal movements across the upper in this time slot can make a difference too.