Tour fall colors

Fall color tours worth the drive worth the drive

By Rachel Brougham Contribu�ng writer

Michigan’s fall color season is fl ee� ng and if you don’t know where to go to get a great leaf peeping experience, it can easily pass you by before you know it. Whether you’re looking to get out and enjoy the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows by car, foot, bicycle or any number of other means, there are plenty of spots around the state to immerse yourself in the colors of the season.

Michigan has 19 million acres of forests for you to explore this autumn, which according to David Lorenz, vice president of travel for Pure Michigan, has become one of the Michigan’s busiest seasons. Fall tourism in Michigan helps give a boost to many of the state’s businesses in what would otherwise be a slower shoulder season.

As Lorenz notes, the spectacular fall colors can be enjoyed from anywhere you can see the forest. “When you combine the vibrant colors with all the natural colors you fi nd in the fi elds, like those with soy beans and apple trees and everything else, it really is pre� y stunning,” he said.

Fall colors start earlier the further north you go, generally starting in late September in the Upper Peninsula, before spreading southward throughout the Lower Peninsula.

Brighton

Give your car and your legs a rest and enjoy the fall colors on a horseback tour at Brighton Recreation Center. e center’s riding stable o ers guided trail rides from 45 to 90 minutes that will take you through the woods. All abilities are welcome for those 8 years of age and up. Hiking and mountain bike trails are also available.

Just west, you’ll get an “up north” experience at Island Lake Recreation Area. e 4,000-acre park just outside Brighton o ers a mix of hardwood forest and open meadows for hikers along 18 miles of trails.

Try the park in the early morning or late evening to see hot air balloons take o and land.

Peak Color: Mid to late October. Drive time from Adrian: Approximately 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ypsilanti

Travel to the home of Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti for plenty of fall splendor. By car, travel down Merritt Road and make a stop at Wiard’s Orchards for apple cider, hay rides and apple picking. You can also let your GPS guide you through the outskirts of the city where you’ll encounter plenty of color along rolling hills and the Huron River.

Stretch your legs in the city’s Depot Town, full of small shops and restaurants along the Huron River. Riverside Park is a favorite among both locals and visitors, as the 16-acre park features bike trails, shing, picnic tables and a playground.

Peak Color: Mid to late October. Drive time from Adrian: Approximately 50 minutes

Kalamazoo

Dana Wagner, director of marketing and communications for Discover Kalamazoo, says driving down a road that has great overhanging trees on both sides is a must-do for leaf peepers. And the area has plenty of opportunities for those looking to get spectacular views from afoot. For those looking for a simple hike, try the Kalamazoo Nature Center, which is home to miles of trails that wind through woods, wetlands and prairies. You’ll get some of the best views from the Raptor Ridge Trail, which not only gives you a glimpse of the fall foliage from the highest points in the county, but you’ll likely see plenty of birds over the Kalamazoo River Valley.

Nearby, Markin Glen County Park also features one of the highest points in Kalamazoo. From the top, hikers will not only be able to take in the vibrant fall colors, but a scenic view of downtown. For those looking for overnight accommodations, the park also features a campground.

“Driving around the roads going to VerHage’s Fruit Farm and Cider Mill is always really pretty with the fall colors,” Wagner said.

Peak Color: Mid-late October. Drive from Adrian: Approximately 1 hour, 49 minutes.

Harbor Springs

It’s hard to talk about fall colors without mentioning M-119, otherwise known as the Tunnel of Trees, which winds its way along Lake Michigan. Start in Harbor Springs and make your way to the northwest corner of the Lower Peninsula, just west of the Mackinac Bridge.

“It’s beautiful, everyone should see it at least once,” Bonnie Kulp, executive director of the Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center says of M-119 in Emmet County. “You’ll fall in love and want to do it over and over again.”

e narrow highway winds north through woods and rolling hills while giving you peaks of Lake Michigan along the way. You’ll hit small villages such as Good Hart and Cross Village with restaurants and little shops, o ering up plenty of spots to stretch your legs and take a break while soaking up the fall foliage. Kulp’s advice is to do the

M-119 drive in one direction, and go State Road in the opposite direction, which will take you north or south through the county, also giving viewers beautiful fall colors amid the hills.

ere are plenty of stops for those looking to get out and explore by foot as well, including the Woollam Family Nature Preserve just o M-119, which is part of the Little Traverse Conservancy. e short half mile trail will lead you through mature beech-maple hardwoods before reaching the sandy shoreline.

“I just tell people to explore the area and let your GPS guide you,” Kulp said. “Just be sure to stop and get out the camera throughout the trip.”

Peak Color: Early October. Drive from Adrian: Approximately 4 hours, 30 minutes

Find the Right Color Tour for You

is fall, even if you don’t have a particular destination or exact route in mind, taking the scenic route — including back roads — will o er plenty of fall color viewing opportunities.

“Taking a fall color tour down a county road is a great way to spend an a ernoon during this unprecedented time,” notes Denise Donohue, executive director for the County Road Association (CRA) of Michigan. “Michigan’s colors are among the best in the country, making fall the perfect opportunity to go out and enjoy the state’s natural beauty.”

e CRA encourages leaf peepers to post on the association’s Facebook page (facebook.com/micountyroads) some great local spots for Michigan’s fall colors. ose looking for great colors can check out the page to nd spots near them.

In addition, Pure Michigan o ers plenty of driving routes on its Fall Color Tours portion of its website. ere’s also an interactive map that’s updated with expected peak color times throughout the state.

And if you still can’t decide where to go to experience this year’s fall colors, that’s OK too.

“I just tell people to get out and don’t forget the east and west routes as they can be perfect,” said Lorenz. “You can go north or south on the expressway for a beautiful view, but if you really want to get fall in Michigan and get the true splendor of the season, try the later a ernoon toward evening going east to west or west to east. With the right light, those leaves just burst with color.”

Rachel Brougham is the former assistant editor of the Petoskey News-Review. She currently lives in Minneapolis where she works as a freelance writer and editor.