This weekend may be your last chance to take in peak fall colors in much of the Upper Peninsula, but northern Michigan is just reaching the best time of the season.
The western U.P. has reached past peak fall colors, but the eastern U.P. has a few more days left before colors are expected be past peak, by early next week leaves will be falling across the U.P., according to Explore Fall's Michigan Fall Foliage Map 2026.
Scenic spots like Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Brimley State Park and Indian Lake State Park all have strong colors right now.
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"Whether you're a weekend wanderer, a seasoned hiker, or just someone who loves a good scenic drive, fall colors offer a one-of-a-kind experience that’s tailor-made
for you," the U.S. Forest Service says.
The northern Lower Peninsula is reaching peak colors now as the "leaf peeping" season moves farther south.
Here's what to know about fall colors in the U.P.
How much longer do you have to see fall colors in the U.P.?
Fall colors are already past peak in the western U.P., but they're still peak in the eastern U.P., and this weekend may be among your last chances to delight in a strong fall color road trip in the U.P.
Fall colors in the eastern U.P. could start reaching past peak by early next week, according to Explore Fall's Michigan Fall Foliage Map 2026.
Where can you see fall colors in the U.P.?
Pure Michigan says numerous state parks offer colorful ways to enjoy the outdoors.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park is among the most popular parks, with U.P. trees bracketing the largest waterfall in the state. Visitors can take advantage of a new 1,100-foot accessible boardwalk while stopping at the falls.
Indian Lake State Park, north of Manistique, offers a scenic getaway and is near Kitch-iti-Kipi spring, which is framed by colorful trees and filled with fish swimming in the clear water.
Brimley State Park, near Brimley, just east of the Bay Mills Indian Community along Waiska Bay into Lake Superior, features fall color views in among the U.P.'s oldest state parks, and is along theWhitefish Bay National Forest Scenic Byway, which features winding roads and scenic overlooks.
Where's the best fall color in northern Michigan?
Explore Fallsays northern Michigan, all the way south to about Saginaw Bay, is experiencing moderate color. The rest of the Lower Peninsula is seeing low color at this time.
The best bets for color may be near the tip of the mitten, along the Tunnel of Trees, Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore and in the Gaylord area.
How do colors vary by tree?
Michigan's diverse tree varieties each have their own color patterns, according to Michigan State University Extension.
In the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, maple trees feature orange and red leaves, while quaking aspen and larch trees produce yellow leaves. Sugar maples turn bright red, and red maples change from vivid red to orange to bright yellow.
Red oaks, present across the state, have subtle red leaves, while trees in the white oak group, with several in southern Michigan, feature yellow or dusty red leaves. Sassafras, present in southern Michigan, vary from yellow to deep red in the fall and can have three-lobed or mitten-shaped leaves.
Hickories, common in southern Michigan, can feature yellow leaves in the fall, the most common variety in the state being shagbark hickory. Larch trees feature needles, which turn bright yellow in the fall before shedding. Eastern larch, or tamarack, is a larch variety found in wetter parts of Michigan.
Lansing State Journal reporter Sarah Moore contributed.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fall colors are changing fast. Where to see peak color now
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