Timing of autumn color in Western UP of Michigan

I have been living in Oregon these past 30 years and I am planning my first fall trip back to my home state of Michigan this year.

In a "normal" year, what time of the year are the best autumn color conditions in the western Upper Peninsula and the Lake of the Clouds?

Larry

John Gerlach normally conducts his fall workshops in the Munising area for fall photography. His first workshop is the week of October 3rd and the second the week of October 10th. The first week he thinks the foliage is best in the interior and the second week along the lake. That's probably about the time you want to be in the area. I've photographed the western UP the last two years so you can look at the Michigan gallery and check the dates when the colors were at their peak.

Thank you Phil for this valuable information.

I will book my plane ticket accordingly.

Larry

Larry, I think Phil is right on about the times in the western UP. Not sure how much time you will have, but if I had to pick 1 week it would be the second week of Oct. You never know for sure, but that would be a good bet I think. The Porcupine Mountains State Park Wilderness area has beautiful fall color if you are there at the right time. Hope it works out great for you. I think I will be there then also. I included a picture from the overlook at Lake of the Clouds. This is looking away from the lake. I think I shot this the first week of Oct. You can see it needs a little time yet for full color. You can watch it get better each day if you get there a little to early.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

This forum had an ongoing discussion of color development in the MW last year, and I hope we do it again this year. There might be a lot of posts to wade through relating to other areas of the MW, but it did provide a good running commentary as to the development in the UP if I recall correctly.

This year has been warm and dry, but the weather of Sept can really change things. I agree that the best week would be the 2nd week of Oct. but remember that the Lake of the Clouds region of the Porkies changes about a week later than other locations within the park, especially along the South Boundary Road.

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=47526&CGISESSID=0c59518fc05ed6583a630eef0a5d5f67&u=1260

I want to thank Phillip, Brian, and Nick for your very helpful information.

My wife and I are born Michiganders (Trolls) who moved to Oregon 31 years ago and we have only gone once to the UP and that was 32 years ago!

Can't wait for autumn!!

As I'm sure you know, establishing the exact timing for peak color can be extremely difficult. In my experience--and I've been up there in the fall a number of times in the past decade--you've received solid advice above. While there have been exceptions, the areas that inland have been turning later. Where the tail end of September/very beginning of October used to be the best bet for peak, it's now pushing back more towards 7-10 days into the month (most years--there are always exceptions and some years, due to the vagaries of the weather, there's no peak at all). The proximity of the Lake of the Clouds area to Lake Superior has always meant a later turn compared to areas further inland, often by a full week. All things being equal, if I had to plan in advance as you obviously do, I would time a trip to the Porkies during the second full week of October.

Best of luck!

I'm glad to see this post. I'm considering heading to Traverse City or the UP for fall, but haven't ever been there. I'll be following the upcoming threads closely.

Amy: Keep in mind that Traverse City is very different from the U.P. It is quite a way south, but more importantly, its proximity to the water (at the base of a peninsula sandwiched between East and West Grand Traverse Bays), means it is usually at least a week later that inland parts of Northern Lower Michigan.

(I grew up in TC and lived there from 1961-1976 -- family still lives there).

My experience in the U.P. is that it can be "streaky." One year, I found little or no color until I hit the area around Michegamme area (west of Marquette/Negaune) in the Van Riper SF. Then further west, by the time I reached the Porkies, there was little color. That seems to comport with what others are saying here.

If you are late for the color, try going to the Garden Peninsula and Fayette SP. I got some really nice color in the Birch Leaves in late October.