Posted by Toni Lankerd on September 25, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Please post information here for any fall color reports from the Midwest. This will be a featured topic (it will stay at the top of our forum) so it won't get lost in our forum. Thanks!
The color in N Wisconsin around Ironwood is getting decent. It will probably be near peak this week. Hopefully I will be near there next week. I will have to bring my camera next.
John
Posted by Matt Flath on September 29, 2011 at 9:02 AM
Central U.P. color is coming on strong. FF Hwy 13 and surrounding areas of the Hiawatha forest up to Munising look to be in the 50-75% range, with some stands at peak. The color surrounding Pete's/Moccasin/Thornton/Council lakes is just starting to show; while Half Moon lake is near peak.
Matt
Posted by Philip Schwarz on September 30, 2011 at 10:21 AM
A rather depressing fall note. Yesterday we had wind advisories for Northern Wisconsin, Minnesota and the U.P.. Strong winds were to continue today. I know large numbers of leaves came down around Menomonie. Several shots I had planned to take on a return trip from Crex Meadows were no longer available because the leaves were down.
Last weekend we drove from Menomonie, Wisconsin through Northern Wisconsin to Copper Harbor, Michigan. The trip took us through Cornell, Phillips, Park Falls, Lac Du Flambeau and on to Hurley. The leaves were spotty through Phillips. The leaf report said they were at peak but I think it will be later this week when they reach peak. They were near their peak around Hurley with some nice shots at the Gile Flowage. Driving from Ironwood to Bruce Crossing the trees were spotty with one hill at peak and the next hill green. From Mass City to Houghton on Highway 26 the trees were outstanding and at peak. We drove around the Keweenaw and the leaves were ok but will likely peak next weekend. Leaves on the Brockway Mountain drive will probably peak a week later. We drove the south boundary road in the Porcupine Mountains. There was some good color but the peak will likely be closer to next weekend. We took the ride to the top of Copper Peak. The leaves were good but not as good as last year.
The strong winds from last Thursday and Friday took down quite a few leaves. They are projecting strong winds again next weekend.
If you can't find color in one place keep on driving and you will likely find it.
More information on the trip can be found on my Blog
On Monday we drove from Hurley - Ashland - Duluth - Grand Marais. The leaves from Hurley to Superior on highway 2 will likely be near peak next weekend and into the following week closer to the lake. The drive from Duluth to Grand Marais on highway 61 was disappointing. Most of the color comes from birch and the birch are dying, are stressed from the drought and lost many of their leaves in the winds. Closer to Grand Marais there was a little more color. We hiked up Oberg Mountain and the views of the interior were great. The color wasn't quite as vibrant as some years and there was some loss of leaves due to the wind. We also drove inland around Tofte and saw quite a bit of color on the maples and oaks. The Oaks this year are a vibrant read.
More photos and information from the trip can be found on my Blog
Posted by John Tobias on October 9, 2011 at 8:02 PM
So far here in central Illinois, the colors have been fair to poor IMO. Will see an individual tree here and there looking good. I have noticed some of the trees which turn red are not turning red or if they are it is not a bright as previous years. Lack of rain and winds have not helped.
Posted by Toni Lankerd on October 10, 2011 at 8:23 PM
Southwest MI's color is spotty so far. Some areas have full color while in other places, the few fall colors are still mixed with a lot of green. Last week, north of Muskegon close to Lake MI, there was very little color, yet the US 31 corridor looked to be close to peak. We've had the warm days and cool nights required, but very little rain in the last month.
Just back from another UP road trip. The Munising area had leaves at some of the lakes and in Pictured Rocks had good leaves last weekend. Drove home through Marquette - Porcupine Mountains - Ironwood and down through Northern Wisconsin. The leaves are gone thanks to high winds during the peak leaf season.
Posted by Cindy Garwood on October 12, 2011 at 7:57 AM
Hello,
I live in Southeast Wis. I think this will be the peak season for us!
I'm heading to Galena, IL this weekend to check it out on the Mississippi River. It is about a 3 hour drive for us.
Posted by Chuck Beatty on October 12, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Report from CVNP:
I'm just back from a week in Ontario (where the color is peaking). There is a lot of color in the CVNP with leaves on the ground. There is still a lot of color to come. We expect a good rain today and rain forecast through the weekend. That should help our waterfalls. Windy Saturday, but other than that, should be good shooting here in the CVNP.
This is the weekend to shoot Brandywine Falls, as the color there tends to go early.
Posted by Toni Lankerd on October 13, 2011 at 9:11 AM
Cindy, you will like Galena. I spent a week there a couple summers ago, lots of photo ops both in town and the surrounding area. Enjoy the trip!
Went north yesterday as far as Frankfort, on the Betsie River. Not overly impressed with this year's fall colors. What we saw yesterday was basically the same as this area....spotty and a lot of brown, very little red....until we reached M22. More colors along that road just before Onekema, nearing peak. In the Manistee vicinity, a lot of trees had lost their leaves in the wind storm a couple weeks ago. Orchard Beach SP just north of Manistee usually has a nice color show, but about half the leaves were gone. What was left on the trees was quite vibrant, but there weren't enough leaves left to get decent images there.
I did hear that the Traverse City area is at or near peak but have no idea how good the colors are there.
Posted by Chuck Beatty on October 16, 2011 at 1:33 PM
CVNP follow-up:
High winds on Fri-Sat took care of a lot of the early color. The trees above Brandywine Falls are mostly bare. Same with the maples that overhang the creek above Bridal Veil Falls. Blue Hen Falls was the one high point. The background trees there are mostly beeches and they have barely begun to go gold. All falls are flowing well, just wish more color remained. Still some color to come in the park.
Note to those going to Brandywine: the NPS is expanding the main parking lot (under construction) which means the only (limited) parking is in the overflow area between the Inn and the bridge. It's a muddy mess and very crowded.
Discussion
12 repliesJohn
Matt
Last weekend we drove from Menomonie, Wisconsin through Northern Wisconsin to Copper Harbor, Michigan. The trip took us through Cornell, Phillips, Park Falls, Lac Du Flambeau and on to Hurley. The leaves were spotty through Phillips. The leaf report said they were at peak but I think it will be later this week when they reach peak. They were near their peak around Hurley with some nice shots at the Gile Flowage. Driving from Ironwood to Bruce Crossing the trees were spotty with one hill at peak and the next hill green. From Mass City to Houghton on Highway 26 the trees were outstanding and at peak. We drove around the Keweenaw and the leaves were ok but will likely peak next weekend. Leaves on the Brockway Mountain drive will probably peak a week later. We drove the south boundary road in the Porcupine Mountains. There was some good color but the peak will likely be closer to next weekend. We took the ride to the top of Copper Peak. The leaves were good but not as good as last year.
The strong winds from last Thursday and Friday took down quite a few leaves. They are projecting strong winds again next weekend.
If you can't find color in one place keep on driving and you will likely find it.
More information on the trip can be found on my Blog
On Monday we drove from Hurley - Ashland - Duluth - Grand Marais. The leaves from Hurley to Superior on highway 2 will likely be near peak next weekend and into the following week closer to the lake. The drive from Duluth to Grand Marais on highway 61 was disappointing. Most of the color comes from birch and the birch are dying, are stressed from the drought and lost many of their leaves in the winds. Closer to Grand Marais there was a little more color. We hiked up Oberg Mountain and the views of the interior were great. The color wasn't quite as vibrant as some years and there was some loss of leaves due to the wind. We also drove inland around Tofte and saw quite a bit of color on the maples and oaks. The Oaks this year are a vibrant read.
More photos and information from the trip can be found on my Blog
I live in Southeast Wis. I think this will be the peak season for us!
I'm heading to Galena, IL this weekend to check it out on the Mississippi River. It is about a 3 hour drive for us.
I'm just back from a week in Ontario (where the color is peaking). There is a lot of color in the CVNP with leaves on the ground. There is still a lot of color to come. We expect a good rain today and rain forecast through the weekend. That should help our waterfalls. Windy Saturday, but other than that, should be good shooting here in the CVNP.
This is the weekend to shoot Brandywine Falls, as the color there tends to go early.
Went north yesterday as far as Frankfort, on the Betsie River. Not overly impressed with this year's fall colors. What we saw yesterday was basically the same as this area....spotty and a lot of brown, very little red....until we reached M22. More colors along that road just before Onekema, nearing peak. In the Manistee vicinity, a lot of trees had lost their leaves in the wind storm a couple weeks ago. Orchard Beach SP just north of Manistee usually has a nice color show, but about half the leaves were gone. What was left on the trees was quite vibrant, but there weren't enough leaves left to get decent images there.
I did hear that the Traverse City area is at or near peak but have no idea how good the colors are there.
High winds on Fri-Sat took care of a lot of the early color. The trees above Brandywine Falls are mostly bare. Same with the maples that overhang the creek above Bridal Veil Falls. Blue Hen Falls was the one high point. The background trees there are mostly beeches and they have barely begun to go gold. All falls are flowing well, just wish more color remained. Still some color to come in the park.
Note to those going to Brandywine: the NPS is expanding the main parking lot (under construction) which means the only (limited) parking is in the overflow area between the Inn and the bridge. It's a muddy mess and very crowded.