It’s impossible to pin down a date for color changes around Lake Superior, but this chart (top) gives a good approximation for seeing fall foliage.
PAUL SUNDBERG
We’ve picked main paved routes for our seven great fall drives, like Michigan’s H-58 (facing page), but choosing to try an unpaved road, like Forest Road 166 north of Tofte, Minnesota, can reveal spectacular colors.
Hitting the Road for the BEST colors of the season!
Autumn’s crisp, clear days and crinkly, colorful leaves call out for a good Sunday drive – any day of the week. If you hit it right for the changing of the foliage, you could simply throw a dart at a map of Lake Superior region roads and hit a great drive. Yes, it’s that good all around the Big Lake.
Of course, more than just color goes into a fall drive. What are the mix of trees you might see? Is the road paved with easy access or unpaved? What are the other attractions that will prove to be the best stop-to-see distractions along the way?
We took all of this into consideration – as well as some consultation with our regional photographers about where they like to take fall photos – as we decided on our “Magnificent Seven” of autumn drives.
The main seven that we’ve chosen all are paved roadways with easy access. Not all of them follow Lake Superior, but all offer great foliage with a variety of colors and textures. All feature extra attractions that make the drive worthwhile. From start to finish, none of them takes longer than two hours to drive. That’s if you don’t make any stops for fun or photos – and that would be a shame. If you’re not a Lake Superior region resident, we recommend that you plan at least one overnight stay to benefit from the best of the season. If you’re a resident, hey, jump in the car or hop on the bike and get going.
In addition to our picks, we suggest a few additional routes, not all of them paved and some from our photographer suggestions (like this favorite of Paul Sundberg to the left).
We’d like to hear your suggestions, too. Send your favorites and photos to edit@lakesuperior.com.
Happy – colorful – trails to you.
Michigan
Wisconsin
Highway 13 to Bayfield Orchard Loop
Minnesota
Highway 1 to Wanless Road & Ely
