Michiganfall foliage
No reports yet this season. Next up: Pictured Rocks, typically Sep 24–Oct 10.
When is peak fall foliage in Michigan?
Earlier in the Upper Peninsula than in the Lower. At Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior, the National Park Service says colors usually peak in the last week of September or during the first ten days of October, and the Hiawatha National Forest starts to turn in late September. Farther south, the Forest Service puts the peak of color along the Au Sable River in October.
Checked Sep 27. Sources: National Park Service, Pictured Rocks FAQ ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Forest Service, Fall Color Tour, west side of the Hiawatha ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Forest Service, Au Sable Vista ↗ (opens in a new tab)
This week in Michigan · Updated Sep 28
We haven't logged an official report for Michigan yet this fall; the first places here usually turn around Sep 21. The forecast looks best on today, Fri–Sun, with frost likely at Hiawatha National Forest. In the Upper Midwest's volunteer tree counts for Sep 15–21, river birch is ahead of a typical year; American elm is behind.
When each place peaks, and the week ahead
Best days to go: Today, Fri–Sun
No strong wind in the forecast. Frost likely: 32°F at Hiawatha National Forest.
- Hiawatha National ForestForest Service says the forest starts to show color in late SeptemberTodaydry and calmTuerain likelyWedrain likelyThudry and calmFrifrost (32°F)Satdry and calmSunfrost (32°F)
- Pictured RocksUsually Sep 24–Oct 10Todaydry and calmTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Au Sable RiverForest Service says the Au Sable River views peak with fall color in OctoberTodaydry and calmTuedry and calmWedrain likelyThurain likelyFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
All the numbers
| Place | Usual peak | This week | Rain likely | Coldest night | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiawatha National Forest | Forest Service says the forest starts to show color in late September | No report | Tue, Wed | 32°F | 597 ft |
| Pictured Rocks | Sep 24–Oct 10 | No report | — | 34°F | 607 ft |
| Au Sable River | Forest Service says the Au Sable River views peak with fall color in October | No report | Wed, Thu | 43°F | 588 ft |
Solid bars: each place's usual window from its official sources; dashed: a regional or statewide timing, not the place's own. Stages from the latest official report. Weather: National Weather Service forecast for each place, issued Sep 28. A best day is dry and calm at most of these places.
Upper Midwest, site by site
Color moving across the Upper Midwest
55 volunteer sites this week (seen in at least 2 of the falls 2020–2025)
- Green
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
- Brown, leaves down
Typical year, not a prediction. Each dot is a real USA-NPN volunteer site: the middle stage its trees had that week across the falls 2020–2025. Green: under 5% of leaves colored · yellow 5–24% · orange 25–49% · red half or more · brown: leaves mostly down. Sites within a few hundred yards of each other (a research forest, a park) share one dot, with their number on it. Data: USA National Phenology Network (CC BY 4.0).
Upper Midwest, Sep 15–21
Swamp white oak
0% this week (26 observations) · typical 2%
4% this week (24 observations) · typical 2%
American elm
4% this week (23 observations) · typical 15%
5% this week (22 observations) · typical 0%
River birch is ahead of a typical year; American elm is behind. Only species with at least 15 observations that week; the line marks the typical share for the same week (2020–2025). Updated Sep 27. Data: USA-NPN. Which trees turn when in the Upper Midwest →
Planning a Michigan fall foliage trip
Start in the Upper Peninsula. At Pictured Rocks, the colored cliffs rise 50 to 200 feet above Lake Superior; Miners Castle, one of the shoreline's most famous landmarks, is the only cliff area you can reach by car. In late September the 879,000 acres of the Hiawatha National Forest begin to show crimson, yellow, green and brown.
In the Lower Peninsula, the Huron-Manistee National Forests have the Au Sable Vista, with views of the river and forest at the peak of color in October. Near Lake Michigan, the Forest Service points to the M-22 Scenic Drive and the Nordhouse Dunes, where maples, oaks and poplars make a vivid contrast with the shore.
Michigan's forests sit in the Upper Midwest, and our tree calendar for the Upper Midwest shows which species usually turn first there, week by week.
Official reports
- Sep 27Park ServiceAu Sable River views at the peak of fall color in OctoberSource (opens US Forest Service, Au Sable Vista in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceGuided tours in late May; nesting areas closed May 1 to July 15Source (opens US Forest Service, Kirtland's warbler tours in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceRiver Road Scenic Byway overlook for fall colorSource (opens US Forest Service, Westgate Scenic Overlook in a new tab)
Show all 8
- Sep 27Park ServicePrograms May through October; dune deck for fall colorSource (opens US Forest Service, Lumberman's Monument Visitor Center in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceSpring wildflowers between mid-April and early June; Grand Sable Dunes, Sand Point Road, Sand Point Marsh TrailSource (opens National Park Service, Pictured Rocks Wildflowers in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceColor usually peaks the last week of September or the first ten days of October; Chapel-Mosquito loop; black fliesSource (opens National Park Service, Pictured Rocks FAQ in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceSnow late November to late April; navigate to Munising Falls Visitor CenterSource (opens National Park Service, Pictured Rocks basic information in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceCliffs 50 to 200 ft over Lake Superior; Miners Castle; Grand Sable Dunes; boat tours mid-May to mid-OctoberSource (opens National Park Service, Pictured Rocks scenic sites in a new tab)
Questions people ask
When is peak fall foliage in Michigan in 2026?
In a typical year Pictured Rocks peaks Sep 24–Oct 10. Each place page has its own dates.
Where can I see fall foliage in Michigan?
We track 3 places: Pictured Rocks (usually Sep 24–Oct 10), Au Sable River and Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan.
Why does color come earlier in some places?
Higher ground turns first. In the Great Smoky Mountains, color can start as early as mid-September at the highest elevations, develops above 4,000 feet from early to mid-October, and reaches the lower and middle slopes between mid-October and early November.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains fall color ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How do you track fall foliage?
Each place moves through 6 stages: Still green, First color, Moderate, High color, Peak and Past peak. Every stage we show comes from a dated report with its source, and every forecast lists its sources.