Michigan Fall Color Map UPDATE: When to See Michigan in Peak Fall Color 2022
We’ve got some great news for Michigan fall leaf-peepers and you can see it on the new Michigan fall color map. An unseasonably warm September and early October has extended the color change in Michigan.
That means even MORE time for you to get out and see some of the spectacular, vibrant colors as the leaves continue to turn from green to brilliant reds, yellows, and golds… and find them in peak conditions.
Temperatures – which play a factor on the foliage color change – are predicted to be in near 80 degrees in some parts of Michigan the second week of October, which is very rare.
We’ve been out scouring the state, and discovered first-hand that the color change is just now getting started in Michigan’s northern peninsula.
If you’re looking for the best times to plan a Michigan color tour or an autumn getaway to see the amazing fall foliage show happening this season in Michigan, read on to discover the best times for you to travel MI.
Want to see some pure Michigan fall colors at their best? Scroll to the bottom of the page to explore the UPDATED Michigan Fall Color Map.
Find Weekly Predicted Dates for Peak Fall Colors in Michigan
Michigan’s fall colors have become something of a legend, and based on the high volume of folks we saw traveling Michigan last week, the word on the beautiful color show has definitely gotten out.
Our fall Michigan road trip took us from the Upper Peninsula to Mackinac Island, Cheboygan, Petoskey, Charlevoix and into Traverse City and the Leelanau Peninsula.
We saw apple orchards filled with visitors looking for some crisp apple cider and fresh cinnamon donuts and pumpkin patches lined with bright orange pumpkins.
We also saw corn mazes carved into amazing shapes (like the Motown-themed maze at northern Michigan’s Jacob’s Corn Maze in Traverse City) and farm stands bursting at the seams with bright mums, fresh produce and more.
In short, we saw autumn in Michigan in full swing, with all of the best things to do in the fall in Michigan underway.
We’re sharing the best times to get out and explore Michigan fall foliage, according to our leaf peeping prediction map.
Upper Peninsula Fall Color Update
The time to see fall leaves change in Michigan’s upper peninsula is coming to a close as the fall foliage is near peak in many parts of the peninsula.
The diverse terrain, ranging from the Porcupine Mountains in the western Upper Peninsula (home to the stunning Lake of the Clouds) to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore along Lake Superior and Tahquamenon Falls, makes a perfect prediction map almost impossible. The changing weather from Lake Superior adds to that, but it’s safe to say that color drives and fall road trips for leaf peeping are coming to a close for 2021.
PRO-TIP: There are a lot of haunted places in Michigan, and the upper peninsula is full of them. You might want to plan a trip around these…interesting…spots in the U.P. Hint: The Calumet Theater, up near Copper Harbor in the Keweenaw Peninsula, is one of them.
Northern Michigan’s Peak Fall Color
Fall color prediction: October 15 through October 29
The changing colors in the northern lower peninsula’s fall foliage are taking their time this year, and we love it.
There’s nothing quite like hiking Leelanau county’s many trails, including those in the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Want to see peak colors from one of the most scenic byways in the country? Try Pierce Stocking Drive, a seven-mile drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
This unforgettable scenic drive is a mini road trip itself, through a tunnel of trees (quaking aspen, birch, maple and other hardwoods) that opens into breathtaking vistas of Lake Michigan and Glen Lake.
PRO-TIP: A little farther north, the Tunnel of Trees, which starts in Harbor Springs and winds along the Lake Michigan coast towards Mackinaw City, is a northern Michigan fall must. It’s one of the top Michigan fall color tours.
Mid-Michigan and West Michigan Fall Color Update
Fall color prediction: October 22 through November 5
You’ll see bits of brightly colored leaves peeping through here and there and larger patches of colors, too, right now. However, peak fall color in places like Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, and Holland will most likely hold off until October 22.
It’s the same for places like Bay City, Caseville, and Port Austin in Michigan’s Thumb region. If you head up that way for some fall fun, be sure and stop by Port Crescent State Park, home to some of the only sand dunes in southeast Michigan.
PRO-TIP: If you’re heading to west Michigan, do a Michigan Fall Color Train Tour along the Coopersville-Marne Railway. The Famous Pumpkin Train is fall family fun at its best, with live music, a “live” scarecrow and pumpkin to keep you bust as you gaze out at the bright Michigan fall foliage. These train rides are an autumn in Michigan must.
Southwest Michigan and Southeast Michigan Fall Color Update
Fall color prediction: October 29 through November 5
Any season is the perfect season to visit charming St. Joseph, but in the fall the whole town is decorated for the fall harvest and Halloween and the effect is spectacular.
In southeast Michigan, Ann Arbor and the Huron River come alive with color. Thanks to the warm temps, it looks like we may be enjoying those colors all the way into November.
PRO-TIP: Fall color tours in Michigan are not complete without a stop at one of the many cider mills or Michigan pumpkin patches dotting the countryside.
Use the Updated Michigan Fall Color Map
Michigan in the fall is full of fun events, too, all season long. Be sure to check out our list of October events, which includes and handy map if you’re looking for things to do close to home.
Michigan Fall Color Map F.A.Q’s
A. While the perfect leaf-peeping time for Michigan’s peak fall colors usually starts in early September in the Upper Peninsula, an unusually warm September and October have extended the window for peak fall color viewing in 2021. In 2021, the best time to see fall color in Michigan began in late September in the northern and western regions of the Upper Peninsula. The best time to see fall color in the northern portions of Michigan’ lower peninsula began around October 5, 2021.
A. The peak colors in Michigan can found throughout the state depending on the week in the fall. In late September 2021, the peak colors are in the Upper Peninsula.
In early to mid-October 2021, the peak fall colors in Michigan can be found in the northern lower peninsula in places like Leelanau County and the Traverse City area. In mid, southwest and southeast Michigan, the peak color begin in late October 2021.
Share US-
We love sharing the beauty of Michigan with you. Please feel free to use the buttons below to share this with others. Thanks!