Do you know where to find the best fall color?

Find this week's perfect fall adventure with a little help from your Minnesota Fall Color Update, brought to you by Explore Minnesota and Minnesota State Parks and Trails. You'll get this email Thursday afternoons during the peak fall color season, making it easier than ever to make every day a colorful fall adventure.

Fall color has rapidly spread through the Twin Cities vicinity, with forests and trails illuminated by maples at peak shades of bright red and orange, along with vibrant yellow and golden-orange found in other tree species. The big woods forests and trees along the rivers are especially colorful. In the southern region, fall color is developing at a rapid pace. The maples are approaching their peak and the aspen and oaks are quickly taking on shades of bright yellow, gold, rich red and orange. Overlooks of the bluffs and river valleys are breathtaking.

Most of northeast and northwest Minnesota are past peak, but pockets of nice fall color can be found in the foliage, especially along the North Shore of Lake Superior. While the central region is mostly past peak, beautiful red, orange and yellow leaves can still be seen in the canopy of the trees and understory shrubs.

Lots of fun events and activities are scheduled over MEA Weekend — check them out at Explore Minnesota and Minnesota State Parks & Trails.

Most maples are at peak fall color, and should remain at or near their peak through the weekend. Accentuating the maples are the golden leaves of other tree species. The sumac in the understory are covered with brilliant red leaves. Rich shades of rust, maroon and bronze can be seen in more of the oak trees.

• Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska
• Three Rivers Park District parks, seven-county metro area
• William O'Brien State Park, Marine on St. Croix

Bright red, orange and yellow trees are rapidly appearing on the 500-foot Mississippi River bluffs, and the limestone bluffs and deep ravines of southeastern Minnesota's Bluff Country. The sumac and other understory shrubs are adding brilliant shades of scarlet, peach and orange to the fall color show. Many areas are approaching peak fall color.

• Beaver Creek Valley State Park, Caledonia
• Great River Bluffs State Park, south of Winona
• Minneopa State Park, Mankato

Peak fall color arrived for much of central Minnesota last week, but plenty of maple, aspen, cottonwood and oak trees continue to fill the landscape with yellow, gold, orange and burgundy leaves.

• Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, Ironton
• Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, Onamia
• Lake Carlos State Park, Carlos, north of Alexandria

FALL FOR GREAT GOLF IN MINNESOTA

While most areas of northeast Minnesota are past peak, colorful pockets remain. The aspen and birch along the North Shore of Lake Superior continue to display bright yellow leaves in some areas.

• Gitchi-Gami State Trail, Two Harbors/Grand Marais
• Savanna Portage State Park, north of McGregor
• St. Croix State Park, east of Hinckley

Past-peak conditions are reported by park staff throughout the northwest region, however good fall color can still be found in some of the more protected areas. The tamarack trees are beginning to display their customary vivid gold-orange colors and the oaks are rich shades of red and orange.

• Itasca State Park, Lake Itasca, north of Park Rapids
• Big Bog State Recreation Area, Waskish
• Buffalo River State Park, Moorhead

Disclaimers: This year's fall color updates are a collaboration between Explore Minnesota and Minnesota State Parks and Trails. As a result, some subscribers may receive two copies of this newsletter. Some images in this email are representative of typical Minnesota fall color, not real-time photographs from this year.

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