Michigan's parks and backroads fill up each fall with people looking for the most spectacular leaf colors. If you're considering a scenic drive, now may be the time to plan; fall colors aren't far away.
A foliage color forecast map available at Explore Fall predicts leaves will begin changing colors in mid-September in the western Upper Peninsula, with parts of the UP reaching peak fall colors by mid-October. The Lower Peninsula will see peak colors by late October.
Among Michigan's many backroads, travelers consider M-22 along Lake Michigan's shoreline among the best. The road winds along the lake and through numerous stands of colorful hardwoods.
Pure Michigan says numerous state parks offer colorful ways to enjoy the outdoors. Tahquamenon Falls State Park is among the most popular with UP trees bracketing the largest waterfall in the state.
Porcupine Mountains State Park features 60,000 acres of woodlands, with numerous elevated vantage points for hikers to take in the colors.
Copper Peak, north of Ironwood in western UP, offers an unparalleled view from the top of an 800-foot hill and an 18-story ski jump. The site boasts that visitors can see three states and Canada on a clear day.
Here's what to know about fall colors in Michigan.
When will fall colors begin in Michigan?
In Michigan, tree leaves begin changing colors soon, starting in the UP by Sept. 13, a map from Explore Fall shows.
The change will move south throughout the Lower Peninsula, with moderate color starting in the UP by Sept. 27, the map predicts. High and peak colors will start appearing in the western UP by Oct. 6.
By later October, the UP will be mostly past peak colors, with peak fall colors spreading throughout the Lower Peninsula, according to the website. Parts of the southern Lower Peninsula will still be approaching peak colors.
How will colors vary by tree types?
When colors appear, Michigan's diverse tree varieties each have their own color patterns, according to Michigan State University Extension.
In the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, maple trees feature orange and red leaves, while quaking aspen and larch trees have yellow leaves. Sugar maples turn bright red, and red maples change from vivid red to orange to bright yellow.
Red oaks, present across the state, have subtle red leaves, while trees in the white oak group, with several in southern Michigan, feature yellow or dusty red leaves. Sassafras, present in southern Michigan, varies from yellow to deep red in the fall and can have three-lobed or mitten-shaped leaves.
Hickories, common in southern Michigan, can feature yellow leaves in the fall, the most common variety in the state being shagbark hickory. Larch trees feature needles, which turn bright yellow in the fall before shedding. Eastern larch, or tamarack, is a larch variety found in wetter parts of Michigan.
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When does fall start in 2025?
The fall equinox — the end of summer and start of fall 2025 — takes place at 2:19 p.m. Sept. 22, 2025, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan fall tree colors when, where to see leaves this fall 2025
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