Why a road trip to view the Fall Foliage?
There’s something captivating about the vivacious remnants of once Chlorophyll rich leaves of the summer season. It draws millions across the country to get behind the wheels and make a memorable road trip.
A true fall spectacle at Porcupine Mountains, Courtesy Jonathan
Is there a fall foliage prediction map?
A few:
National Fall Color Guide: here
Illinois Fall Color Guide: here
Michigan’s Fall Color Guide: here
Wisconsin Fall Color Guide: here
Fall Color Road Trips
1. Door County Wisconsin
3.5 hours from Chicago
For every Chicago dweller, Door County is the most sought-after destination when it comes to Fall Colors.
Door County Spectacle, Courtesy Eiden
Activities –
Fall Festivals: Egg Harbor Pumpkin Patch Festival and iconic Sister Bay Festival.
Scenic Trails, Drives and Overlooks – Eagle Trail, Eagle Tower and biking at Peninsula State Park, Northport scenic drive, Cave Point.
Lighthouses – Cana Island Lighthouse, North Pier Head Light lighthouse.
Washington Island – Cherry Train Tours (huge hit for young kids), Midwest’s largest lavender farm (spring and summer season) and a whole lot more. You need to take a ferry from the northern tip of DC to get to it though.
Aerial view of Peninsula State Park, Courtesy Eiden
Last but not the least, the Fall Foliage is arguably Midwest’s best. Here’s the post detailing our Door County Fall Color road trip from Chicago.
2. Devil’s Lake State Park
3 hours from Chicago
Devil’s Lake is a great weekend or even same-day destination to enjoy the fall colors, without the touristy bits but full of nature’s fall spectacle.
Courtesy, Ajay
3. Starved Rock State Park, Illinois
1.5 hours from Chicago
With 13 miles of trails and close proximity to Naperville, this would be one the best options for a day trip. Looks like the Fall Colors would peak around October 17 weekend this year. Considering the massive crowd Starved Rock draws each year, you gotta watch out.
Fall colors at Starved Rock (Gabe)
4. Turkey Run State Park, Indiana
3.5 hours from Chicago
About 3 hours from Naperville, Turkey Run is one of the most sought after State parks and looks glam during the Autumn vista. Be it hikes, historical sites, activities, campgrounds, Fall Colors, bridges, gorges – this one has it all!
Fall Colors at Turkey Run (Paco)
5. Matthiessen State Park, Illinois
1.5 hours from Chicago
This is a lesser know cousin of Starved Rock with slightly muted footfall since the primary attraction is the waterfall during the summer season (see my summer trip here) and not the fall colors. It has around 6 miles of hikes and exhibits great fall foliage. This might be a preferred option, especially if you are going to take on the Oct 17 weekend crowd (peak time for colors this year).
So, set your GPS here and enjoy.
Fall Colors at Matthiessen (Pete)
6. Great River Road (Scenic Drive)
4 hours from Chicago
The Great Rivers Country area, composed of 30+ counties in Illinois West and Central, also boasts of a 30 mile scenic mile from Ashton to Grafton which attracts thousands of Fall Color aficionados every year.
Great River Road (EnjoyiIllinois.com)
Along the way, you could also visit Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton which offers a ton of activities for nature lovers and great foliage this time of the year.
7. Holy Hill Basilica at Hubertus, Wisconsin
2 hours from Chicago
Set your GPS here.
Holy Hill basilica is quite a novelty – a religious shrine perched atop a picturesque hill, drawing thousands of Fall Foliage lovers every year.
Check here to see the live view from the scenic tower.
The majestic views at Holy Hill
Tip: The scenic tower is only specific for a specific time. Check the hours here.
8. Michigan – Upper Peninsula
6-7 hours from Chicago
Porcupine Mountains State Park boasts of 60,000 acres of rugged Upper Peninsula wilderness – scenic overlooks, waterfalls, bluffs, old-growth forest, dozens of hiking and biking trails, less crowded Lake Superior beaches; no wonder Porcupine has been named as the Best State Park in the country in many awards.
Iconic Lake of the Clouds at Porcupine, Courtesy Jonathan
Brockway Mountain, Courtesy Brandon
Copper Peak, Courtesy Brandon
Iconic 510 Bridge at Negaunee, Courtesy Brandon
Bond Falls, Courtesy Brandon
Surreal Scenic UP Road, Courtesy Brandon
And of course, there is Pictured Rocks region as well – highly acclaimed for the fall spectacle.
9. Michigan – Lower Peninsula
3-5 hours from Chicago
Michigan Skybridge at Boyne Mountain is one of the best ways to enjoy the vagaries of Michigan Fall Colors.
As seen on 10/16/24, courtesy Boyne Mountain Resort
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Breeze through forests of sugar maple and beech trees, with the trifecta of Glen Lake, grandest of dunes and Lake Michigan for company.
Tunnel of Trees Scenic Drive
Another Fall Color spectacle is Tunnel of Trees, a scenic road on M119. Note that the road could get really crowded at times due to thousands flocking the road during the peak Fall season.
Tunnel of trees, courtesy Craig’s Obsession
M119 can be accessed from just outside Petoskey. You can find the map below – the yellow line highlights tunnel of trees route, red is an extension covering equally exquisite MI State Park.
Take the yellow route, courtesy mlive
PS: Credit to Michigan Skybridge for the featured image.
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