Find This Week's Best Fall Color

This is your 2022 Minnesota Fall Color Update, brought to you by Explore Minnesota. You will receive an email each Thursday afternoon during the fall color season, making it easier than ever to plan a colorful fall adventure.

Plan ahead so you don't miss the fall color show!

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, please visit Explore Minnesota's COVID-19 Information page before traveling.

According to Val Cervenka, the forest health program consultant in the DNR’s Forestry Division, “While there have been occasional color changes already in some stressed trees, overall color this year should be as stunning as we have come to expect if there are sunny days and chilly but not freezing nights as we get more into the season.”

Peak fall color typically washes across Minnesota from mid-September (along the Canadian border) to mid-October (along the Iowa border).

Below, see recommendations for three state parks or trails in each region of Minnesota. If you are out leaf peeping, please share your own photos and tag them #OnlyinMN.  

The oak, aspen, birch, basswood and ash trees are starting to yellow. Bigtooth aspen are dropping orange leaves on the forest floor. Pockets of red are appearing in the maples, sumac, and Virginia creeper vines that cross-cross the trees and shrubs. The maples on the higher ridges inland from Lake Superior are displaying some vibrant reds and oranges.

• Scenic State Park, Bigfork
• Grand Portage State Park, Grand Portage
• Moose Lake State Park, Moose Lake

The ash trees are advancing to full fall color and range from soft shades of green to marvelous bright yellow hues. Other trees starting to show subtle changes in color include random red and sugar maples and the khaki-yellow balsam poplars. Patches of yellow are developing in more of the basswoods. The sumac are adding scarlet to the lower canopy, and field and forest edges. The prairie grasses are coming into their autumn glory with beautiful blends of golds, maroons and blues.

• Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks
• Old Mill State Park, Argyle
• La Salle Lake State Recreation Area, Solway

The ash, aspen, birch, elm and basswood trees are beginning their switch to shades of yellow. The maples along the edge of the forests are showing hints of yellow, orange and red. The sumac and Virginia creeper are adding bright reds and pinks to the landscape. Prairie grasses are red, orange, pink, blueish-purple or brown depending on moisture and lighting conditions.

• Lake Carlos State Park, Carlos
• Glacial Lakes State Park, Starbuck
• Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, Onamia

The prairies are alive with color. Scattered maples are showing a continuum of orange, red and green. Additionally, many ash, elm, aspen, cottonwood and some basswood are displaying bright yellow leaves. Vivid red leaves fill the sumac, gray dogwood and Virginia creeper.

• William O'Brien State Park, Marine on St. Croix
• Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area, Jordan
• Three Rivers Park District, parks in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Scott and Wright counties

The best variety of color is found closest to the forest floor. Look for the red of Virginia creeper vines as they climb up the tree trunks and splashes of purple from the blooming asters along the trails. While much of the canopy is still green, the ash, ironwood and basswood trees are adding bright yellow to the mix, and some oaks and cottonwoods are very golden. The prairies are full of red, bronze and purple grasses.

• Minneopa State Park, Mankato
• Blue Mounds State Park, Luverne
• Big Stone Lake State Park, Ortonville