October 3, 2022. Fall color change is beginning in Wisconsin; we are starting to see the lime green peeking out among the wooded hillsides. Looks like it might be a week or two before Peak Color. But cool and dry weather is coming in a few days so that could produce some changes quickly.
The earliest fall color will occur in Northern Wisconsin from Vilas County to Hurley-Ironwood in the western Upper Peninsula. But timing your trip to catch real good color can be fickle and sometimes catching the earliest color doesn’t mean catching the best!
For your upcoming scenic fall color drive planning, I am listing lower down this page some of our earlier ScenicPathways articles on some of our favorite scenic fall color drives in Wisconsin, along the Mississippi Great River Road, and around Lake Superior.
Scenic Fall Color Report along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior While this fall color travelogue was originally published a few years ago, it presents a reasonably typical experience for fall color leaf peppers during the last week in September. Ross here reporting from the Red Mug Coffee House in Superior, Wisconsin on Sunday, September … Read more
Fall Color Drive along the Mississippi River, La Crosse to Red Wing In the second week of October, we took a drive along the Mississippi Great River Road to hopefully see some nice fall color. We begin our trip on the Wisconsin Great River Road section at La Crosse. Then traveled North on the Wisconsin … Read more
Fall Color Scenic Drive – Itaska State Park In the first week of October, with two other couples, Jo and I took a fall color drive to the headwaters of the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Lake Itaska and Itaska State Park. We had previously stopped at St. Croix Falls Interstate Park for a … Read more
One of the favorite fall color drive loops along the Minnesota-Wisconsin Great River Road stretches from Wabasha to Winona on both sides of the river.
In the third week of October 2017 we started our trip on the Minnesota side going north. In general we found the colors on the Minnesota side more vibrant and varied. I think the difference may be in the sun exposure affecting the distribution of the species of trees and the progress of color change. The Minnesota side faces north-east, whereas the Wisconsin side faces south-west.
One of the many scenic overlooks along the Wisconsin-Minnesota Great River Road
Best week for Peak Color along the River Road
Because the predominate deciduous trees along the river bluffs (oaks, maples, basswood, birch, etc.) change color at different times “Peak Color” can be an impossible dream. If you are earlier in the season you’ll catch more maples, ash and walnut changing, with yellows, oranges and lime green. If you are later in the season you’ll catch more oaks with deep red hues and some yellows from birch trees. But usually when the oaks and birch are most outstanding, the leaves have fallen from the ash, maples, and walnuts.
So our recommendation is just go when you know there will be some color and nice weather. Enjoy whatever combination mother nature presents at the time.
The Ashes were turning along the Minnesota Great River Road between La Crescent and Winona.
Best Direction of Travel for Good Fall Color
We noticed in traveling both sides of the river from Southern Wisconsin that the view along the Wisconsin side traveling south was more colorful than the views traveling north along the Wisconsin Great River Road. So our recommended loop for the best color is going south on the Wisconsin side from Nelson, Wisconsin through Fountain City, Wisconsin and across the river from Winona, MN. For travelers going north we recommend the Minnesota side from Winona to Wabasha. Bridges cross the river at both Wabasha and Winona facilitating this loop.
Great River Road Fall Color Pictures
From Just south of Winona looking across the river at Wisconsin’s Perrot State Park and the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge
In the background Brady Mountain, Perrot State Park.
Perrot State Park. In the background Trempealeau Mountain
Reick’s Lake Park is north of Alma, Wisconsin at the mouth of the Buffalo River as it enters the Mississippi. It has several nice RV sites along the shoreline and is on the migration route for Tundra Swans and White Pelicans.
Looking east from one of the RV sites at Reick’s Lake Park.
Those are white pelicans middle right in the photo.
Scenic Fall Drive, Mount Horeb to Monroe, Wisconsin
Featured attractions in this article: Yellowstone Golf Course, Toy Train Barn, Monroe Town Square
On beautiful October fall day, we decided to take a trip to Monroe, Wisconsin following rural roads through one leg of our Wisconsin Cheese Country Scenic Drive (see our Map). Our trip began at Hwy 78 west of Mount Horeb (Wisconsin’s Troll Capital) and proceeded south. We experienced some decent views of Blue Mounds and some nice color shots along the ridge heading towards the burg of Daleyville and later along the route to Blanchardville.
Fall color along highway 78 south of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin
Fall color along Highway 92 south of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin
Argyle, Wisconsin
We continued south on Hwy 78 another 8 miles to the village of Argyle. A little northwest of the village is the Yellowstone Golf Course and Gnarly Oak Restaurant. We had read online of their “senior fall special” green fee and cart for $13 so Jo and I packed our clubs to give the course a try. A bonus was some nice color in the trees surrounding the course.
Yellowstone Golf Course Review. It is a links style course with only a sprinkling of trees here and there lining the fairways. But the course is surrounded by woods so it is not as open as some links style courses. They have 3 sets of tees (Blue – 3158 yards for longer hitters; White – 2766 yards for the regular Men’s tees; and Red – 2324 for Ladies Tees) . We found the fairways, tee boxes, and sand traps were in decent condition and the greens offered some challenge but had fair pen placements. Overall a well-maintained course and I liked the variety of holes, each one with a distinct character. The #1 handicap hole is the Par 5 #6 playing 545 yards from the Blue Tees and 512 yards from the White Tees. I saved some of my best drives and shots for this hole and managed to par it! Every tee box had a nice graphic of the hole layout but we found a few gave mis-information, indicating a fairly straight shot towards the green from the tee when the hole actually had a pronounced dog leg. So some golfers new to the course will get some surprises. The club house is the Gnarly Oak Restaurant and Bar, set in an attractive log chalet style building on a hill overlooking the course. They have Friday Fish Frys 12 months a year; we plan to catch one of them next golf season as we do plan to return for golfing; it’s a fun course and decent rates. By the way, the restaurant also offers Ribs, Steaks, and Shrimp dinners as well as occasional buffets. http://yellowstonegolf.com/
Kids can actually operate the trains at the Toy Train Barn
Another interesting Argyle attraction is the Toy Train Barn, about 3 miles east on Highway 81, provides fun for the entire family and an ever-expanding layout. Here, you’ll see an extensive collection of model train layouts in the barn, plus a 12″ gauge railroad that visitors are able to ride known as the Argyle & Eastern Railroad, built on 18 scenic hilly acres (near the highest point in Green County) that include a natural springs and creek. The Argyle & Eastern Railroad features a turntable, water tower, depots. There are many curves and trestles, semaphore signals, wig-wags etc. Retired train engineer Buck Guthrie built and runs the attraction. Among other trains, the museum features Buck’s extensive collection of American Flyer model trains (which is the model train I ran as a kid). We were anxious to get to Monroe before the Minhas Brewery closed so we didn’t have time to stop on this trip. But the Toy Train Barn is on our must see for the future.
Our main Cheese Country Scenic Drive route continues through Wiota to the village of Gratiot and then to the historic town of Shullsburg (see our Scenic Drive Map below). On this day, however, we drove to Monroe (via Hwy 81) which is Wisconsin’s Cheese Capital. Along the route you’ll see several large dairy farms nestled in the hills. You’ll also pass the Klondike Cheese Co http://www.klondikecheese.com/ a huge operation producing Muenster, Brick, Havarti and Feta Cheeses as well as Greek Style Yogurt. Unfortunately there is no retail store at the facility nor do they offer tours due to sanitation, health and safety standards.
1891 Green County Courthouse with its 120 foot high clock tower (that actually works)
Monroe, the unofficial capitol of Cheese Country and a town steeped in Swiss Heritage, has done an excellent job preserving the viability of their downtown square, anchored by the historic courthouse. Some of Monroe’s best shopping, dining, and entertainment venues are located around the square. One of our favorites is Baumgartner’s Tavern and Cheese Store, a Monroe institution.
Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern is located across from the courthouse in the city square. Baumgartners offers a large variety of cheeses produced under their private label by a number of Monroe area Cheesemakers. They are Wisconsin’s oldest cheese store, open since 1931. The adjacent Tavern, offers a ton of atmosphere & nostalgia, some terrific Swiss and German sandwiches, and 24 beers on tap. Fast and friendly service. In the past I’ve had their terrific Reuben sandwich. On our latest visit I went with their smoked bratwurst with kraut and onions. Jo elected their all beef hot dog with a side of cole slaw. The sandwiches came with a dill pickle and a hunk of Muenster cheese. Both were tasty and topped off with cold pints of beer. Funky atmosphere with Swiss and beer memorabilia hanging from everywhere. Good food, good brews, superb service, and a fun experience.
Cheese lovers will also want to stop at another Monroe institution, the Alp and Dell Cheese Store, 657 2nd Street. Here you can peruse a wide selection of locally produced cheese and sausages. From a total of over 100 different cheeses you are able to taste many of them in their store. They are also the flagship store for Roth Kase Cheese Factory. Viewing windows provide an opportunity to see Roth cheese being made.
Attractions in this post: McGregor, Iowa, Pikes Peak State Park, Prairie Du Chien Golf Course
Fall colors were starting to break out along the Mississippi River and a perfect weather forecast for the weekend encouraged Jo and I to head to McGregor, Iowa for their Arts & Crafts fall event.
McGregor Iowa’s Art and Craft Festival, second weekend in October
McGregor Fall Color. Since we were last in McGregor-Marquette area in the fall a few more of McGregor’s historic old buildings have gotten remodeled and some new enterprises now occupying them. The town is full of antique shops, artisan studios, pubs, and gift shops . . . most of them stretched along the main street that runs from the river front up the hill to out of town. Originally settled in 1837 as a ferry boat landing to cross the river to Prairie Du Chien, the community grew fast and was incorporated as a town in 1847. It retains its original river town roots in its grain elevator and dock, which was active with the fall harvest the weekend we were there. But its restored downtown buildings and interesting shops make it a fun place to visit.
One of the many antique shops in “antique” buildings in McGregor
Main street McGregor has retained and restored many of its old commercial buildings
Our favorite dining spot, the Beer & Bratz Garden, was closed for a few days due to a death in the family. We missed having a sandwich and Leinie’s on their deck that overlooks the river. As an alternative, we tried dinner at the Old Man River Brew Pub but we found it disappointing in many respects. So unfortunately no restaurant review here on that establishment. 🙂 The Cafe McGregor looks like a nice place; has an attractive outdoor patio. Have to try them next time we are in town.
A few structures like this log cabin date back to the 1840s and the founding of the town
There were spots of nice color on the hillside behind McGregor but we didn’t find the fall color along the river as we expected. Some trees had lost their leaves while others hadn’t changed much. If the leaves hold on, there still should be some halfway decent color towards the last half of October. Even though we missed peak color, it was still a very nice weekend to be out of doors along the Mississippi doing things whether it be hiking, leaf peeping, or touring the shops and pubs in McGregor and its nearby neighboring towns of Marquette and Prairie Du Chien.
Not quite Peak Color on the hillside behind downtown McGregor
When we are in the area we usually do some hiking at nearby Effigy Mounds National Park as its mature forest offers some great color and it also has some very good scenic overlooks of the river. But the park was closed due to the government financial and political wrangling. This winter we hope to return to do some snowshoeing at the park when it reopens.
Pikes Peak Camping & Hiking
We lucked out and found an vacant campsite at Pikes Peak State Park located on one of the high bluffs above McGregor. Most of the 77 sites offer electrical hookups for Rvs with about a dozen suitable only for tent camping. There is a RV dump station and a clean, modern washroom and bath facility. Once we checked in we found out one reason the park was so full on an October Thursday: very reasonable campsite fees. Amenities include a day use picnic shelter, a well outfitted camp store and concession, some interesting hiking trails, and among the best scenic overlooks of the Upper Mississippi River. It is located only about two miles from town.
Here’s a few pictures of Pikes Peak.
Looking upstream on the Mississippi River from Pikes Peak. Marquette-Prairie du Chien bridge in the background
The main scenic overlook of the Mississippi River Valley from Pikes Peak State Park
Prairie Du Chien Country Club Golf Course Review.
While we in the area I took an opportunity to squeeze in nine holes of golf at the Prairie Du Chien Country Club. It’s a nice little course and not too expensive. I will return to do 18 holes next time. Most of the fairways are tree-lined, with some thicker woods bordering some. About 2/3 rds of the holes are rolling hills, some with dramatic terrain changes. A few relatively level holes as well. I walked the course with little trouble. There were some challenging holes but no gimmicks. The fairways were lush and well maintained, the greens in good shape and relatively fast. The clubhouse is old and shows its age, but everything was clean. Has a small pro shop, a dining room and a bar, with an expansive deck overlooking the course. From the blue tees the course runs 6222 yards, with a slope and rating of 69.9/119.
A few pictures of the golf course.
Well manicured fairways were typical of Prairie du Chien Country Club’s golf course
There are some dramatic terrain changes on some holes of the Prairie du Chien golf course
Our Rialta motor home will be soon put to bed for the winter so the next time we are at the Mississippi it will be winter for some snowshoeing.
View of the St. Croix River Gorge from the Summit Rock Hiking Trail. Click image for a larger view
Interstate Park, a cooperative effort of Wisconsin, Minnesota and the National Park Service, is located on the St. Croix Wild and National Scenic River which forms part of the state line dividing the northern part of Wisconsin and Minnesota south of Duluth. It is actually two parks. There is the Wisconsin Interstate Park (St. Croix, Wisconsin) on the east side of the river and the Minnesota Interstate Park (Taylor Falls, Minnesota) located on the west bank. It is located about 60 miles north, along the Great River Road extension from Prescott, Wisconsin. The best route is to cross the river at Prescott and drive along the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River to Taylor Falls.
At Prescott the St. Croix River joins the Mississippi doubling the size of the Great River. At this point the Mississippi River Road leaves the Wisconsin-Minnesota border and heads towards the St. Paul, Minnesota. If you are driving the Great River Road, we recommend continuing along the shores of the St. Croix as it is a more scenic drive and you’ll not see anything as spectacular as the St. Croix River Gorge if you stayed on the Mississippi Road and continued on to St. Paul.
Our favorite season for Interstate Park is fall. The dramatic cliffs and formations of the Dalles of the St. Croix make it an outstanding scenic area. In fall its beauty is supplemented by terrific fall color displays. The St. Croix River Valley with its mixture of oaks, maples, birch, hickory, ash and many other species typical of a northern hardwoods forest provide an abundance of hues of reds, golds, and oranges.
Some Pictures – Click on image for a larger view
A scenic fall drive through Wisconsin’s Interstate Park
Walking along a wooded hiking trail in St. Croix Interstate Park
Looking down the Dalles of the St. Croix & the Angle Rock from the Pothole Trail
A close-up of the The Angle Rock bridge on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix
Interstate Park Recreational and Camping Facilities and Attractions
The parks are open all year. In the winter on the Wisconsin side there are 12 miles of cross-country skiing/snowshoeing trails; on the Minnesota side no x-c trails but they do offer some snowshoeing trails. Other times of the year Wisconsin offers 12 hiking trails totaling about 8 miles, whereas the Minnesota side has 6 trails, some of which include very unique geological formations. The parks are most popular in the summer offering rock climbing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, swimming, and camping.
The Wisconsin side has the largest campground sites (2 areas) and has recently added a number of RV electric hookup sitets. The Minnesota park side also offers RV hookups. RV users on the Wisconsin side who “dry camp” will have water and a dump station near the ice age center. See our links at the bottom of the page for maps and other information on recreational and educational attractions offered by the Interstate Parks.
History of St. Croix River
The unique dalles, potholes, and cliffs are the result of several earthquakes and lava flows occuring over eons combined with the thawing, about 10, 000 years ago, of Glacial Lake Duluth. When its massive ice dam (located south of the current city of Superior, Wisconsin near Solon Springs) broke the meltwaters carved out the current St. Croix River valley. Only very resistant basalts from the lava flows were able to partially withstand the torrent and the unique geological formations were the result.
The original waterfalls and rapids which were the original St. Croix Falls are now buried underneath the “lake” created by the St. Croix Hydroelectric Dam located about one half mile north of the bridge. Above the dam the river is wider, more quiet, and lake-like. Below the dam the river runs faster with some rapids.
The outstanding scenery and geological formations led to a joint effort by Wisconsin and Minnesota to preserve the area for the use of the public. Established between 1895 and 1900 it was the nations first cooperative park established by two states. Because the St. Croix River, which divides the two state parks, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River system and the park is also part of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve recreation passes of the National Park Service are honored at Interstate Park. Also each state honors the annual and day pass stickers of the other state. Staying at the northside Wisconsin campground it is only a short hike to the bride to walk across to the nature and hiking trails on the Minnesota side or to downtown Taylor Falls for that matter. If you stay at the Minnesota campground, you may need to drive your car to visit the Wisconsin side as it is a 1.5 mile hike just to get to the bridge.
Friends of 261 Fall Train Ride The group of volunteers (members of the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest Ameria), who support the Milwaukee Road Steam Locomotive #261 and classic railroading, operate a number of train excursions throughout the year. Included among these are a fall color train operating out of Minneapolis offering two trips on … Read more
Fall Scenic Drives andInteresting Places to visit in Door County Wisconsin
Traveling in Door County catching some great fall colors, visiting Door County’s quaint villages, playing a little golf, and finding who has best hamburgers and sandwiches on the peninsula.
Along the lakeshore in Ephraim in Door County Wisconsin
Sunday, October 7th.
While the temps were cool (50 degrees) the sun came out to show off the colors and offer a beautiful day to drive around the peninsula. Our first stop was at Door County Coffee’s Café and Coffee Roasting headquarters, a place we first heard about on Wisconsinmade.com. A great place for breakfast or lunch if fresh roasted gourmet coffee with your meal is an important ingredient. Over 100 coffee blends are available in their company store. In addition they have a pretty decent selection of unique gift items that are fun to browse through even if you are not in the market for gift ideas.
Door County Coffee Company – Outdoor Patio
Picking our coffee
Next stop was Egg Harbor’s PumpkinPatch Festival. We found the town in full swing with arts and crafts &tents all about town and all the artisan shops open with specials available. Down by the lakefront music by Big Mouth & the Power Tools playing classic rock and blues and lots of food for the hungry festival goer. Even though I just had breakfast, couldn’t pass up the BBQ roasted corn-on-the-cob.
Egg Harbor Pumpkin Patch Festial
Pumpkin PATCH Festival, Egg Harbor
Ephraim, Wisconsin
Yummy Whitefish sandwich and fries with homemade Root Beer
We drove through Fish Creek but didn’t stop as our destination was Ephraim, Wisconsin and Wilson’s Old Fashioned Café and Soda Shop. We ate on their screened in porch as the sun was keeping it warm enough.
Others stayed inside in the 1950’s Soda Shop mileau. You’d expect LaVerne and Shirley or Fonzi to walk in any minute. Playing on the authentic juke box were some a selection of Chuck Berry, Elvis, and Beach Boys tunes.
Jo and Donna had the burgers and pronounced them tasty. They came with a generous helping of fries, more than either could handle. Dan had the Reuben Sandwich which came with an extra generous helping of sauerkraut and chips + home made cole slaw. I had the Whitefish Sandwich and it passed the test – hot, not fishy tasting, and not overly breaded. I also had the fries and homemade cole slaw. I couldn’t finish all my meal either. Both Dan and I also had Wilson’s signature old-fashioned draft root beer served in a frosty mug. Beats A&W for sure.
Wilson’s Soda Fountain & Cafe, Emphraim, WI
Old fashioned booths and juke box at Wilsons
Peninsula State Park
While Dan and I golfed the course at Peninsula State Park, the girls went hiking on some of the trails in the park. (See our golf course review here). The park offers over 10 hiking and nature trails with a variety of terrain, fauna, scenic lookouts and degree of difficulty. The 2 mile Eagle Trail is perhaps the most scenic with 150 feet high cliffs, lookouts over the lake and dense forest but it is also rated as a “difficult hike.” Jo and Donna were looking for a less strenuous outing so they chose to hike the 3 mile Skyline Trail. Beforehand they warmed up on a part of the Vita Course, a 1 mile loop with numerous exercise stations. The park’s camping capacity is huge, offering 468 camp sites, including 101 with electric service for RV camping.
Along the Skyline Trail at Peninsula State Park
A view of Horseshoe Island from the Skyline Trail, Peninsula Park
After hiking and golfing we returned to our lodging on the waterfront on Sturgeon Bay. That evening a beautiful sunset looking across the bay.
Here’s a Google Map showing some of the locations we visited during our fall scenic travel tour of Door County and some links to other articles on our Door County visit.
View the complete Door County Travel map in a larger view, with links to various destinations and attractions
Fall Color Pictures – Traveling around Door County, Wisconsin
During our fall color trip to Door County, Wisconsin we encountered some cool and overcast days but still managed to see most of the county and get some decent fall color pictures. Some of these you can see in our other Door County articles on visiting Door County villages, Hiking at Whitefish Dunes and golfing some of Door County’s top golf courses.
A couple of neat barn quilts along Door County’s rural roads
An unusual artistic quilt block decorates this rural Door County barn
Barn Quilt near Jacksonport, Door County
Our visit to Door County was in the second week of October. Peak color would have been the following week. However, the trade-off could be even cooler weather than we encountered so we were happy with our choice ot timing of our trip.
Here’s a Google Map showing some of the locations we visited during our fall scenic travel tour of Door County
Hiking Whitefish Dunes Park, Door County, Wisconsin
Jo coming down from the Old Baldy Observation Tower
On the second day (October 8th) of our fall color trip to Door County we decided to explore the eastern side of the peninsula, called the quiet side since it has fewer resorts and fewer tourist attractions. One popular spot, however, is Whitefish Dunes State Park. Several hiking trails, an extensive sand beach (great for swimming in the summer time), picnic areas, nine hiking trails, and a nature center. Whitefish is a day use area so there are no camping facilities.
We decided to hike the Red Trail out to the Old Baldy observation tower located on the highest of the dunes that line the lakeshore in the park. The loop provides a variety of terrain running near the lake shore on the way out and then behind the dunes on the way back to the nature center. The 2.8 mile hike was just the right amount of exercise. We packed in a lunch which we enjoyed in the enclosed shelter near the nature center. Although a sunny day, the temps were in the 50s and the wind was roaring more than 25 mph so finding the enclosed shelter was a welcome discovery.
The Boardwalk on the Red Trail at the base of Old Baldy
Red Trail hiking loop at Whitefish Dunes State Park
On a cool fall day with temps in the 50s, the beach is empty
Looking towards Whitefish Dunes beach on a windy fall day
On our way back to our lodging in Sturgeon Bay, we stopped at Mike’s Port Pub & Grill for dinner. We found Mike’s by Googling places to eat in Jacksonport and Baileys Harbor. The four reviews were quite positive recommending Mike’s for their great food, excellent friendly and competent service, and decent prices. So we decided to give Mike’s a try.
We were not disappointed. Family run and true home cooking. Our service came right off the grill. My walleye sandwich was so hot I almost had to let it cool before biting into it. Moist, lightly breaded, one of the best fish sandwiches in my memory. Dan was equally enthusiastic over his steak sandwich and Donna’s shrimp was done just right skewed on sticks. Jo gave her burger 5 stars. By the time our dinner was over, the place was full . . . testimony to its reputation.
Nothing fancy about Mike’s exterior either but Mike’s shines in taste of a different kind, what goes in your mouth!
The inside of Mile’s Port Bar is typical small town Wisconsin but the food and service is big time.
Tomorrow rain is in the forecast. We plan to visit the Maritime Museum and other attractions in Sturgeon Bay.
Things to see and do in Thunder Bay In this post: Fall Color, Golfing, Dining, and visiting Fort William During our recent Minnesota North Shore Color Tour, we decided to extend our travels to run up as far north as Thunder Bay, Ontario. The color was not as striking as what we found along Minnesota’s … Read more
What’s Happening in Duluth and along the North Shore in the fall Duluth September Events The Duluth-North Shore fall season begins the second weekend of September with Duluth’s annual LakeWalk Festival. See more about Duluth’s Lakewalk here. Later that month the annual Oktoberfest will be held in Duluth’s Bayfront Park. German Beer & Food, Oktoberfest … Read more
Scenic Fall Color Drives from Marquette to Sault Saint Marie, Michigan
During the last week in September, 2010 Jo and I toured the central UP to investigate first hand the fall foliage and color changes. Our trip began on September 20th and lasted through the 28th. (See Days 1 & 2 Reports Here) The table below gives you links to various portions of our trip so you can see what we found and notes of interest.
In many cases we were a little early for the best color but did find some nice fall color scenery at Tahquamenon Falls and around Marquette. Yet even the areas where color was just beginning to change were worthwhile visiting. The waterfalls were spectacular. We love the nice crisp fall air, no bugs, and less competition for motels, campsites, and various attractions and things to see and do. A vigorous fall hike doesn’t get you all sweated up like summertime!
