Southeast Michigan Fall Color: 6 Best Spots Near Detroit

Last updated: October 2026

Southeast Michigan fall color is the last show of the season. By the time the leaves Up North have dropped, the maples, oaks and beeches around Detroit, Ann Arbor and the St. Clair River are usually just reaching peak, typically in late October and into early November.

Before you head out, check my live Michigan fall color tracker to see where the color stands right now, region by region.

These are my favorite places to catch the color without driving Up North, and most of them put the leaves right next to water: a river, a lake or a freighter channel. Fall color reflected in water is twice the show, and every spot here is within about an hour of Detroit.

When Does Southeast Michigan Peak?

Fall color moves south through Michigan, starting in the western Upper Peninsula in late September and reaching southeast Michigan last. Here, peak usually arrives in the last week or two of October, and some oaks hang on into early November.

That later window is the good news. You get a few extra weekends of color after the rest of the state is past peak, and you won’t be sitting in Up North traffic to see it. Here are some of my favorite places in the area for leaf peeping and a fall color tour.

Best spots to See fall Color in Southeast Michigan

Edward Hines Drive between Five Mile and Seven Mile Rd.

Edward Hines Drive runs about 17 miles through Wayne County’s Hines Park, between Dearborn and Northville, and the whole route is a beautiful drive any time of the year. You’ll pass small lakes, the meandering Rouge River and wooded areas with hiking trails. There is a paved walking trail alongside the road, too, making Hines Drive a great spot for walkers and bikers alike. You can choose to simply drive and view the color from the comfort of your car, or park in one of the many parking lots and do some hiking to see the color up close.

In the fall, though, my favorite part of Hines Drive is the area between Five Mile and Seven Mile Rds. which includes Cass Benton Park (parking off Six Mile) and the Bennett Arboretum, home to towering Beech Trees. The road is hilly here, and you’ll see stunning colors from a variety of maples, oak and beech trees. There are some large maples that turn a glowing red during their peak color change, so you’ll want to be sure to have your camera.

Bennett Arboretum is worth getting out of the car for. It’s Michigan’s oldest county arboretum, with a gentle two-mile trail through maple, oak and beech collections and a few rare species planted back in the 1930s. Park at Cass Benton across the street, and plan ahead, because there are no restrooms on site. In autumn the trail doubles as a high school cross-country course, so you may be sharing it with runners.

Bennett Arboretum address: 4990 Edward N. Hines Dr., Northville, MI 48168 (open dawn to dusk)
Cost: FREE

Kensington Metropark in Milford

Address: 4570 Huron River Pkwy., Milford, MI 48381
The park surrounds Kent Lake, making it another great spot to catch the changing fall leaves against a backdrop of water. Part of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks system, this Oakland County park covers 4,481 acres of wooded, hilly land, with hiking trails, fishing, a golf course, a Farm Center and much more.

The gentle, rolling hills at Kensington Metropark come alive with color in autumn, and whether you walk, drive or bike through the park, you’ll be rewarded with an amazing display of fall foliage.

The 8.5-mile paved Hike-Bike Trail is the best way to see it all, since it loops the whole way around Kent Lake. Be ready for a few steep hills, the steepest near the Playfield Picnic Area. By fall, the boat rental and Island Queen pontoon tours are done for the season, but the Farm Center still runs weekend hayrides through the woods and fields.

COST: $10 daily vehicle pass or a Metroparks annual pass. The park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the Kensington Metropark page posts current closures.

EXPERT TIP: Bring the kids and be sure to stop at the playground at Maple Beach. It was built using universal design principles, with a ramped play structure and transfer stations, and it will keep the kids happy all day long.

Huron River Water Trail

The Huron River Water Trail meanders 104 miles from Proud Lake State Recreation Area near Commerce Township to Lake Erie, but it is the stretch of the river near Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti that I like best, especially in the fall. Grab your kayak and paddle (or rent one from one of the canoe liveries) and head to Argo Park or Gallup Park. Both parks offer inclusive universal access launches for everyone, including paddlers with disabilities.

For 2026, the Argo livery is closed for the season, and the Gallup Park livery (3000 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor) rents boats through Oct. 18. Fall hours are Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and weekends, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the last stillwater rental two hours before close. River trips through the Argo Cascades leave from Gallup on the hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and they require some paddling experience. The city posts current river conditions on its Ann Arbor canoe and kayak page.

That Oct. 18 cutoff often lands a little before Ann Arbor’s peak, so if a paddle is on your list, go early in the month. After the liveries close, you can still put in your own kayak at the public boat launch in Argo Park.

In my opinion, one of the best ways to take in the natural beauty of the fall color change is from the water. As you paddle along the Huron River, you’ll be rewarded with colorful, towering oaks and maples, weeping willows and other assorted flora that live along the riverbanks. Dogs are welcome in the rental canoes and kayaks, too.

COST: A one-person kayak on Gallup Pond is $20 for two hours, and the Argo-to-Gallup river trip is $28 for a one-person kayak. Planning a longer paddle? The Huron River Water Trail trip planner breaks the river into sections.

Wolcott Mill Metropark

Address: 65775 Wolcott Road, Ray, MI 48096
This sprawling Metropark in Macomb County is built around one of the country’s last remaining grist mills, which ground grain here from 1847 to 1967, and the farmland and woods along the North Branch of the Clinton River turn gold in October.

Before you go, know that the Historic Center building is currently closed. You can still walk the grounds and the rustic trails along the river, including the 2.5-mile Settlers Trail with its wooden boardwalks and steep banks. The 250-acre working Farm Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with cows, goats, sheep and horses, and the farm makes a great backdrop for the color.

If you want the color without the climbing, the 4.25 miles of paved North Branch Trails are very flat, with only a few short hills near the river. The trailhead is at 21690 27 Mile Road in Ray, and leashed dogs are welcome.

COST: $10 daily vehicle pass or a Metroparks annual pass. Hours for each area are on the Wolcott Mill Metropark page.

Stony Creek Metropark in Shelby Township

Address: 4300 Main Park Road, Shelby Township, MI 48316
Stony Creek Metropark wraps 4,435 acres of woods, wetlands and prairie around 500-acre Stony Creek Lake, and if I had one fall afternoon and a dog, this is where I’d go.

The paved Hike-Bike Trail circles the lake for 6.2 miles and is mostly flat, except for one steep hill between the Lakeview and Northdale picnic areas. For a quieter walk in the woods, the Trolley Trails across from Eastwood Beach follow part of an old interurban rail line and are known for their fall views.

Dogs are welcome on the paved loop on a 6-foot leash, and the park has the Metroparks’ first off-leash dog area, in the Oakgrove Picnic Area. Through Nov. 1, the off-leash area opens at 11 a.m. on Mondays because of maintenance.

COST: $10 daily vehicle pass or a Metroparks annual pass. The Stony Creek Metropark page has trail maps and current closures.

Palmer Park and Boardwalk in St. Clair

Address: N. Riverside Ave., St. Clair, MI 48079
One of my favorite ways to experience Michigan’s fall colors is to see them with sparkling blue water as a backdrop. That’s why I always head to Palmer Park, where I can see trees lining the boardwalk of the bright blue St. Clair River along Michigan’s “Blue Thumbcoast.”

Located in downtown St. Clair, Palmer Park is a wide, grassy park gently sloping down to the boardwalk. St. Clair bills it as the world’s longest freshwater boardwalk, running about half a mile along the river, and it’s lined with shady trees that turn red, yellow and gold in autumn. You’ll find comfortable benches for watching the freighters pass by and a wide, paved path. The Blue Water Area’s Palmer Park listing has directions and nearby shops.

Cost: FREE

Dog-Friendly and Accessible Fall Color Near Detroit

Dogs are welcome at most of these spots, with a few rules. In every Metropark, dogs must stay on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and they aren’t allowed on beaches, in buildings or in the nature and farm areas. The paved hike-bike trails at Kensington, Stony Creek and Wolcott Mill all allow leashed dogs, and Ann Arbor’s liveries let dogs ride along in rented canoes and kayaks.

For accessibility, Kensington Metropark lends a GRIT Freedom Chair, an all-terrain manual wheelchair, free Tuesday through Sunday through Oct. 31 at its Nature Center, and you’ll need to reserve it online at least a day ahead. Both Ann Arbor liveries have universal access launches, and Stony Creek has an EZ Dock kayak launch with a transfer platform. The Metroparks accessibility page lists every adaptive program and how to request an accommodation.

Local Tips for a Southeast Michigan Color Tour

Your Recreation Passport won’t get you into the Metroparks. They’re a separate system from Michigan’s state parks, so you’ll need the $10 daily pass or an annual pass at the gate. If you walk or bike in on the park roads or hike-bike trails, entry is free, and the Metroparks pass and pet rules spell out the details.

Here’s what I’d do with one Saturday: paddle Gallup Pond in the morning (before Oct. 18), drive Hines Drive in the afternoon with a stop at Bennett Arboretum, and finish at one of the metro Detroit cider mills for donuts on the way home.

Southeast Michigan Fall Color FAQ

When is peak fall color in southeast Michigan?

Southeast Michigan usually peaks in the last week or two of October, later than any other part of the state, and some oaks keep their color into early November. Weather can shift it by a week either way, so check the live tracker before you go.

Do I need a pass for the Metroparks?

Yes, if you drive in. It’s $10 per vehicle per day, or an annual pass covers all 13 Metroparks, and the state Recreation Passport doesn’t count. Walkers and cyclists entering on the park roads or hike-bike trails get in free.

Can I bring my dog to see fall color near Detroit?

Yes, at most of these spots. Leashed dogs are welcome on the Metroparks’ paved trails but not on beaches, in buildings or on nature trails, and Stony Creek Metropark has an off-leash dog area in its Oakgrove Picnic Area.

More Michigan Fall Color

Looking for more places to go leaf peeping? Here are some of my favorites:

Michigan in the fall, my complete guide

Michigan fall color map with current conditions

Fall in Northern Michigan: 15 Best Things to Do

Michigan fall color train rides

Southeast Michigan gets the last word on fall, so don’t put the hiking boots away when the leaves Up North drop. Where is your favorite spot to catch the fall color in southeast Michigan? Use the comments below to let me know!