Seasonal & Holidays

Peak Dates for 2016 Fall Foliage: Interactive Map

If you're planning a fall foliage tour in Michigan — or anywhere in the country — this tool can help you make the most of it.

It will continue to be summer in Michigan for couple of weeks and look like summer for a few days after that in most areas, but fall colors will be coming.

But how can you know when the leaves will change? You can’t know precisely, but an interactive map can help you predict when to take your fall foliage tours and see the leaves at their vibrant peaks.

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map is found on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website, but it includes all 50 states. If you're planning a trip to some other area with great fall color, such as New England, the map can remove some of the guesswork.

Find out what's happening in St. Clair Shoresfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Some change is already occurring in Upper Michigan, and you may see some patchy color there by Sept. 16. Leaves will have partially peaked on the first day of autumn — Sept. 22 — and will near their peak by Sept. 30.

So, if the map is accurate, you should plan your trip to Upper Michigan around Oct. 7. Leaves elsewhere in the state should be approaching their peak by then, so you’ll have a nice, scenic drive.

Find out what's happening in St. Clair Shoresfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

In Lower Michigan, leaves will peak around Oct. 14, and will be past peak statewide by Oct. 21.

Photo by Beth Dalbey/Patch

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