 September 2024
Looking Forward to Fall in Minnesota 💛🍂
 📷: Mazbeen Palsetia, William O'Brien State Park - taken 10/21/23
As the crisp air begins to roll in and the leaves start to change, there’s a buzz of excitement in the air for the fall season at Minnesota state parks and trails. Fall is a magical time of year when nature puts on its most spectacular show, transforming the landscape into a vibrant tapestry of reds, oranges, and yellows.
We can't wait to welcome you to our state parks and trails this fall. Not only do our parks offer breathtaking scenery, but they also host a variety of fall-themed activities and events. Join us for a day, night, or weekend as we kick off the fall season and get ready to experience the breathtaking color changes that make Minnesota's outdoors truly magical!
 The Famous Fall Color Finder Map 🗺️
The people behind the colors and an amazing new map feature!
To help you catch the best of the autumn colors, Minnesota state parks and trails offers the indispensable Fall Color Finder Map and website. The map is your ultimate guide to tracking the vibrant hues across the state with updates provided by our knowledgeable park staff who are on the ground every day, watching the magic unfold.
The Fall Color Finder Map isn’t just a static map—it’s a living, breathing reflection of the season, kept current by dedicated park employees like Ty Gangelhoff, park supervisor at Jay Cooke State Park (right) and Tiffany Muellner, interpretive naturalist at Blue Mounds State Park. For the past 20 years, Ty has meticulously monitored the changing leaves, starting his daily patrols in early September. “I do my best, but it’s not a scientific process,” Ty admits. “I come up with an average, and then a percentage range like zero to 25 percent color, while anticipating what it will be on the weekend when most visitors come through.” His observations help ensure that you have the most accurate information to plan your visit during peak color, which typically arrives around the first weekend in October at Jay Cooke.
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Meanwhile, at Blue Mounds State Park, Tiffany Muellner (left) keeps a close eye on the prairie grasses as they transition from the deep blues and purples of summer to the warm browns of early fall. "When determining percentages for the report, I look at how many flowers are still blooming,” Tiffany explains. While trees are sparse in this southwestern corner of the state, the tall grasses and fall-blooming flowers like asters and goldenrods create a stunning contrast against the expansive skies. “It’s all about the asters,” Tiffany says. “In the fall, we get stunning prairie views of the clouds, tall grasses, and flower blooms.”
Updated frequently by park staff like Ty and Tiffany, the map provides you with the most reliable and up-to-date information available—almost like having a personal fall color expert in your pocket. Each time a park staff member reports a new percentage of fall color at their location, the map adjusts automatically to reflect the updated data. To ensure you have the freshest information for your weekend plans, we require a staff member from each state park or recreation area across the state to submit a new report on Wednesday afternoon, allowing us to send a newly updated Fall Color newsletter early Thursday morning. This way, you’re always in the know and can catch the most vibrant displays as they happen!
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**New this year—the Fall Color Finder Map will also feature a slider function on our website, allowing you to move backward or forward in time. The slider uses map data from past seasons (see the 2023 season to the right) going back to 2013 to predict potential color changes. This new tool makes it even easier to plan your adventures, giving you insights into when and where the fall colors have peaked in the past so you can time your visits perfectly.
Whether you're chasing the brilliant reds and oranges of Minnesota's forests or the warm tones of its prairies, let the Fall Color Finder Map guide you to the most breathtaking autumn views our state has to offer. Get ready to make some unforgettable fall memories in Minnesota’s state parks!
Reminder!—The Trailblazer (this newsletter) and the Fall Colors Newsletter are two different email subscriptions. Only Fall Colors Newsletter subscribers get weekly updates with the Minnesota fall colors map. Don't miss out on the action! Subscribe to the Fall Colors Newsletter today.
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September Sets the Tone 📅
What kind of colors will we have this year?
 📷: Maplewood State Park, Top—Larry Kraft, taken 10/4/22 Bottom—David Nilles, taken 10/9/15
Sizzling scarlet and zesty yellows or earthy oranges and rusty reds—what hues will paint the Minnesota landscape this year? We can only guess, but some recent weather factors could give us clues!
🌾🧱 Dull or earthy fall colors can be caused by drought or leaf disease. When there is a mild summer drought, it can enhance fall colors, but severe drought usually dulls them considerably. In some cases, drought can cause foliage to die early and turn straw-colored due to lack of water. A severe summer drought landscape is filled with the subtler colors of tans, bronzes, and auburns.
💦🔥 Good news—since early June 2024, the entire state of Minnesota has been drought-free! In general, the best fall colors are set up by a growing season that has average precipitation. Although our excessively wet spring caused leaf diseases on some species, like aspen and oaks, it fortunately didn't cause much leaf loss. After 2023's drought, this year's rainy growing season means trees have the potential to maximize their color production in the fall!
☀️🌡️ As we move into September, bright sunshine and small temperature swings will bring out the best colors possible. We are more likely to see brilliant colors when the days are sunny, and the nights are cool (between 32-45 °F). Light frosts can help, but a hard freeze or early snow could stop the show in its tracks.
So what kind of fall will we have? Only Mother Nature truly knows, but beauty is guaranteed! Follow along with Minnesota's fall colors on our website.
Above Average Views 🔥
Elevate your autumn experience
 📷: Karen Telega, St. Croix State Park - Taken 10/23/22
Perched high above the treetops, these fire towers provide an unrivaled vantage point to witness stunning fall colors. As you may have guessed, a fire tower is a tall structure that was originally used to monitor for wildfires and smoke from its high vantage point. These days, you can climb to the top simply to take in panoramic vistas of our state's diverse wilderness.
Whether it's the fiery red maples, the golden aspens, or the rustic oaks, you'll be treated to a breathtaking panorama of colors that stretch as far as the eye can see. Here are some fire towers you can explore this fall:
🔥 St. Croix State Park: Explore history and enjoy panoramic vistas from this fire tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937.
🔥 Big Bog State Recreation Area: Climb this tower for stunning views of what's been called "Minnesota's last true wilderness."
🔥 Itasca State Park: Experience Minnesota's first state park from a whole new perspective with the breathtaking views from this tower.
🔥 Mille Lacs Kathio State Park: Take in the vibrant fall colors from the top of this 100-foot observation tower.
🔥 Whitewater State Park: Discover the beauty of limestone bluffs and deep ravines from the top of this tower.
Nature's Paint Box 🎨
The pigments that determine leaf color
Every year, Minnesotans await the beautiful gradients of fall. Green landscapes turn into an autumn masterpiece. But why do some trees turn orange or brown while others blaze fiery red?
Just like an artist uses pigments to paint, tree leaves have different pigments involved in fall colors. These pigments (in addition to weather and sunlight) determine a leaf's fall wardrobe.
Green 🍃
Chlorophyll is responsible for a leaf’s basic green coloring. When the amount of sunlight starts to decrease in the fall, trees respond by making less chlorophyll. With less chlorophyll present, other pigments start to show through.
In late fall, evergreen trees like pines, spruces, and firs providing stunning green contrast to an auburn landscape. Evergreen tree needles have a waxy coating that protects them from losing moisture and don’t require as much sunlight to produce chlorophyll, allowing them to stay green all year round. The one notable exception is the tamarack—the only pine tree whose needles turn yellow and shed in the fall.
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Yellow - Orange 🍂
Carotenoids give leaves their distinct yellow and orange coloring. They are also what makes carrots orange! Carotenoids are present all year round but only begin to peek through when less chlorophyll is produced. Trees that become golden-yellow in the fall include ash, aspen, basswood, birch, cottonwood, and elm.
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Brown 🌰
In many forests, oak trees don't add much to the collage of fall colors. They often just turn brown thanks to a group of compounds called tannins. Tannins are revealed when both chlorophyll and carotenoids break down in the leaves. Some oaks do produce a light red or pink color in the fall, but our native bur oak does not.
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Red 🍁
Anthocyanin is a special pigment that is only produced in the fall in response to bright light and excess plant sugars within the leaf. This pigment is responsible for giving leaves red and purple colors. Fiery red trees include maple, oak, and cherry.
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Winter is coming 🌬️
Fall colors ramp up — parks start to bunker down for cold
As flora and fauna prepare for winter during the fall, so do the staff at Minnesota state parks and trails. Buildings need to be winterized, watercraft rental operations shutter for the winter, and docks are pulled from the water.
Camping
Some campgrounds stay open year-round, but most close for the season in late fall. The state parks reservation website will show camping availability. Campers should be aware that most shower buildings in state parks are not equipped for winter use, and will close for the season once there’s threat of freezing temperatures. Many state parks keep shower buildings open through mid-October, although some locations need to turn off water earlier. Visitors can see if water is off for the season by checking the seasonal updates on each park’s website. If using a mobile device, find seasonal updates under the page menu. Most locations have rustic toilets available year-round.
Rentals
Rentals of canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are typically offered through late September. If you plan to rent a watercraft after September 15, it would be wise to call the park in advance to learn if rentals will be available on the date of your visit.
Staffing
State parks and trails rely on many seasonal staff, in addition to year-round staff, to keep parks and trails running smoothly throughout the busy summer season. As we move into the fall, seasonal staff are completing their work for the year, and open hours at ranger stations decrease with lower staffing levels for the offseason. If you require services only available during open hours, please check park websites before heading out. Office hours are listed right below the park’s hours on each park website. State park vehicle permits can be purchased online.
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 Palisade Head Upper Parking Lot Closure
Plan to park at Hwy 61 and hike to the top
 The radio tower at Palisade Head in Tettegouche State Park is getting a fresh coat of paint. The upper parking area near the radio tower is currently closed to vehicle traffic. However, you can still park at the parking area off of Highway 61 and hike up to Palisade Head to enjoy the view. While the radio tower is being repainted, watch out for possible dried paint and paint chips around the area (make sure to keep your furry friends leashed and kids close!).
The project is expected to finish by late September. Be aware of limited parking during this time, especially on weekends! Check the Tettegouche State Park website for visitor alerts and updates.
Father Hennepin Closed for Construction
No access to the park through November 2024
Father Hennepin State Park is currently closed for a wastewater construction project. Because the project intersects the park's entrance road, there is no access for the public at this time and the park will be temporarily closed until the project's completion in early November 2024. Until the park reopens, there is no day-use, overnight, or public water access in the park.
The current pond wastewater system used at the park is outdated and has exceeded its useful life. There is also increased demand on the wastewater system due to growing visitation from large RVs and camping rigs. The wastewater system upgrade will position the park for success in the future.
During the closure, local visitors are encouraged to visit another nearby state park such as Mille Lacs Kathio, which is only 15 miles away. Learn more about the construction project on our website and keep an eye out for updates on Father Hennepin State Park's visitor alert for details on a reopening date.
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