Chasing Fall Colors in Minnesota

It’s that time of year. The leaves are slowly starting to shift colors. You’re thinking to yourself that you’d love to get outside and chase some fall colors, but you don’t know where to start. What are the best times to visit certain areas? Which areas have the best vistas? Don’t fret, I have been chasing colors in MN for years and I’m here to give you all the insight.

  • Wild River State Park

General Tracking

Minnesota plus fall is one of my favorite combinations. The weather is perfect for cozy sweaters, apple cider, and campfires. Colors start to change in the north and move south slowly during the fall season. The northern most parts of Minnesota tend to see color change starting in September and the southern parts of the state will still be changing during the first couple weeks of October.

The best way to track colors is by using the Fall Color Finder that MN state parks puts out every year. The tracker gets updated almost daily for each state park and is super helpful for planning your weekends in different areas. There is a nifty Typical Peak Color page that gives insight on when certain areas tend to change color and why the leaves change color (yay science!).

Parks to Visit

North Shore

Now, not ALL areas are created equal. Certain parts of the state just have prettier places to see and that’s a fact. The North Shore is just as beautiful in the fall as it is in the summer. This area tends to get pretty busy in the fall season, so if you plan on visiting I would highly recommend booking any accommodation or campsites well in advance. Some amazing areas to see are:

  1. Grand Portage
  2. Tettegouche
  3. Palisade Head
  4. Gooseberry Falls
  5. Split Rock Lighthouse
St. Croix River
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Fortunately for everyone in Minnesota, there are a few incredible parks that sit right on the St. Croix River. On the other side of the river is Wisconsin so if you want to enjoy both states in one day you can! Some of the best color changes happen in this part of Minnesota and it’s probably my favorite because of how accessible it is from Minneapolis. Most parks below are within 1 – 2 hours from Minneapolis which makes a day trip more than feasible.

  1. St. Croix State Park (check out the fire tower!)
  2. Taylors Falls/Interstate State Park
  3. Wild River State Park
  4. William O’Brien State Park
St. Croix State Park

If you’re looking for a fun adventure that includes some quaint downtown shopping and maybe a bike ride definitely check out Stillwater MN. Not only does the town have a beautiful historic bridge that has been converted into a walking/running route, but it is also only 15 minutes from the beautiful Willow River State Park on the Wisconsin side. I may be a little biased since I grew up only 10 minutes from Willow River, but the falls here are still some of the most stunning I’ve ever seen. This is a great area to explore and after a day of adventuring you can snag a malt or shake in downtown Stillwater.

  • Taylors Falls
Minneapolis

This may seem like a snooze fest when there are so many state parks to visit, but Minneapolis has a lot to offer in the way of colors. The leaves here POP and for a few weeks you feel like you have all the beauty of fall right in your own backyard. Many of the local parks have great fall colors, but here are a few to chose from if you don’t know where to start!

  1. Chain of Lakes
  2. Minnehaha Falls
  3. Medicine Lake
  4. Theodore Wirth
  5. Lake Nokomis
  • Medicine Lake

Apparel

Minnesota is notoriously known for being chilly and unfortunately, that trend holds true in the fall. The key to being successful at chasing fall colors in Minnesota is: LAYERS. Whenever I head out to do some leaf peeping I always where a base layer, mid layer, and throw a jacket in the car for good measure.

The weather can turn in an instant so having a good pair of gloves and a warm hat can do you wonders. I also always have hand warmers with me because I am a baby when it comes to the cold. If you are going to wear leggings for your outing, ensure they are a thicker pair. You may think this is overboard, but a typical fall day looks like a mountain on the hourly weather forecast: Low of 35 F and high of 70 F…. Seriously.

I find the swing in temperature a blessing. Not only can you have a beautiful midday hike, but you can also enjoy hot chocolate and s’mores by the fire wrapped under a thick blanket. Fall in Minnesota lets me do all of my favorite activities in one day and I don’t have to compromise. No sweating at night in the tent and no freezing my butt of during the day (hello Minnesota winter).

Wrap Up

If you’ve made it this far, here are my top takeaways for chasing fall colors in Minnesota:

  1. Be flexible on timing and location – a.k.a use the Fall Color Finder
  2. Focus on general areas and don’t be afraid to stop the car if a location is popping with color
  3. Layers, layers, and more layers!

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