Top 3 Best Places For Fall Foliage In Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a “fall colors” kind of state. There are abundant woodlands here, filled to the brim with maple, oak, and birch trees. Whether it’s on a country drive, out camping with your friends, or a calm canoe ride on flat waters, the peace and tranquility of Wisconsin’s countryside lit in autumnal splendor shouldn’t be missed. Here’s 3 of the top places for fall colors in Wisconsin.
1) Bayfield
Bayfield is a fun and quirky town in the far-North of the state. Situated on the slopes of Lake Superior and just beside the picturesque Apostle Islands, Bayfield is home to many of Wisconsin’s ex-urban bohemians and active outdoorsy types.
Take a sea-kayak out on the big lake or take the ferry over to Madeline Island and be rewarded with great shots of the trees lining the bluffs.
2) Door County
Door County is a mixed bag these days; yes, it’s still the “Martha’s Vineyard of the Midwest” and yes, it is still unspeakably beautiful when the weather turns chilly at night and the leaves just begin to drop from the trees, but there is an unfortunate set of circumstances that comes with it. The secret’s out, and everybody in Chicago, Wisconsin, and Minnesota know how beautiful it is, and it’s getting crowded.
That said, as long as you don’t actually go up on the weekend of the fall festival, it’s not too busy and still very enjoyable. If you don’t know about Door County, just know this: it’s an old-school agrarian community that inspired artists, artisans, writers and all sorts of other slightly whacky but altogether enjoyable people. It’s surrounded on all sides by water and is situated on top of a massive limestone deposit. This makes for beautiful boreal forests not normally seen until you get up to central Canada or Scandinavia.
For the fall colors, there are plenty of great options. One of my favorites is to take the ferry up to Washington Island, rent a bike, and cruise around the island. Stop at the petting zoo, check out the Norwegian church, and grab a bite to eat at any of the places along County Rd W.
Another great option is to head to Peninsula State Park, climb up Eagle Tower and get shots of blazing red and gold islands in Green Bay.
3) Lapham Peak
Due West of Milwaukee just off I-94 is a great state park, Lapham Peak. This is one of my favorite parks not just because it’s close to my home, but because of the range of activities here. Hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, x-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter… the list goes on.
In the fall, you can climb to the top of the lookout tower and get amazing views of the surrounding countryside. And when standing at the bottom of one of the deep bowls carved out by the glaciers, it can make you feel like there is nothing else in the world but you and the brightly-colored trees.