There’s nothing quite like fall in the Upper Peninsula — and USA TODAY readers agree. The U.P. has once again been named the No. 1 Best Destination for Fall Colors in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards.
It’s easy to understand why. More than 85% of the U.P.’s 16,500 square miles is forested, giving fall plenty of room to put on a show. Maples turn brilliant red and orange. Birch and aspen brighten the woods with yellow and gold. And all that color meets 4,300 inland lakes, thousands of miles of rivers and streams and the shores of three Great Lakes.
But fall here isn’t just something to look at. It’s an excuse to take the long way around, pull over for a waterfall, hike beneath changing leaves or linger in a small town you hadn’t planned to visit. Sometimes the best part of a fall color trip is simply seeing where the road takes you.
Each year, USA TODAY editors and a panel of travel experts select destinations from across the country for the 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards, with the final rankings determined by public vote.
The Upper Peninsula has become a familiar name on the Best Destination for Fall Colors list, with multiple consecutive No. 1 finishes.
Find Your Fall Color Route
Choose a route through hardwood forests, along Great Lakes shorelines and past waterfalls, scenic overlooks and welcoming small towns. With nearly 1,500 miles of suggested routes across the peninsula, there’s always another road to follow.
Before you head out, check our fall color report to see where colors are changing and where peak conditions are expected next.
