minnesota fall trips

12 Minnesota Fall Color Drives to take in Minnesota in 2024

Ready to embark on a leaf-peeping adventure like no other? Get ready to witness nature’s vibrant palette as you explore the 12 most breathtaking fall color drives in Minnesota.

From the scenic North Shore Drive to the picturesque Twin Cities, each route promises a kaleidoscope of hues that will leave you awe-struck.

So, grab your camera, hit the road, and prepare to be dazzled by the stunning beauty that awaits around every bend.

Let’s dive into a riot of color and laughter-filled memories!

North Shore Drive Duluth to Grand Marais

You’ll love the vibrant autumn foliage along North Shore Drive in Minnesota . It is often one of the first locations to start changing. The best time to see the colors is in mid-September to early-October.

As you cruise along this scenic byway of highway 61, the fall colors in Minnesota will amazing you. The display of reds, oranges, and yellows are perfect against the backdrop of Lake Superior .

The  Minnesota DNR   has even named this stretch of road as one of the best places to view   fall colors   in the entire state.

Don’t forget to make a stop at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park in Two Harbors 32 Best Things To Do in Two Harbors Minnesota 2023 , T ettegouche State Park , and Superior National Forest .

So, roll down your windows, take a deep breath of that crisp autumn air, and let the beauty of North Shore Drive envelop you in its colorful embrace.

Itasca County Exploration

There’s plenty to discover while exploring Itasca County’s scenic routes during this time of year. And let me tell you, Minnesota knows how to put on a show when it comes to fall colors.

Take the Lake Country Scenic Byway and you’ll pass by so many beautiful sights and great things to do.

Don’t miss out on Itasca State Park , or Lake Bemidji where you can wander through the trails and see the fall foliage firsthand.

The best time to see it all is mid-September to early October.  So, grab your camera and take off on an adventure you won’t soon forget.

Mississippi River Valley Scenic Route in Bluff Country

As you drive along the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Route, make sure to keep your eye on the road. This is one of the best drives and the first Fall Colors adventures we went on our way to Red Wing.

Making a stop at Frontenac State Park or Great River Bluffs State Park in southern Minnesota for a closer look.

Fall colors in Minnesota are spectacular! The scenic route is a hidden gem that showcases the colors. Plus you’ll get the chance to stop at great towns along the way.

Douglas and Ottertail Counties Road Trip

Get ready to road trip through Douglas and Ottertail Counties. This is a completely underrated fall colors drive in Minnesota.

These counties are like a hidden treasure trove, just waiting for you to discover their picturesque landscapes and hidden gems.

And don’t forget to make a pit stop in Ottertail County. There are sparkling lakes and rolling hills, all cloaked in the colors of autumn.

St. Croix River Valley Tour and Taylors Falls

Another favorite of mine is the picturesque St. Croix River Valley. There are some great charming towns like Taylors Falls and Stillwater ready to be explored during the Minnesota fall season.

The best fall foliage in Minnesota is waiting. As you drive through the winding roads, you’ll get river front views.

Don’t forget to stop by a William O’Brien State Park to see peak color. It’s like stepping into a painting!

Chippewa National Forest

Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the stunning Chippewa National Forest and its diverse ecosystem.

This enchanting forest, located in Minnesota, is a must-visit destination.

The fall color finder will guide you to the most picturesque spots, where the maple trees paint the landscape with shades of red, orange, and gold.

Whether you’re coming from Duluth or Taylors Falls , make sure to bring your camera.

Ah, the Iron Range! A place where the fall colors are is perfect for Leaf Peepers. In northern Minnesota, you’ll get some of the best of Minnesota’s fall colors.

Make sure to stop into Ely and Lake Vermillion Soudan Underground Mine State Park .

If you are looking for a good route to see the displays of color, take the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway.

 So grab your camera and get ready for a fall foliage adventure like no other on the Iron Range!

Mille Lacs Lake in Brainerd

You can’t visit Mille Lacs Lake without experiencing the thrill of reeling in a trophy-sized walleye. But don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the stunning autumn colors too!

Drive around the lake and take it all in.

The colors are absolutely amazing in the Brainerd Lakes area. Stop at Mille Lacs Kathio S tate Park or Father Hennepin State Park for a closer look.

You can also top into the town of Brainerd to enjoy the fun things to do!

The lake’s shoreline, combined with the breathtaking foliage, creates a perfect backdrop for your fall adventure. 

Twin Cities Grand Rounds

Now that we’ve explored the stunning fall colors around Mille Lacs Lake, let’s head to the Twin Cities. There is an amazing fall colors drive in Minnesota hiding in plain sight.

You can see the fall foliage as a bike ride through Grand Rounds. The Grand Rounds bike trail is 300 miles of regional trails that loop around the city.

If you want to stay in your car, a quick drive through Theodor Wirth Park or do the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is all you need to see fall colors in Minnesota. 

Minnehaha Falls is another popular stop!

Don’t forget to make a pit stop at the numerous parks and gardens dotting the city.

Minnesota River Valley Drive in Mankato

Hop in your car and prepare to be captivated by the breathtaking scenery along the Minnesota River Drive. This iconic road trip is a must-do for anyone seeking an unforgettable fall foliage experience.

The best place to see fall colors in along the Minnesota River Drive. Stop into New Ulm and Mankato. Find an overlook and enjoy the colors.

From the stunning Red Bluff to the charming small towns dotted along the route. The best time to see the colors is from mid-September to mid-October. So mark your calendars and get ready for a journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

There any accommodations available along the north shore drive route.

Along the north shore drive route, you’ll find plenty of accommodations to make your fall colors adventure even more enjoyable. Here are the best places to stay: Where to stay on the North Shore in Minnesota | Amazing Locations

What Are Some Recommended Hiking Trails to Explore in Itasca County?

Looking to explore some awesome hiking trails in Itasca County? There are some great trails to explore in Bemidji State Park and Itasca State Park. The headwaters of the Mississippi River is always a favorite.

There Any Specific Attractions or Landmarks to Visit Along the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Route?

Are you ready for a scenic adventure along the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Route? Stop into Red Wing and see the giant Red Wing Boot, or into Wabasha to see the National Eagle Center.

What is the best time to see Fall Colors in Minnesota?

The best time to see fall colors in Minnesota is late September to mid-October. But it all depends on the weather and location.

For up to date information on the current conditions, check out the Minnesota department of natural resources Fall Color Finder .

When the color hits orange on the map, you’ve got peak fall color, so get ready to hop in the car.

We have wonderful fall color drives in Minnesota and around the Twin Cities. So why not grab your pumpkin spice latte, hop in your car, and embark on the adventure of a lifetime?

Minnesota’s vibrant foliage is one of the most memorable trips to take. Don’t forget to snap a selfie for the ‘gram.

Happy leaf-peeping, my fellow autumn enthusiasts! Keep calm and fall on!

Minnesota native and Midwest travel expert Jennifer provides insider tips and budget-friendly trip ideas for families looking to explore the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Through her travel blog DayTripper28, she draws on first-hand experience to recommend the best hidden gems, outdoor adventures, road trips, and weekend getaways around Minnesota and the Midwest. With her passion for uncovering local flavors and culture along the backroads, Jennifer shares affordable itineraries for creating memorable experiences across the region.

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The Best Places to See Fall Colors in Minnesota

Autumn in Minnesota is beautiful, with clear skies, sunshine, and stunning fall foliage. Whether you take a day trip in the countryside or a stroll through the parks of the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, fall can be a glorious time to visit.

Minnesota is known for its many varieties of maple trees, which have fall colors ranging from crimson red to dazzling gold. You'll also encounter the red twig dogwood with its bright red twigs and purple fall leaves. Smoke trees, found in southern Minnesota, have leaves that change from blue-green to yellow or red-orange in the fall.

The exact time for peak fall foliage, though, depends on factors including weather , altitude, and location. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has an excellent  fall color status map that covers the entire state, so you can see where the best fall foliage areas are in real-time. In a typical year, the most northern parts of the state reach peak foliage as early as mid-September, with the changes progressing south through mid-October. By the time Halloween rolls around, the trees in Minnesota have usually already shed their leaves.

The Twin Cities

If you are in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, you don't have to travel far to see the fall colors. Get some fresh air by strolling through the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum , walking around Lake Minnetonka , or driving through the Minnesota River Valley, just south of Bloomington.

In the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, the leaves usually begin to change color in mid- to late-September, with peak foliage time usually occurring around the first and second week of October. The colors survive another week or so after that point but begin turning brown rather quickly, and almost never last until Halloween .

Another fun way to take in the fall colors is to visit an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch at harvest time, especially for families with kids. Many farms and orchards can be found within an hour's distance of Minneapolis–St. Paul, making it an easy day trip. Minnesota Harvest is less than an hour outside of downtown Minneapolis and offers apple picking, a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, a corn maze, and more.

Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway

Driving along the Minnesota River and the Scenic Byway is a fantastic way to experience fall foliage not far from the Twin Cities. There are scenic and historic stops along the Byway, which runs from Browns Valley to Belle Plaine, just south of Minneapolis. You'll encounter six state parks with trails, fall foliage, and history, as well as small towns with museums and historic sites. The scenic route takes about four and a half hours to drive and follows a collection of different highways, so don't rely on your GPS and stick to the official route to maximize your landscape.

As you drive through the Minnesota River Valley, you'll find an eclectic option of things to do including biking in Riverfront Park in Mankato, visiting the August Schell Brewery Museum in Neu Ulm, and enjoying the historic buildings and sites of Montevideo .

While you could spend days exploring the sites and enjoying the fall color along the Scenic Byway, you can also easily explore sections of the route on a day trip from Minneapolis-St. Paul .

St. Croix Valley and Bluff Country

Venture outside the city and take a drive in the countryside. There are many places to visit, especially in the St. Croix Valley and Bluff Country, with gorgeous river views, stunning cliffs, and autumn color.

This 52-mile stretch from Taylors Falls to the confluence of the St. Croix River with the Mississippi River at Hastings offers much to see. Hastings is a quaint community on the bluffs known for its Victorian architecture, especially along the historic downtown streets. Visit the  LeDuc Historic Estate , a Gothic Revival mansion open for tours through the end of October each year, which is especially picturesque with the backdrop of the autumn trees.

Stillwater is another fun place to stop. The largest city on the St. Croix, it's also one of Minnesota’s oldest towns and has historic architecture where you'll find antique shops, galleries, indie book stores, and local small restaurants. It's a place where you can rent a bike and enjoy the scenery, including biking a five-mile loop trail connecting the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of the St. Croix River.

North Shore

jimkruger / Getty Images

One of the most popular ways to see the foliage is to head to the breathtaking North Shore region—which is geographically the west shore of Lake Superior. Towering trees stand over cliffs which drop into the waters of Lake Superior, with the highway hugging the shoreline the entire way for the ultimate scenic route.

The North Shore route begins in Duluth, Minnesota, and snakes its way up all the way to the Canadian border along State Highway 61. It's one of the most scenic road trips in all of Minnesota , and autumn is arguably the most striking time to complete it. The fall colors start appearing sometimes as early as Labor Day in this northern region, with the peak foliage making its debut by late September. Once the temperatures begin to really drop, the leaves fall quickly, so plan accordingly.

The harbor village of Grand Marais is a great choice for a fall visit. It is located alongside the crystal clear waters of Lake Superior as well as near the Sawtooth Mountains, which are stunning when the colors change. The town is popular with lovers of arts and crafts, and you'll discover traditional crafts of the northern hemisphere at the  North House Folk School and can even sign up for a class.

To drive the entire length of Highway 61 within Minnesota, its 150 miles and takes about three hours without stopping. But of course, the stops along the way will be the highlight of your trip.

North Minnesota

The northern part of Minnesota is rich with forests, lakes, rivers, bluffs, and more natural landscapes that make it an ideal adventure for any nature lover. The entire region is essentially a conglomeration of several different state parks, including the George Washington State Forest, Pine Island State Forest, Kabetogama State Forest, and Lake Superior National Forest. Similar to the nearby North Shore, the trees in Northern Minnesota are the first ones in the state to reach peak color. September is the best time to enjoy temperate weather and vivid fall foliage; if you go any later, you may miss it.

If you prefer a more quiet, low-key getaway, consider visiting the town of Ely, tucked away in the woods of Lake Superior Forest. This charming hamlet, which is close to the Canadian border, is home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its north wood forests and glacial lakes. This is an area where you might even encounter a moose.

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This Lesser-known Scenic Byway Is the Perfect Place to See Fall Colors — and It’s Studded With Waterfalls, Hiking Trails, and Lakefront Towns

Fall comes twice in this part of the U.S. — and it's extra spectacular along the shoreline.

Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel.

Ben Threinen/Courtesy of Explore Minnesota

The fall colors in Minnesota don’t get the attention of the foliage in Vermont or Maine, but while every other leaf peeper heads east this autumn, our tip is to head north, where fall comes twice . Along Minnesota’s North Shore, which runs along Lake Superior between Duluth, Minnesota, and the Canadian border, there are two distinct fall foliage seasons: the colorful maple trees in the mountains, followed by the aspen and birch trees that run along the shore. 

It’s all easy to see along the North Shore’s scenic byway , which stretches 154 miles along the shoreline between Duluth and Grand Portage, Minnesota, near the Canadian border. In fact, the drive is so spectacular, it was designated as an "All-American Road" by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Along the way, road trippers wind their way along the Lake Superior shoreline, where waves crash against jagged cliffs and waterfalls tumble into the great lake. The route passes a whopping eight state parks and a handful of small shoreline towns known for their local fish and lakefront views. As an added plus, the cool, fall weather makes hopping out of the car for a hike in the Superior National Forest more appealing.

Here’s what to see and do along the scenic byway, including cool places to stay for the night and side trips worth the effort.

What to Do and See Along the Route

Joseph Gosline/Courtesy of Explore Minnesota

We recommend that you start your journey in Duluth, which is home to North America’s largest freshwater estuary, a 12,000-acre wetland that is in the final stages of restoration and is a great place for kayaking and canoeing. If you’re looking to visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness — which is arguably the North Shore’s biggest draw — turn off at Two Harbors, Minnesota, and head north.

But to continue on the scenic byway, pass through Two Harbors until you reach the pebbly shores of Kelsey Beach, which is also the perfect place to enjoy a slice of pie from Betty’s — more on that later. From the beach, you’ll drive through Gooseberry State Park and Split Rock Lighthouse State Park , home to the iconic Split Rock Lighthouse , one of the most photographed and visited spots in the state. 

From the lighthouse, it’s just another 20 minutes to Tettegouche State Park , which is home to some of the state’s biggest waterfalls. It’s a great place to stretch your legs on the trail that runs along the cliffs or to hike the Cascade Trail to the Cascades Waterfall. From there, you’ll pass through Caribou Falls State Wayside and Temperance River State Park before reaching Lutsen , a tiny town with a ski area that transforms into a summer and fall mountain haven when the weather warms. Here, you can ride the Summit Express gondola for a bird’s-eye view of the lake, mountain bike, or hop on the adrenaline-inducing alpine slide.

The coastal town of Grand Marais is the next big stop. The small community has a surprisingly good food scene and a robust art community that includes the renowned North House Folk School , where you can learn traditional northern crafts. Continuing on, you’ll be treated to great views of Tombolo, one of the lake’s iconic North Shore islands, before you reach the town of Grand Portage at the end of the route.

Jackie Scherer/Courtesy of Explore Minnesota

Where to Stay

You can drive the entire route in just around the hours, but to really enjoy the North Shore (and this iconic drive), we recommend splitting the trip into a couple of days. In Duluth, rest your head at Solglimt , a five-room bed-and-breakfast with Lake Superior beach access, or the waterfront Fitger’s Hotel .

Midway through the route, book a night at The Mayhew Inn in Grand Marais, which has expansive rooftop decks with views of the harbor and The Gunflint Trail (another local must-do).

There are also plenty of campgrounds en route.

Where to Eat

In Duluth, don’t miss a trip to Lake Superior Brewing , which underwent a reinvention in 2022 and now has a fresh location and an expanded menu. (Their Smashburger is a local favorite.)

Further down the road, is the New Scenic Café , an intimate, Scandinavian-inspired restaurant with a garden and lake views directly off the scenic byway. Down the road, across the street from Kelsey’s Beach north of Two Harbors is Betty’s Pies , a world-famous pie destination that’s been open since 1956. (They serve breakfast and lunch, too.)

In Grand Marais, there are two spots well worth a visit. The Fisherman's Daughter doles out baskets of "dock-to-table fish + chips," as well as fish tacos, beer-battered fries, and tater tots. Nearby, the Angry Trout Cafe offers lakefront indoor-outdoor dining out of an old commercial fishing shanty.

Kenton Knutson/Courtesy of Explore Minnesota

The best time to drive the North Shore scenic byway is in the fall when the weather has cooled and the fall colors start to pop. The maple trees found in the Sawtooth Mountains tend to change first, typically reaching their peak in mid-September and continuing through early October. Along the shoreline of Lake Superior, where road trippers will be spending most of their time, the aspens and birch trees tend to peak between late September and mid-October.

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Where to embrace the charm of fall in Minnesota

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It’s official. We are leaf ing summer behind. 

Minnesota has many wonders to offer this short season and you can start planning day trips to make the most out of it. From apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes to colorful foliage … our MPR News colleagues hand-picked some of their favorite places and activities from all across the state. You’ll fall in love with them:

A family classic in Hastings

This will probably be the pick of half the newsroom! But we've always gone to Afton Apple in Washington County. Nice topography. You can roam around or hop on the tractor-pulled hay wagon. You can sample the apples before you walk in. Our kids are adults now and still love it.

— Paul Tosto, senior editor

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A sweet getaway in Chaska

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is one of my favorite places to enjoy a relaxing fall afternoon and see all the beautiful fall colors if I can't make it to Duluth! There are so many trails and beautiful gardens to wander through — and many fall festivities throughout the season! If you're lucky — North Star Donuts ’ Food Truck may be there selling Apple Cider Mini Donuts!

— Ellie Roth, APM Reports investigative intern

Enjoy great hikes and views in Red Wing 

Usually in the fall, I am just getting ready to hunker down and try to stay warm. However, I tend to go to the river down by Red Wing to check out the fall colors — when it's not an election year, that is. Frontenac State Park has good hiking trails and great views. When I do go, it's just for the day.

— Mike Mulcahy, senior editor  

Create everlasting memories in Jordan

My husband and I do have a tradition of going to an apple orchard to pick apples for our anniversary. We go to Ferguson’s orchard in Jordan, Minn., and we make apple crisp with them afterwards. We make a whole day out of it. 

We got ourselves a candle from there last year and we burn it to remind ourselves of that orchard every season now. We’ve been to different orchards around southern Minnesota, but I have a feeling we’ll be going back to that one this year. A lot of kids go there too since there’s activities for them.

— Hannah Yang, senior regional reporter 

Mountains and microclimates in Lutsen

I do like everything apple: probably my favorite thing about fall. Apple pie, apple crisp, apple cider. Some great orchards in the St. Croix River valley are Carpenter Nature Center and Whistling Well Farm . 

I do like fall foliage, just not the change in weather. A great place to see fall foliage is probably not much of a secret: Oberg Mountain on the North Shore is a little hike but great view of both Lake Superior and the inland side of “the mountains:” you can see how the microclimates of Lake Superior work, colors turn much sooner inland without the modifying effect of Lake Superior on the lake side of the hills.

— Sven Sundgaard, meteorologist

Visit the spooky and mesmerizing Fargo-Moorhead

OK, so I'm new-ish to Fargo-Moorhead which means I have to go to every. Fall. Thing.

The Moorhead Haunted Farm stood out to me because I crave all things terrifying. There's the Insane Clown Room and Dark Maze with some other spooky-sounding themes, $22 a pop. It starts Sept. 22 and runs through Halloween.

Farm in the Dell's annual Fall Festival in Moorhead is on Sept. 23-24. I'm talkin' barrel train rides, a pumpkin sale and crafts. $15/family and all proceeds go toward local folks with disabilities.

There's also the Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch in Glyndon, Minn., opening that same weekend through Oct. 29. Read: petting zoo and duck races. $6 a person.

One more! Speaking of Buffalo River, its state park has been gorgeous each time I've ventured there. Locals say the fall colors there are spectacular (bonus: if you count the water's reflection, that's two times the pretty colors.) Send photos if you go. Here are others .

— Amy Felegy, associate digital producer

Biking and hiking at the Minnesota River bottoms

One of my favorite places to enjoy fall is the network of natural-surface trails along the Minnesota River bottoms between Mendota and Bloomington, Minn. Sinewy braids of single track weave through the flood plains, perfect for exploring by biking and hiking.

Though the exact route can change due to flooding and other natural forces, you can find a patchwork map of the existing trails here and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services website here . Trail conditions vary by season, but members of a community Facebook group frequently post ride reports.

— Ben Hovland, visual journalist

Hidden treasures in central and southwest Minnesota

Where I currently live in the St. Cloud area, I like to visit Quarry Park for a hike. There are lots of great trails to stroll by the changing leaves and take in the fall colors. And after your hike, it's just a short drive to Milk & Honey Ciders in St. Joseph, Minn., where you can reward yourself with a refreshing fall beverage.

Back in southwest Minnesota, where I grew up, one of my favorite places to visit (and another quarry!) is Pipestone National Monument . It's not just fall leaves here — beautiful wild flowers and the changing colors in the monument's Tallgrass Prairie also offer fun fall sights.

— Anna Haecherl, digital editor

Group adventure in northern Minnesota

This will be my third fall in Minnesota and I never enjoyed the season that much until I moved here. I am still amazed by the colorful midwestern foliage and one of my favorite places to enjoy it is in northern Minnesota.

In 2022, my husband and our best friends went on a day trip up north from the Twin Cities. We started our day bright and early, had a gigantic and delicious brunch at Bridgeman’s in Duluth and then had a great time at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Two Harbors, Minn. We did some trekking, took great photos of the landscape and watched the sunset at Lake Superior’s shore. A hundred percent recommended.

— Nicole Johnson, assistant digital producer

With this map, you can easily locate all of these great recommendations in one place. Scroll in, and out, pick your favorite and plan your adventure. 

Happy fall y’all! 

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14 Best Places To Experience Fall In Minnesota

August 12, 2023 by //  by  Midwest Explored Leave a Comment

Are you looking for the best places to experience fall in Minnesota?

Then you’ll love this list, full of beautiful spots for enjoying fall colors in Minnesota.

I’m from the Midwest, so I know that it can be one of the best places in the country for enjoying those gorgeous Fall leaves.

Minnesota is a beautiful state in the Midwest known for its extensive lakes and forest land.

It’s not a surprise that all that natural beauty makes for some stunning MN Fall colors displays throughout the state.

Peak season for seeing Fall colors in MN is from mid-September to mid-October, so keep that in mind when you plan your trip.

On this list, I’ve found some of the best spots for enjoying peak fall colors in Minnesota.

From breathtaking waterfalls, mountain peaks, and everything in between, here are the 12 best places to experience Fall in Minnesota.

Northwoods For Fun Fall In Minnesota Activities

Northwoods is the northern section of the state, close to the Canadian border.

It is typically considered the area between three major communities. Bemidji, Blackduck, and Cass Lake.

The area is absolutely beautiful and is home to 14 of the best resorts in Minnesota.

It is one of the best places to visit in the fall, and the many resorts make it a super fun spot for exploring Minnesota in the fall.

During peak season you will be able to fully enjoy the stunning colors of autumn during a variety of Minnesota activities.

The many resorts offer opportunities for some of the best hiking in Minnesota. Followed by biking, horseback riding, and watersports.

After a day spent hiking through the trees bursting with fall colors, you can enjoy a delicious meal at one of the many resorts or local eateries.

The Northwoods district is one of the best places to enjoy Minnesota’s stunning Fall leaves.

Minnehaha Falls Showcases Minnesota Fall Colors

Minnehaha Falls is one of the best waterfalls in Minnesota , and it is especially gorgeous during the fall season.

The Minnehaha Falls are located in the Minnehaha Regional Park, and there is plenty to do there besides the falls.

If you want to see a large crashing waterfall with a backdrop of changing leaves, but you don’t necessarily want to hike, then Minnehaha Falls is perfect.

The hike to get to the fall is fairly simple with a paved walkway that leads to a viewing platform of the falls.

While you walk, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful fall scenery on the over 160 acres of Minnesota woodland.

At this regional park, there is also a beautiful garden you can walk through while you admire the changing leaves.

There is also a small wading pool that you can sit on the shore of and admire during the colder months.

These falls are exceptionally beautiful during winters in Minnesota!

The Lost Forty At Chippewa National Forest

The Lost Forty is a little-known spot in the Chippewa National Forest.

It refers to a hiking trail that takes you through what are some of the last old-growth trees in Minnesota.

The trees are mostly virgin red and white pine trees. They range in age from 300-400 years old.

During the Fall, this lightly trafficked hiking trail becomes a sea of yellow leaves.

The Lost Forty trail isn’t super popular or well-known, so at times, you may have the whole area to yourself.

If you are looking for a beautiful view with a bit of Minnesota’s early history as well, this is a great place to visit.

It is truly a hidden gem when it comes to experiencing Fall in Minnesota.

Fall Colors In Minnesota Are On Display At Gooseberry Falls State Park

In the charming small town of Two Harbors , you can find the Gooseberry Falls State Park.

The entire park is full of hiking trails and beautiful wild Minnesota forestland.

That’s what makes it one of the best places for enjoying Fall in Minnesota.

While you are exploring the hiking trails, make sure you hike to one of the three waterfalls in the park.

They are called the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls.

The waterfalls are fairly easy to get to, and they are truly beautiful during the Fall.

Surrounded by fall colors, it is one of the prettiest views of Fall colors in Minnesota.

Congdon Park For Fall In Minnesota Strolls

Congdon Park is a Regional Park in the city of Duluth Minnesota.

It is located along Tischer Creek, which creates a lovely backdrop for the MN Fall colors that are on display during peak season.

The park is a popular one in Duluth because of its varied attractions.

It has beautiful carved wooden bridges, a picnic area, and plenty of walking trails.

You can also walk down into the creek bed for even better views of the Fall foliage.

After you’re done exploring Congdon Park, head into Duluth where you can enjoy the colors of autumn in the city as well.

There are so many things to do in Duluth , so don’t miss it!

Honeymoon Bluff To Celebrate Fall In Minnesota

If you want a short walk with a big payoff, head to the Honeymoon Bluff trailhead.

There are many things to do in Grand Marais , and hiking this trail to experience the autumn colors is indeed one of them.

The hike is only 0.4 miles long and very easy over even terrain.

At the end of the trail, you’ll be greeted with an amazing view of the mountain valley and lake beneath you.

During peak season, the valley is a sea of yellow, orange, and red leaves framed around a calm lake.

Because the trail is a very easy hike, it is fairly popular.

But don’t let that stop you from getting to experience the amazing view.

It is truly one of the best places to experience fall in Minnesota.

Split Rock Lighthouse For Stunning Views Of Fall In Minnesota

The Split Rock Lighthouse is a beautiful lighthouse in the small town of Two Harbors.

It guards a section of water that at one point was said to be the most dangerous section of water in the world.

The area is also one of the most photographed spots in the state of Minnesota, so it is one of the best places to visit in the fall.

The lighthouse juts out from a rocky cliff into the lake below it.

Behind the lighthouse is a large mature forest that turns vibrant yellow and orange during the peak season.

The mixture of the rocky cliffside, the colorful forest, and the blue waters below make for a stunning display of fall colors in MN.

If you are planning to explore Minnesota in the Fall, Split Rock Lighthouse needs to be on your must-see list.

It is one of the best things to do in Minnesota.

Superior National Forest

Outside of Duluth is the Superior National Forest, named for its location along Lake Superior.

It is over 3 Million acres of beautiful mostly untouched Minnesota woodland, lakes, and streams.

This makes it a perfect place to enjoy Fall colors in Minnesota.

There are miles and miles of hiking trails for you to explore while you admire the changing leaves.

You can spend hours relaxing in the park, walking the trails, and just admire the beauty of Fall in Minnesota.

The Superior National Forest is also where you can find the trail to Honeymoon Bluff, one of the other amazing places to admire fall colors on this list.

This is truly one of the best places to experience fall in the Midwest.

St. Paul For A Fall In Minnesota Getaway

One of the Twin Cities, St. Paul is a great place if you want to admire Minnesota’s fall colors, but also one of the most vibrant cities in the Midwest.

The city is full of fun activities during the fall, like Oktoberfest, a Harvest Festival, and even a Monster Dash.

While you’re having all that fun, you’ll be able to admire beautiful changing fall leaves against the city landscape.

A large chunk of the city is along the Mississippi River and covered in a thick blanket of forest land.

There are many parts of the city along the river where you’ll be able to admire the fall leaves while enjoying a delicious dinner, going for a walk, or even enjoying some shopping.

If you love fall, but don’t necessarily love hiking, then St. Paul is the perfect place for you to experience fall in Minnesota.

There are so many other fun things to do in St Paul MN .

Brule River For Quiet Seclusion During Fall In Minnesota

In Northern Minnesota, just below the Canadian border, is the Brule River.

The river stretches for 40 miles in some of Minnesota’s most wild landscapes.

Its also home to the Devil’s Kettle, a waterfall that seemingly disappears into the Earth.

The wilderness of the area, the beauty of Devil’s Kettle, and the river itself make for a beautiful place to enjoy the fall colors in Minnesota during peak season.

There are several places along the river where you can stop and get out to hike and explore the area.

This has to be one of the best places for camping in Minnesota!

No matter where you choose to stop along the river, you’ll be able to admire some of the most beautiful examples of fall colors in MN.

Bde Maka Ska North Beach

The uniquely named Bde Maka Ska North Beach is located in the city of Minneapolis.

There are so many things to do in Minneapolis MN.

The beach is a popular swimming destination during the summer months, but it is also very pretty in the fall.

In the fall, you’ll find the beach less crowded and overall quieter.

Along the shores of the lake is a somewhat dense tree-filled park area.

During the peak autumn season, that area is full of trees with orange, red, and yellow leaves.

It creates a stunning splash of fall colors against the blue water of the lake.

The beach might not be the first place you think of when you think of fall colors, but Bde Maka Ska is perfect for admiring Minnesota fall foliage.

It would be perfect for a Midwest road trip!

Minnesota Falls Must Be Seen From Oberg Mountain

Within the Superior National Forest is the Oberg Mountain.

To get to the peak of Oberg Mountain, there are two trails you can take, each about 3 miles in length.

There is a moderate climb before reaching a fairly easy loop around the top of the mountain.

It rises 1,000 feet above Lake Superior, and from the top, you’ll get some breathtaking views of the valley below.

You’ll also be able to see the teardrop-shaped Ober Lake.

There are nine overlooks throughout the trail, and each of them offers beautiful sights.

Ober Mountain is one of the best ways to experience fall in Minnesota. And would really make a fantastic Midwest weekend getaway!

The Canoe Boundary Waters in Northern Michigan

Located in northern Minnesota, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness offers 1,090,000 acres of wilderness to experience fall in Minnesota.

It is truly breathtaking. It is one of America’s most remote, but most beautiful locations.

There are over 1,200 miles of canoe routes through 1,000 lakes you can choose from to experience the colors of autumn.

If you are not afraid of the chilly weather, this is one of the most rugged scenic places to go camping in Minnesota.

Voyageurs National Park

One of the more remote national parks in the Midwest , Voyageurs NP is a must-see stop to view the Minnesota colors of autumn.

Located in International Falls MN, near the Canadian Border, it has the reputation of being a park of water, islands, and horizons showcasing the very best of Mother Nature.

Packing List When Visiting Minnesota In Fall

If you are searching, here are some  tips on how to pack lightly when packing to experience fall in Minnesota.

A  concealed travel pouch  may be one of the most important items you bring along when experiencing Minnesota activities in autumn.

It is always important to protect your personal information. Identity thieves are everywhere.

This  unisex RFID-blocking concealed travel pouch is  lightweight and comes in several colors. It has lots of organization to give you peace of mind.

If you have a pouch already that does not come with RFID protection, as I do, these  RFID  sleeves are  the perfect solution.

This configuration comes with enough credit card sleeves that the entire family would be protected. They are slim too, so they will easily fit into your pouch or wallet.

If you are planning on taking a lot of pictures with your phone you will definitely want to consider an  external charging battery . This  Anker high-speed phone charging battery  is  the exact one  I carry with me on all of my trips.

It can be used on a variety of phones, not just an iPhone like I have. And wow is it fast!

I like that it holds its charging capabilities for several uses so I do not have to worry about it while out and about, and if I forget to recharge it at night, it will still be good to go the next day.

My daughter gifted me with this  FugeTek selfie stick and tripod   setup for my birthday. I absolutely love it! It is made of lightweight aluminum and is easy to use.

It has Bluetooth connectivity and is a breeze to use for taking selfies when seeing the beautiful autumn Minnesota scenery.

Hydration is so important when traveling. You want to remain hydrated throughout your travels to support your immune system which in turn will be stronger to fight off any germs you will encounter during your travels.

You will want to bring your own  refillable water bottle  with you.

I never leave home on a trip without my  Bobble filtration bottle .  The 18.5-ounce size is perfect for hiking and it fits nicely in the pocket of a backpack.

When filled with water, it is not too heavy to carry. And the replaceable carbon filter ensures fresh clean water whenever you fill the Bobble.

Perhaps you are traveling a long distance and packing space is a premium in your suitcase, or in your car.

Then this collapsible silicone foldable water bottle  would work well for you.

You will want a backpack or daypack with you to store snacks, your water bottle, phone, extra clothes, etc.. so this   foldable water-resistant backpack   would be great.

Minnesota is one of the best Midwestern states to view fall foliage because it is so wild.

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is one of the best places to visit in the Midwest.

Best known for its extensive forests and lakes, there is an endless amount of places to view fall colors in Minnesota.

Have you ever been to any of these spots to admire the Fall leaves or did any of these places inspire you to plan a trip to Minnesota this Fall?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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Destinations , Minnesota , MN Day Trips , Road Trips · September 10, 2020

Minnesota Fall: 10 Places to Visit in 2023

Ready or not, Minnesota fall is here. Put away your flip-flops (tear) and bring on the pumpkins, hoodies, NFL football, and crumbly apple desserts. When fall first arrives, this time of year makes you want to put on your cozy socks and watch Harry Potter with a cup of hot tea. But there is much to explore…

What is There to Do During Minnesota Fall?

Visit apple orchards, pumpkin farms, and corn mazes. Hike through colorful state parks. Grab chai lattes and enjoy sunny, fall Minnesota days. Cozying up with a blanket on the couch sounds nice, but take some time for these 10 Places to Go in Minnesota this Fall .

These are some of the top spots for fall color tours in the United States!

Keep in mind, peak colors are typically around late September and the beginning of October. Come late October, most of it is (sadly) is already gone. Use this Explore Minnesota color finder to keep tabs on the current state of the leaves.

Stillwater, Minnesota

Stillwater from minneapolis: 32 minutes.

One of the best places to be in Minnesota—the state’s birthplace. And it’s known as one of the best spots to catch the fall colors in Minnesota come September and early October. Check out the oranges, reds, and yellows along the bluffs of the St. Croix River. It’s only a short distance from the Twin Cities. Also mix in Aamodt’s Apple Farm for some apple picking, one of the local wineries and/or berweries, and some quaint, small-town shopping for the perfect fall day.

READ: DAY TRIP TO STILLWATER

Waconia, Minnesota

Waconia distance from minneapolis: 43 minutes.

Minnesota fall is the perfect time to visit Waconia. This town, west of the cities and located on Lake Waconia, surprised me with its beauty, fun, and overall vibe. There are three wineries in the area which all have their own character and charm and help make for an easy day of planning! Wine tasting anyone? Don’t forget to make reservations. Don’t stop there, their downtown has cute shops, a great coffee shop ( Mocha Monkey ), and a bunch of places to eat and drink.

Read: Waconia, Minnesota: Bars, Wineries, Shops & More

Taylors Falls, Minnesota

Taylors falls from minneapolis: 57 minutes.

We’ll get started with one of the best day trips! This town feels as if you’ve left Minnesota altogether. Especially while hiking through Interstate State Park. Gorgeous views of the river with scenic overlooks, well-kept trails, glacier potholes to climb in and explore, and a day in nature you’ll want to return to as soon as you can .

There is a cute, homey downtown with options for coffee, quick bites, burgers, milkshakes, and more. This is one of my favorite Minnesota towns and a fall trip here will be one of the highlights of your year!

Read: day trip to Taylors falls

St. Peter, Minnesota

St. peter distance from minneapolis: 59 minutes.

I cannot leave off Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery , which is technically located in Kasota, Minnesota, though it’s only a 5-minute drive south from St. Peter. It’s beautiful with the best outdoor patio(s) overlooking the trees and little river. One of the best outdoor activities, am I right!?

And the fall colors make for a perfect setting! They offer great wines and also have a distillery attached if you’re feeling a cocktail. After the winery, make sure to hit downtown St. Peter for some shops and boutiques and a couple of bars. Oh, and stop into 3rd Street Tavern . They have great drink prices and a delicious (sounds weird) Cuban Quesadilla.

Red Wing, Minnesota

Red wing distance from minneapolis: 1 hour, 4 minutes.

The ride to Red Wing is just the beginning. Scenic and fun, the beautiful drive brings you to a cute small town that’s perfect for a fall visit. Make your first stop at Hanisch Bakery for an Apple Cider Donut and then grab a chai from Mandy’s Coffee and Cafe . Don’t forget Red Wing Shoes (it’s fun to check out the store even if you aren’t buying!) and then make your way to Barn Bluff, which is a short hike to the top for a river view. Bonus: there are plenty of bars and Red Wing Brewery for (another) reward.

READ: DAY TRIP TO red wing

New Ulm, Minnesota

New ulm distance from minneapolis: 1 hour and 28 minutes.

One word that New Ulm, Minnesota prides itself on: FUN. They know how to have it. With a wide variety of bars, breweries, and wineries, it’s a great place to have a good day. There is a ton of history throughout their little city and the people of this German town are proud of where they come from! The place is perfect for events like Oktoberfest and Christmas, but any time in the fall is fun. Don’t miss Schell’s Brewery for beers and a big pretzel. And also add in Turner Hall where you can get delicious bratwurst.

Read: Things to Do in New Ulm

Jay Cooke State Park

Jay cooke state park distance from minneapolis: 2 hours, 2 minutes.

If you’re ready for a little drive, head to the northern part of Minnesota to a perfect place to catch the fall colors! You can spend hours hiking and exploring the area on their 50 miles of trails. Don’t miss the swinging bridge with the river gorge below. And of course, photograph all of the fall foliage. Bonus: treat yourself to a margarita and some chips and salsa at Pedro’s Grill and Cantina in Cloquet!

Brainerd, Minnesota

Brainerd distance from minneapolis: 2 hours and 6 minutes.

LAKES ON LAKES! Surrounded by big, colorful trees. This is a great place to get to and explore Minnesota this fall and you can catch some of the best scenery! Hundreds of lakes in the area surrounded by trees make it perfect for color tours and the miles and miles of bike paths are the best way to explore .

You can also hit The Farm on St Mathias to figure out the corn maze. And follow that up with a trip to Dennis Drummond Winery, which is absolutely beautiful with a great vibe and delicious food and wine.

READ: 11 Best Restaurants in Brainerd Lakes Area

Crosby/Cuyuna, Minnesota

Crosby distance from minneapolis: 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Right next door in the Brainerd Lakes Area is where you will find the small towns of Crosby and Cuyuna. If you are looking for somewhere to get outside and enjoy both the cool weather and incredible views, this is your spot! And you don’t want to miss the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail. It is great for both hikers and bikers (rent from Red Raven) with great lookout points and unforgettable views of the lake.

After you’ve spent time in nature, hit downtown Crosby where you will find fun shops (do NOT skip Victual for local goods), Cuyuna Brewing, and a few great restaurant options.

READ: The Best Things to Do in CROSBY, MN

North Shore, Minnesota

North shore distance from minneapolis: 2.5 hours +.

This one, though the farthest from Minneapolis, is hard to beat! The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth, Minnesota to Thunder Bay, Ontario. You’ll drive along the famous Highway 61 and be surrounded by scenic views of rocky cliffs, beaches, and the water which makes it the perfect fall road trip.  

With endless towns and stops along the way, including some of the top Minnesota State Parks, plan for at least two days (hopefully more!) in this Northern Minnesota area. Grand Marais is a great place to stay!

• Gooseberry Falls State Park
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
• Temperance River State Park
• Tettegouche State Park
• Grand Portage State Park
• Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
• Superior National Forest and the Superior Hiking Trails—talk about vibrant colors!

And don’t forget your boots and hat for this one!

Read: Minnesota’s North Shore: 14 Road Trips Stops

Don’t miss the beauty of Minnesota Fall!

The fall season in Minnesota may feel short. But it really is a great time and get out and explore the beauty the state has to offer.

Coming Soon: Minnesota Fall in the Twin Cities

I am working on a list that will include details on places like Afton State Park, Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis-St. Paul pumpkin patches and apple orchards, different lakes with incredible views, and more. It’s sad to say goodbye to summer, but there are some beautiful places in the surrounding area we should all take advantage of this year!

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The 10 Best Fall Day Trips to Take in Minnesota

Minnesota is a beautiful place year-round, but the fall is an especially gorgeous season here. The cooler air and the changing colors create a unique experience in some of Minnesota’s best towns. Read on for the 10 absolute best fall day trips to take in Minnesota right now!

1. Hastings, Minnesota

Hastings is an adorable riverfront town just outside St. Paul. Hike the Vermillion Falls trail and enjoy the beautiful waterfall and the incredible ruins. After your hike, head down to the waterfront park and downtown area. Grab a bite to eat, and visit Spiral Brewery for a refreshing beer. Then stop into the cute antique shops before wrapping up your day. Want more details? Read my full blog post on Hastings here.

2. Duluth, Minnesota

I absolutely love going to Duluth for a weekend trip, or even longer if possible. With a ton of great hikes nearby, including Jay Cooke State Park, breweries, a distillery, the Glensheen Mansion, and plenty of fun ways to get on the water, Duluth is an awesome place for a fall trip. Read my detailed Duluth blog posts here and here and here !

3. Montgomery, Minnesota

Montgomery is not a super well-known town, but it’s the perfect place for a fall day trip. With an apple orchard, a great brewery, pizza shop, and generations-old bakery, it’s a quick and fun day trip from the Twin Cities. Check out my full blog post on Montgomery here .

4. Faribault, Minnesota

Start the day with a visit to the Faribault Woolen Mill. Take a tour to learn all its history, then visit the gift shop and treat yourself to a warm blanket. Afterward, grab lunch at the Redemption, then take pictures with the tilt-a-whirls located around town. Finally, finish the day with a cocktail at 10,000 Drops Craft Distillers. Looking for more information? Read my full blog post on Faribault here .

5. Red Wing, Minnesota

Hike along Barn Bluffs for incredible views of the Mississippi River. Then visit the Pottery Museum, which is free. Afterward, enjoy a glass of wine (or two) at Falconer Vineyards. Next, stop into the cutest Scandanavian store called Uffda Shop. Finally, grab treats from Hanisch Bakery and Coffee and sit in Colvill Park looking at the beautiful river. For more information, check out my blog post on Red Wing here .

6. Northfield, Minnesota

This is one of my favorite riverfront towns in Minnesota! Walk around the campuses of St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges, which are free and open to the public. If you love sitting outside, grab lunch on the patios of Contented Cow or Froggy Bottoms, which overlook the Cannon River. Or visit the two breweries in town, Tanzenwald, and Imminent. Take a hike through Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, which is a short drive from downtown Northfield and has a waterfall. And for something unique, visit the Red Barn Pizza Farm for dinner! For more information on Northfield, check out my detailed blog post here .

7. Stillwater, Minnesota

I’ve been to Stillwater many times, and each time I discover something new and exciting. To kick off your day, start with a hike Arcola Bridge for beautiful views of the St. Croix River. If you want a unique way to get on the river, take a gondola ride ! Then, finish the day with dinner on the rooftop at Brick and Bourbon, and grab growlers at the Lift Bridge Brewery to bring home and enjoy later. Read my full blog post on Stillwater here.

8. Mankato, Minnesota

Kickoff the day with lunch at Chankaska Winery . They have a large and beautiful outdoor patio with a creek that runs along the property. Their pizzas and cheese boards are really good, too! Afterward, head over to the Minneopa State Park to see the bison. If you’re lucky you’ll get to see them up close like we did! Finish off the day with a hike through Minneopa State Park to see a waterfall. For more information on Mankato, check out my blog posts  here  and here .

9. Winona, Minnesota

Start off your morning with a walk through the Sugar Loaf Bluff hike for stunning views of the Mississippi River and the town of Winona. Then grab a beer at Island City Brewing. Afterward, visit the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Finish off the day by grabbing incredible donuts from Bloedew’s Bake Shop. For more information on Winona, check out my blog post here .

10. Taylors Falls, Minnesota

Start the day with a hike at Interstate State Park and get a great look at the St. Croix River and the leaves changing colors. There are many trails to choose from and you can see glacial potholes and sandstone bluffs. Then, fill up on sandwiches at Juneberry, and grab root beer floats from the Drive In. Finish up the day with root beer floats and mini-golf! Read my full blog post on Taylors Falls here.

Get Out and Enjoy Minnesota’s Best Season

This may just be my opinion, but I really think fall is the absolute best time of year in Minnesota. The crisp air is so refreshing and the changing colors along rivers, bluffs, and lakes make for some extremely photogenic opportunities. While fall may be fleeting in Minnesota, we still get a few incredible weeks so go out and enjoy every minute!

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Steph Kennelly

I am planning on taking my two boys (ages 9 and 12) on day trips this summer and your blog post has been the EXACT content I was looking for. Thank you for your hard work, it is greatly apprecaited!

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10 Destinations to See Peak Fall Colors in Minnesota

Plan to travel around these dates to see fall foliage at its most vibrant and colorful.

by Natalie Larsen , Kait Ecker

September 23, 2019

Photographs by Caitlin Abrams

Quaking Bog

Lake of the woods.

Peaks mid to late September

If you’ve never been, the wonders of the tippy-top of Minnesota (practically Canada) are not to be missed. Zippel Bay State Park skims the shorelines of Lake of the Woods, giving visitors sandy beaches, whimsical forests, and picturesque views. Right next door, Beltrami Island State Forest is bursting with unique biomes and oodles of foliage. Pine Island State Forest  is not to be missed as you meander south. With several peatlands and bogs in the area, you’ll also be able to see tamarack trees as they turn a vivid burnt gold. If you’d prefer to drive around and view the colors,  Rapid River Forest Road is a nice stretch recommended by Lake of the Woods Tourism. Stay at one of the many campgrounds or resorts in the area, and you’ll be able to make the long drive worth it. Remember to stop by Baudette , the walleye capital of the world and home of Willie the Walleye, a very large fish sculpture. 

North Shore

Peaks mid September to early October

Head east towards Lake Superior and stop and stay at Grand Marais, Two Harbors, and, of course, Duluth. Enjoy the view from the luxury of your car on the North Shore Scenic Byway on Highway 61, an all-American road that will take you from Duluth to Grand Portage. Alternatively, follow the coastline on the Superior Hiking Trail by foot or bicycle. If you make it all the way up to Grand Portage, explore Grand Portage State Park to see Minnesota’s highest waterfall, and if you’re feeling ambitious, climb Mount Josephine for spectacular foliage-filled views. While passing through Two Harbors, stop for arguably the best pie of the Midwest at Betty’s Pies . Then hike off your pie at the nearby Gooseberry Falls State Park and Split Rock Lighthouse and take in the autumnal beauty before hitting the road again. Tettegouche State Park and Temperance River State Park are iconic North Shore stops in Silver Bay that become all the more treasured in the fall. Duluth makes for a wonderful addition to any trip, especially when the foliage reaches its peak. Enjoy the city and brightly toned trees from the Lakewalk, Bayfront Festival Park, and Jay Cooke State Park . For a bit of a break from all of your journeying, stop by one of the many Duluth breweries like Bent Paddle, Fitger’s, and Hoops for a nice cold beer. 

Kerfoot Zipline

The birthplace of Paul Bunyan and Babe suggests multiple different methods of enjoying the brilliance of fall. Pick from five different self-guided auto tours , or bike one of many trails in the area such as the Paul Bunyan State Trail, Mississippi River Trail, and paths in Lake Bemidji State Park . Alternatively take in the abundance of lakes and the reflection of colors by canoe, kayak, or motorboat. If you feel like you’d enjoy a more historical experience, enjoy the foliage from a horse-drawn covered wagon . Relax at the Cabin Coffeehouse and Cafe or Bemidji Brewing after your autumn adventures. Nearby, Itasca State Park and Mississippi Headwaters State Forest offer a variety of understory colors, vibrant shrubbery, and treetop bursts of color. Remember to say ‘hi’ to Paul and Babe before heading home.

Mille Lacs and Gull Lake

Peaks late September to early October

Drive around the entirety of Mille Lacs Lake on the Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway to take in 68 miles worth of shoreline. Father Hennepin State Park ’s sandy shores and Mille Lacs Kathio State Park ’s 100-foot observation tower provide stunning views of fall foliage you won’t want to miss. Head west from Garrison on Highway 18 to relish in the trees of the Brainerd lakes area. Travel along the  Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway to see the luscious colors surrounding the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, and zoom around on your bike on one of the many local biking trails and hear the satisfying crunch of leaves under your wheels. Stay at one of the many local resorts to make a mini-vacation out of the trip. 

Treeline at Willow River

Stearns county.

Peaks late September to early October 

Bike for 65 miles on the mostly flat  Lake Wobegon Regional Trail , as you traverse through the small towns and local countryside. If you’re going for the long haul, there are plenty of places to stop for a rest, grab a snack, and hydrate before cycling onwards. For a pleasant pick-me-up, you’ll find delectable coffee and pastries at Gathering Grounds Coffee Shop in Avon and the Local Blend in St. Joseph. Wedged between those towns, St. John’s Abbey Arboretum has over 2,500 acres of prairie, lake, and forest with a plethora of trails for you to enjoy a peaceful walk and autumnal beauty. For more outdoor exploration, visit the Quarry Park and Nature Preserve boasting idyllic fall foliage, scenic overlooks, and numerous biking and hiking trails. Visit downtown St. Cloud’s West St. Germain Street, and peruse Books Revisited, antique shops, and the Spice of Life Tea Shop. To enjoy the reflection of the autumn colors off of the Mississippi River, take your lunch and a book to Munsinger and Clemens Gardens  for a relaxing picnic.

Taylors Falls

Peaks late September to mid October

Interstate Park , which has a foot in Minnesota and Wisconsin, is a leafy wonderland of hiking trails and some of the largest explored glacial potholes along the trails on the river bluffs. Float through fall colors with a Scenic Boat Tour on the St. Croix River. Or enjoy colorful River Valley views from your seat on the Fall Color Express with Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway. The scenic railway also has brunch, dinner, and pizza train ride options.

If the leaves are red, your wine should be too–but let’s be honest, wine goes with every season. Imbibe in a wine tasting and stroll through the vineyard at Wild Mountain Winery , nestled in the colorful trees of the Wild Mountain ski area near Taylors Falls. The 1,700-foot alpine slides at Wild Mountain (not the winery) are a must for any Taylors Falls trip. You know your inner child is begging you to! Then, grab your poodle skirt or high-water pants and head to  The Drive In Restaurant for milk shakes and hand-packed burgers straight out of Grease , and a round of mini golf behind the restaurant. 

Don’t forget to stop at the Franconia Sculpture Park on your drive to or from Taylors Falls for some creative art installations in a field. You’ll know it when you see it.

water rushing over rocks at Willow River

The original home of the mammoth scoops at Nelson’s Ice Cream (now also on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul), Stillwater has ample fall color views in a Hallmark-like riverside setting. 

The Brown’s Creek State Trail is 5.9 miles of fall color touring, starting in Stillwater and connecting to the Gateway State Trail in Grant. The Brown’s Creek route follows its namesake trout stream for two miles and following the St. Croix for a mile with fantastic National Scenic Riverway views. Join other autumnal enthusiasts for a fall colors walk on Brown’s Creek Trail on September 28, and get romantic with a candlelit walk on October 18.

If your sea legs are stronger than your hiking muscles, cruise the St. Croix with Stillwater River Boats . Bright fall colors meet vintage paddle boat vibes. Stroll down Main Street and stop in at vintage shops and local boutiques for unique finds, and don’t forget the always Insta-worthy Mara-Mi (stop at the in-store coffee shop for a PSL to go with the crisp air and changing leaves). Revival , MADE , and The Daily Grind are other caffeination options, and MN Nice Cream is serving up gold-dusted swirls of artful ice cream in Stillwater, too. 

Riverfront dining abounds, with great views from Freight House , which claims the largest patio in the area, and Dock Cafe , closest to the water. Maple Island Brewing has park and river views, flights, and free popcorn, so drop your non-outdoorsy friends here and meet them after your hike. The Velveteen has an edgy, First-Ave feel in an underground speakeasy (to escape the foliage), and The Tilted Tiki is a slice of Hawaii on Main Street. LoLo American Kitchen also has a hub in Stillwater, for a modern mishmash of American cuisine. Enjoy the brief moment known as Minnesota fall with a stroll through the riverfront park. The historic Lift Bridge is set to reopen for pedestrian and bicycle traffic in late 2019. Finish off your Stillwater adventure with drinks at a local brewery. Lift Bridge Brewery seems fitting, and their seasonal beers include Fireside Flannel, how cozy!

Put those Minnesota-made hiking boots to work among the scarlet trees of this river bluff town. Memorial Park has excellent views of the city and surrounding landscape from the top of Sorin’s Bluff. Bonus: a 9-hole frolf course adds extra fun to this top of the world party. Hike, bike, or rollerblade for almost 20 miles on the scenic Cannon Valley Trail between Red Wing and Cannon Falls. About five miles of the trail will be closed starting October 1 until Spring 2020. But, the trail from Welch to Red Wing will remain open. Campsites, hiking trails, and equestrian paths wind through prairie grasses, forests, and along Lake Pepin’s shores in Frontenac State Park ’s 2,300 acres. Birders can watch for Red Wing’s signature eagles in the parks or from the water on a Bald Eagle Tour with Brian Klawitter. 

Enjoy a brew at Red Wing Brewery or treat your inner sommelier at Falconer Vineyards . Stay for great sunset views from the deck and wood-fired pizza (like their signature Grapes of Wrath). Stroll downtown streets for dinner options, like the riverside panorama of The Veranda inside the St. James Hotel, or Bev’s Cafe , the oldest restaurant in Red Wing. It’s a classic diner-type joint, opening at 5 a.m., but serving breakfast all day. An all-day coffee supply costs “Eleventy Billion Dollars.” We love these people already.

Person on zipline

St. peter and mankato.

Between St. Peter and North Mankato off Highway 169, 7 Mile Park is over 600 acres of forest hugging 7 Mile Creek, with eight miles of trails, great for hiking, biking, blading, and getting lost in nature… or really just getting lost. Just outside Mankato, Minnemishinona Falls is a scenic overlook with a wide falls area. The Minnesota River Trail goes from Riverfront Park through Mankato’s City Center to Sibley Park, with views of the vibrant fall hues along the Minnesota River. This trail is less mud-caked backwoods and more city stroll. The Red Jacket Trail is a 6.3-mile trail that winds through rolling hills and bluffs, stretching from Mankato to the Rapidan Dam. Elevate your heart rate and your ride as the trail crosses the LeSueur River on railroad tresses more than 80 feet in the air. Finish with pie at the Rapidan Dam Store. 

Minneopa State Park is near the Red Jacket Trail and just a jaunt from Mankato. The bison, introduced to the park in 2015, give a glimpse of the South Dakota landscape in southern Minnesota. The quickest–and least terrifying–way to see the Minneopa bison is through the windows of your vehicle on Bison Drive Road. Also, make time to ride the zipline and take a Kerfoot Canopy Tour .

Peaks early to mid October

This town of about 750 people is known throughout the Minnesota biking community for its pedal-friendly trails and town. (They don’t discriminate, rollerbladers are also welcome.) Take the 42-mile Root River State Trail that runs through the town, and connect with the Harmony Preston Valley State Trail for another 18 miles of cruising. Fall colors paint the view from 300-foot limestone bluffs. Lanesboro is also the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota, go figure. If you’re looking for a bed after all that biking, walking, and blading, choose from many Victorian-era B&Bs in the town, or stay in a historic inn like Stone Mill Hotel & Suites or, if your name is Anne, try Green Gables Inn downtown. 

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5 Fantastic Fall Drives in Minnesota

Anytime is a great time for a road trip, but none is better in Minnesota and the Midwest than autumn, when the forests and woodlands are alive with color. Any of these five routes will keep you occupied for a weekend. And each will take you to an iconic corner of the region, from the wooded river valleys of south-central Minnesota to the sandy southern shore of Lake Superior in northwestern Wisconsin. So pack your bags, gas up the car, grab the atlas (or set the GPS), and go!

VALLEY VIEWS

Minnesota river valley scenic byway.

Route: Belle Plaine to Ortonville Distance: 287 miles

The Minnesota River Valley was carved in ancient times by a swirling deluge draining from glacial lakes. Even today, you can’t get away from that fact. The valley is the dominant attraction as you drive, first southwest from the Twin Cities and then northwest at Mankato. In summer, I feel as though I’m swallowed up in a dazzling green trough of forests and farms. But the valley becomes most stunning in fall, when it’s filled with the eye-popping hues of golden aspen and cottonwoods, russet oaks, and flaming sumac. And way down at the bottom of the gorge is the descendant of that old glacial torrent, the comparatively puny but still mighty-in-its-own-right Minnesota River.

If you’re setting out from the Cities, pick up the road at Belle Plaine and drive southwest to the river’s elbow, down at Mankato. Then turn sharply to the northwest, following the river into the upper reaches of the valley near Ortonville, on the Minnesota-South Dakota border. The highway twists, rises, and falls as it skirts the river bluffs. Hardwoods mix with cornfields and riverine wetlands. Watch for deer and flocks of turkeys.

It’s the smaller towns that are most charming along this route: Henderson, St. Peter, Kasota, New Ulm, Morton, Granite Falls, Montevideo. The artery of the river valley eventually reaches into the prairies of western Minnesota, where crumbling foundations, repurposed-log buildings, and even a stone obelisk memorializing those killed during the Sioux Uprising of 1862 testify to old settlements in the valley—European and Dakota.

Find a map for this adventure at Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway

STOPS ALONG THE WAY

• Autumn is apple season. Buy a bushel or sample a slice of pie at Jim’s Apple Farm (952-492-6380), between Jordan and Belle Plaine.
• In the attractive town of St. Peter, pick up a fresh sandwich at the St. Peter Food Co-op (507-934-4880) or some tasty quiche at the River Rock Coffee Shop (507-931-1540). Then visit the Linnaeus Arboretum (507-933-6181), on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College, to see some vibrant foliage.
• Minneopa State Park (507-389-5464), just west of Mankato, was named with the Dakota word for “water falling twice,” a reference to the picturesque waterfalls on Minneopa Creek, just a short walk from the parking area.
• New Ulm’s ethnic heritage finds expression in the giant Hermann the German monument in Hermann Heights Park. Hermann, otherwise known as Arminius, led Germanic tribes in a successful ambush of Roman legions 2,000 years ago. Ascend the 99 steps of the monument’s base for a sweeping view of the Minnesota River Valley. After your climb, enjoy a beer in the formal gardens of the August Schell Brewery (507-354-5528).
• A roadside stop at the Harkin Store State Historic Site (507-354-8666), eight miles northwest of New Ulm on County 21, takes you back to the glorious 1870s, when the river port of West Newton had aspirations to be the biggest town on the upper Minnesota.
• Near Redwood Falls, the Lower Sioux Agency State Historic Site (507-697-6321) explores the roots of the Dakota War of 1862, when starving Indians battled troops and settlers in the Minnesota River Valley.
• Getting hungry? In Montevideo, grab a cappuccino, a quesadilla, or a panini (or all three!) at the cute little coffee shop Java River (320-269-7106).
• Each fall, usually at the end of October, thousands of migrating geese gather at Lac qui Parle State Park (320-734-4450), which lies at the southern end of a dammed section of the Minnesota River. Birdwatchers also stand a good chance of seeing bald eagles.
• Fans of Scandinavian crafts should stop by the Trestuen Gallery and Studio in Milan (call for an appointment: 320-734-4715).
• The main attraction in Ortonville , which sits at the lower end of Big Stone Lake, named for the rock outcroppings that lie along its shoreline, is the Big Stone County Museum (320-839-3359), which features, among other things, a collection of more than 500 stuffed birds.

St. Croix Scenic Byway

Route: Afton to Sandstone and back Distance: 280 miles

If there’s a signature scene of fall driving in Minnesota, it may just be the view from Highway 95 approaching Taylors Falls as you begin the descent into the valley of the St. Croix River. The scenery taps into the Americana section of our brains—a shapely river valley cloaked in flaming maples, a scattering of conifers, a 19th-century town greeting us at the bottom of the hill. It is the closest Minnesota comes to New England.

The 280-mile route essentially proceeds north along one side of the river, which forms much of the Minnesota–Wisconsin border, and returns south on the other side. If you’re starting in the Twin Cities, begin at Afton. Follow the state’s official designated St. Croix Scenic Byway north as far as Banning State Park near Sandstone. Then cross over to Wisconsin and wend your way south to Grantsburg—farther south than Sandstone and Banning State Park, according to your preference, on a combination of rural highways and back roads.

The river is one reason I like this route as much as I do. The St. Croix is special—relatively clear, swift, wooded. It is one of the nation’s original wild and scenic rivers, and the only one to flow through Minnesota. But I also love the towns. Built along the river, where riverboats first disgorged settlers, they are solid, well organized, and pretty in a way that newer towns can’t quite match.

Find a map for this adventure at St. Croix Scenic Byway

ROUTES ALONG THE WAY

• Afton dates to the 1850s and takes its name from a Robert Burns poem. Looking for a place to eat or stay? Try the Afton House Inn (651-436-8883).
• Stillwater , the self-proclaimed “birthplace of Minnesota,” founded in 1843, is a tourist town that offers restaurants, bars, antique shops, and retail shopping. A few miles north on Highway 95 is Marine on St. Croix , an impossibly quaint town of clapboard buildings that claims it is even older than Stillwater.
• Where Highway 95 meets U.S. 8, you may notice surprising metal sculptures rising from a field. It’s the Franconia Sculpture Park (651-257-6668), 20 acres devoted to a rotating collection of more than 75 contemporary sculptures.
• At U.S. 8, take a short detour three miles west to Eichtens Hidden Acres (651-257-1566), where family farmers raise bison, make artisanal cheeses, and run a terrific small restaurant.
• In Taylors Falls, yet another old river town, stop for some joe at Coffee Talk (651-465-6700), located in a renovated Victorian home. Afterward, head up the hill and tour the Angel’s Hill Historic District , where the earliest homes date to the 1850s. At nearby Interstate State Park (651-465-5711), which straddles the Minnesota–Wisconsin border, take a short walk through the Minnesota portion to tour the giant “potholes” carved by the swirling waters of Glacial Lake Duluth.
• Follow rural highways through Rush City, Pine City, and Sandstone. Save time for Banning State Park (320-245-2668). Have a picnic on the sandstone outcrops flanking the spectacular rapids of the Kettle River. And hike the trail to an abandoned quarry.
• Backtrack southward to Hinckley , turn east on Highway 48, cross the St. Croix, and follow a route southward down the Wisconsin side of the river.
• Crex Meadows Wildlife Area (715-463-2739), a 30,000-acre state wildlife-management area just north of Grantsburg, provides some of the best wildlife viewing in the region on a 24-mile drive.
• At St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin’s much larger counterpart to Taylors Falls, is the headquarters of the St. Croix National Scenic River (715-483-2274). The facility has exhibits about the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers and their watersheds.
• Farther south on Highway 35, in Osceola, you can catch the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway (715-755-3570) for an hour-and-a-half, 20-mile round trip to Marine on St. Croix and back.

WISCONSIN BYWAYS

Wisconsin north woods.

Route: Hayward to Bayfield Distance: Roughly 250 miles

There’s no north woods like the Wisconsin north woods, a classic combination of rustic roads, tall pines, scrubby sand barrens, famous muskie lakes, backwoods taverns, and Leinenkugel’s beer. (Don’t indulge in the last two while driving.) As a tourist and resort area, it came of age in the era of fedoras and getaways by train. The region is riddled with hideouts of Prohibition-era Chicago gangsters. The cabins and roadside taverns seem to belong to illustrated magazine ads of a half-century ago. Indeed, some have hardly changed.

This north-woods route, about 250 miles, begins in northwestern Wisconsin’s lake country, circles up to Lake Superior, and heads back again. Start in Hayward, Wisconsin, an archetypical fishing and resort town with a compact downtown surrounded by a sprawling mess of tourist-oriented businesses. From Hayward, scoot eastward on Highway 77, a.k.a. the Great Divide National Scenic Highway, through Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to Highway 13 near Glidden. Turn north to Ashland.

Then begins the best part of the route—around the shoreline of the Bayfield Peninsula through the Lake Superior towns of Washburn, Bayfield, Red Cliff, Cornucopia, Herbster, and Port Wing. While Minnesotans have gotten used to a North Shore that has become ever busier and ever more developed with highways, tunnels, and condos, the Wisconsin counterpart has remained more isolated, a taste of what the Superior shore used to be.

• In Hayward, visit the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum (715-634-4440). The focal point of the museum is the “Shrine to Anglers,” a giant muskie, half a block long and four-and-a-half stories tall.
• Follow Highway 77 through the scenic Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest , then turn north on Highway 13 just before Glidden. Next stop: the sandy south shore of Lake Superior.
• In Ashland , at the tip of Chequamegon Bay, check out the stately Hotel Chequamegon (800-496-5555), pick up an expertly made latte at Black Cat Coffee (715-682-3680), and then head across the street to bag a fresh-fruit Danish or savory biscuit at the Ashland Baking Company (715-682-6010).
• Just west of Ashland, the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center (715-685-9983) introduces tourists to the area with interpretive displays that play voyageurs’ songs and re-create the experience of mining underground.
• If you plan ahead and stay the night near Bayfield, you might take in a concert at the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua , eight miles past Washburn at the top of Ski Hill Road (888-244-8368).
• Bayfield is nearly everyone’s favorite town on Superior’s south shore. Prowl the shops of painters, jewelers, and potters. Take a ferry ride to Madeline Island, ride a tour boat among the islands with Apostle Islands Cruise Service (800-323-7619), or even take a half-day kayak trip with Trek and Trail (800-354-8735). Then order beer and flamingo tenders at Maggie’s (715-779-5641). Tens of thousands will flock to Bayfield for the Apple Festival in early October.
• Cornucopia , “Corny” among boaters, is as tiny and charming as a music box. All is focused on the small marina, home port to many sailboats. If you’re looking for a place to tie up for the night, check out the Fo’c’sle Bed and Breakfast Inn (715-742-3337) on the edge of the marina.
• When you’ve circled the Bayfield Peninsula, find your way to Highway 13 and head south. For the fast way back to Hayward, continue along Highway 27. Or, to drive along the upper reaches of the Namekagon River , jog east and head south on U.S. 63.
• Back in Hayward, stop for the fish-fry and a pint of freshly brewed beer at the Angry Minnow (715-934-3055). But save room for dessert: West’s Dairy (715-634-2244), a local institution, has been serving up small-batch ice cream since 1951.

SOUTHERN MEANDER

Historic bluff country scenic byway.

Route: Dexter to La Crescent Distance: 88 miles

What is so delightful about the topsy-turvy, southeastern corner of the state—bucking hills, deeply carved valleys, twisting roads—is that it is so unlike the rest of Minnesota. And every time I see it, whether I’m biking, trout fishing, or simply sightseeing, I think it’s the most beautiful corner of the state, a land so rugged it’s almost mountainous.

The 88-mile Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway begins south of Rochester and follows the Root River east as it burrows deeper and deeper into the geology of the southeast corner of the state. The tour starts at Dexter near the upper reaches of the river. Here the agricultural landscape looks “Minnesotan” enough. But as the Root digs its valley ever deeper, the hills and cliffs begin to soar all around. By the time you pass through Spring Valley (where Laura Ingalls Wilder used to attend church), Fountain (named for the abundant springs in the area), and Rushford (which prides itself on its converted railroad depot, now a museum) and reach the river’s terminus at La Crescent, the limestone bluffs tower hundreds of feet above it.

A bonus to this spectacular scenery are the old valley towns such as Preston and Lanesboro, with their handsome main streets and stout brick and stone buildings. Along the route, watch for Amish buggies. You can even buy crafts and butter made by Amish farmers at the weekly farmers’ market on Saturday mornings in Lanesboro.

Explore Minnesota has additional information on the Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway

• Near Spring Valley, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park (507-352-5111) gives visitors a way to see this country with a different perspective—historical and underground. Take a one- or two-hour tour of one of the most spectacular caves in a region honeycombed with subterranean passages. As for history, the Minnesota Historical Society has restored a portion of the townsite of Forestville (507-765-2785). Step back to the days of 1899 as costumed guides show off merchandise in the Meighen family store and tend to chores in the garden and farm.
• South Branch Root River is one of Minnesota’s biggest and best trout streams. For information, contact Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (651-296-6157).
• Just east of Preston on U.S. 52 and Highway 16, pick from among 28 varieties of apples or try some homemade apple pie at the Preston Apple and Berry Farm (507-765-4486).
• Much of the Bluff Country Byway parallels the Bluffland State Trail (better known as the Root River Trail), one of the most popular rail-to-trail projects in the state.
• Take time to stroll the streets of the most scenic city on the trail, Lanesboro . Tucked in the folds of the Root River Valley, the town sprang up during the 1870s and ’80s around a dam and grain mill. As milling centralized in Minneapolis, Lanesboro withered. The combination of long quiescence and development of the bike trail turned out to be the little town’s good fortune. Its old buildings and facades survived because no one had money to mess with them. Restored century-old homes line the streets, some of them converted to B&Bs. The Commonweal Theatre (800-657-7025) stages plays in historic downtown.
• Everywhere, bikes are for rent, including tandems. And the Little River General Store (507-467-2943) offers canoe and kayak rentals, plus shuttles.
• For casual dining along the Root River in Lanesboro, try Riverside on the Root (507-467-3663). Another good bet: Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub (507-467-2962). For breakfast, head to Pedal Pusher’s Café (507-467-1050). To spend the night, check in at Anna V’s Bed and Breakfast (507-467-2686).
• And don’t overlook tiny Whalan , on the banks of the Root, if only for the self-proclaimed “world’s best pies” at the Aroma Pie Shop (507-467-2623).

TWISTS AND TURNS

Glacial ridge trail scenic byway.

Route: Willmar to Alexandria Distance: 245 miles

I was looking forward to driving the Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway because, as much as I’ve driven Minnesota highways, I feel I hardly know this out-of-the-way, profoundly hilly sector of central Minnesota.

Yet after hours of driving, much of it on dirt roads, my wife, Susan, and I were ready to cut the trip short. I joked that whoever designed this tortuous 245-mile route between Willmar and Alexandria clearly labored under the misapprehension that he was laying out a course for an off-road rally. The route tools along for scores of miles on rural dirt roads. Most of it is varied and fascinating—prairie lakes tucked among glacial hills, woodlands, wetlands, crops, and grasslands. But it’s exhausting—and so complicated it was tough to follow where we were without the aid of a GPS. We relied on the Glacial Ridge signs to thread our way through the countryside. Save for those indicators, we’d have been lost for sure.

So here’s a suggestion: Put your best navigator in the passenger seat. Start at Spicer. Take a direct route to New London. Follow the official route through Sibley State Park and up to the old mill in the town of Terrace. Freelance the rest, finding the highlights by the most obvious routes possible.

Find a map for this adventure from the Glacial Ridge Development Association

• In Spicer , check out Green Lake, which, despite its name, is one of the clearest and most popular fishing and boating lakes in this rolling farmland.
• On Highway 23 at the intersection of Old Mill Road stop by Glacial Ridge Winery (320-796-9463). If it’s past noon Thursday through Sunday, owners Kimberly and Ron Wothe will serve up tastes of six wines for $3 a person. Two favorites: Wicked, a blend of Foch, Frontenac, and Cabernet grapes, and Jimmy Appleseed, a medium-sweet apple wine.
• Follow Highway 9 through New London westward to U.S. 71 and the entrance to Sibley State Park (320-354-2055). Drive the blacktop (a scenic drive in itself) to the trailhead to Mt. Tom . It’s a short hike through a forest of gnarly bur oak to the highest point in the park. Climb the granite-and-wood lookout tower.
• Pick up the Glacial Ridge Trail (Highway 121) as you leave the park heading north. Hold on for a rough ride and watch for signs. Trail markers will lead you uphill and down, around sharp corners, along good blacktop and scrabbly gravel. But the view is worth it: Ancient glaciers dumped loads of ice, rock, and gravel in this region, creating abrupt hills and unexpected ponds and lakes.
• At Highway 104, turn east to follow a spur of the Glacial Ridge Trail to the remnants of Terrace Mill , including the preserved 1903 flour mill. Nearby are the Keystone Arch Bridge over the tiny Chippewa River and a 1930 stone house. The old general store houses Terrace Mill Store , an Italian restaurant (call for hours and reservations: 320-278-2233).
• If you’re up for hiking along conical glacial hills known as “kames,” make a beeline to Glacial Lakes State Park (320-239-2860). If you’d rather have a quick snack, bypass the park and visit the Pastry Shoppe (320-239-3898) or Dave’s Place (320-239-2950) in Starbuck.
• Drive north along the shores of Lake Minnewaska through Glenwood and then north to the prosperous town of Alexandria. Alex’s appeal stems from the interconnected lakes that surround it. At the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum (320-759-1114) inspect a dozen vintage mahogany Chris-Craft, three Garwood boats, and an exhibit about Alexandria Boat Works, an early local manufacturer.
• Drive north from town to Carlos Creek Winery (320-846-5443) to sip wine and stroll the expansive grounds of the vineyard and orchard. Tastings are $5 a person. Call ahead for hours.

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Newsletters.

10 Country Roads In Minnesota That Are Pure Bliss In The Fall

Betsy Rathburn

Betsy is a Minneapolis-based writer who's lived in Minnesota for 20 years. If you know of any amazing Minnesota restaurants, nature areas, or other attractions, feel free to let her know about them at [email protected] or on Twitter @betsyrathburn.

More by this Author

Fall is a great time to explore scenic places in Minnesota. The summer humidity is gone, but the winter chill hasn’t quite worked its way in yet. Trips to the lake are replaced with cozy evenings indoors and, if you can’t get enough of autumn, an annual trip to see the leaves. After all, there’s nothing more magical than fall foliage in Minnesota, and a leisurely car ride makes for the perfect viewing adventure. There are hundreds more country roads, but here are the ten best scenic drives in Minnesota to appreciate during fall.

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Those are just ten of the most magical Minnesota country roads to drive in the fall. Which ones have you driven? Do you know of any of the best scenic drives in Minnesota that didn’t make the list? We’re always eager to hear about your favorite things to do in Minnesota, so let us know what you think by leaving a Facebook comment.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Best scenic drives in minnesota.

When can I see peak fall foliage in Minnesota?

While every year is slightly different, Minnesotans can typically expect to enjoy peak fall colors beginning near the end of September and continuing through mid-October. Of course, this might vary based on which region of the state you’re in and how immersed you plan to be in the falling leaves. Check out this handy fall color finder from the Department of Natural Resources for more information about how to schedule your scenic drive. 

Which hiking trails in Minnesota are best during the fall?

Luckily for folks who call Minnesota home (and those who visit), the state offers an impressive collection of outdoor adventures during the autumn months. There’s nothing quite like taking a break from your scenic drive to enjoy a fall hike in Minnesota, whether you’re a beginner or more of a serious nature enthusiast. Favorite options include Twin Lake Trail in McGregor and Ironwood Trail in Pelican Rapids, but you can check out a full listing of fall strolling spots here . 

What are the best fall day trips in Minnesota?

Embarking on a fall foliage road trip through Minnesota has plenty of perks, but you might want to extend your adventure and visit some of the state’s best autumn attractions. From pumpkin patches to annual harvest festivals, there are so many things to do here. We recommend reading our previous article for the top fall day trips in Minnesota. 

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Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving Take Blame as Dallas Mavericks Fall to Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4

T he Dallas Mavericks faced a tough blow in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-100. Instead of starting their break before the NBA Finals, the Mavs are now preparing for a trip to Minneapolis. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were quick to take responsibility for the loss, emphasizing their roles in the team’s performance.

“I think that game is on me,” Luka Doncic admitted post-game. “I just didn’t give enough energy.” Despite recording his sixth triple-double of these playoffs with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, Luka Doncic’s shooting woes were apparent. He made only 7 of his 21 attempts and ended the night with a minus-13 plus-minus rating, the worst alongside teammate P.J. Washington.

Kyrie Irving Acknowledges Offensive Struggles

Kyrie Irving also faced difficulties, scoring 16 points on a 6-of-18 shooting performance and committing four turnovers. Reflecting on his performance, Irving said, “He’s not alone in this. I expect him to say something like that, especially knowing how much he cares and how much he wants to win and how much he wants to lead our group.

So I expect nothing less. I think you heard me, too, just say that it’s on me. That’s what you’re supposed to hear from your leaders of your team.”

The Mavs had a five-game winning streak snapped by the Timberwolves, who changed their defensive strategy. Jaden McDaniels, who previously guarded Luka Doncic, switched to Irving, while Anthony Edwards took on the challenge of defending Doncic. This defensive shift marked the first time in the playoffs that both Doncic and Irving shot below 35% from the field.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s Team Effort

Derrick Jones Jr. emphasized the team aspect of the loss. “It’s not on them, it’s on us as a team,” Jones said. “We are a unit. We go out there, and we play together, we win together, we lose together. It’s not on one person. I know that they’re the leaders of the team, that head of the snake, but we got their back through thick and through thin.”

Despite the defensive adjustments, Luka Doncic managed to score 28 points but struggled with 5-of-15 shooting when Edwards was his primary defender. He praised Edwards, calling him an “amazing player,” but maintained that the responsibility for the loss rested on his shoulders.

Defensive Challenges and Adjustments

Irving , acknowledging the difficulty of facing McDaniels, said, “He has a huge impact. I mean, he is a 6-9 wing defender that I’m seeing now for the first time from the start of the game. So it’s going to be an adjustment, but I love it. I relish in these type opportunities.”

The Game 4 loss was particularly significant for Irving, marking the first blemish on his career record in potential closeout games. With a previously perfect 14-0 record, this loss ended the longest individual winning streak in NBA history in such situations.

“It’s a new space,” Irving remarked. “So now we just got to deal with this one, deal with this loss and get ready for Minnesota and enjoy that crowd there, man, because it’s going to be hostile.”

Looking Ahead to Game 5

The Mavericks are now focused on regrouping and preparing for the hostile environment in Minneapolis. With their star players taking accountability and emphasizing a team-first mentality, Dallas aims to bounce back and close out the series in Game 5.

As the series continues, fans can expect intense matchups and strategic adjustments. The resilience and leadership of Luka  Doncic and Irving will be crucial for the Mavericks as they strive to advance to the NBA Finals.

Watch CBS News

Biden falls onstage after tripping at Air Force Academy commencement ceremony

By Stefan Becket

Updated on: June 2, 2023 / 3:26 AM EDT / CBS News

President Biden tripped and fell onstage at the commencement ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado on Thursday as he returned to his seat after nearly two hours of shaking hands with graduates.

The president was walking across the raised platform when he stumbled over a black sandbag and fell to the ground. He was quickly helped to his feet and appeared to be unhurt. He took a seat behind the lectern and left the stage when the ceremony concluded soon afterward, jogging to his motorcade.

Ben LaBolt, the White House communications director, said on Twitter that Mr. Biden was "fine." Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre echoed that statement, saying he feels "totally fine" and boarded Air Force One with "a big smile."

Mr. Biden addressed the 921 graduates earlier in the ceremony for about 30 minutes, hailing the strength of the U.S. military and touching on several foreign policy topics, including Ukraine, China and NATO.

On his way into the White House after flying back to Washington, the president ignored reporters' questions except to joke, referring to his fall that "I got sandbagged!"     

• U.S. Air Force
• Air Force Academy
• United States Air Force

Stefan Becket is a managing editor of politics for CBSNews.com. Stefan has covered national politics for more than a decade and helps oversee a team covering the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court, immigration and federal law enforcement.

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Turnovers plague Mercury in loss to Minnesota Lynx

A grueling road trip reached its conclusion on Friday as the Phoenix Mercury still couldn’t find any answers against one of the league’s top teams. 

The Mercury (3-5) fell into a nine-point deficit in the first quarter to the Minnesota Lynx and couldn’t take a lead, losing 95-71 in Minneapolis.  

The Mercury struggled with the ball, committing 16 turnovers. The Mercury are eighth in the 12-team league for most turnovers per game (15.3). 

The Mercury's Kahleah Copper led all scorers with 21 points, going 3-for-6 from the 3-point line. Copper knocked down two 3-pointers during the 18-point third quarter, the only one where the Mercury outscored the Lynx. Diana Taurasi added 14 points on 3-for-10 shooting, including two from 3-point range. 

More: Brittney Griner still out as Phoenix Mercury fall to Liberty, face Lynx

Lynx forward Alissa Pili sparked the bench with 20 points in 15 minutes. The Lynx bench outscored the Mercury’s bench 50-10. The Mercury were playing without Becca Allen (concussion protocol) for the third-straight game and Brittney Griner (left foot) for the eighth-straight game. 

The Lynx were efficient throughout the game, shooting 36-for-73 (49.3%) and 14-for-35 (40%) from the 3. The Mercury couldn’t keep up with the Lynx on the floor, shooting 24-for-62 (38.7%) and going 9-for-28 (32.1%) from the 3. Neither team did well at the line and shot below 80%. 

The Mercury will next play at Footprint Center on Sunday at 3 p.m. against the Los Angeles Sparks (2-5). The Sparks have dropped three of their last four games. 

StarTribune

Minnesota gop senate nominee royce white's 2022 campaign spent funds on strip club, travel, retail.

After a failed run for Congress in Minnesota two years ago, Royce White's fading campaign spent more than $1,200 in leftover funds at a full-nude strip club in Miami and more than $4,000 on limousine services in Florida and Georgia.

That wasn't all the Republican's campaign spent after he lost an early August primary election for Minnesota's Fifth District. White's campaign shelled out thousands more at high-end hotels in Tennessee and Georgia, and $970 at a Wisconsin Dells resort, according to his public federal campaign finance records .

Throughout 2022, White's campaign spent more than $100,000 on unexplained wire transfers and checks, his reports show. The campaign spent thousands of dollars at a Best Buy in Texas and more than $3,000 at local Guitar Center stores, among dozens of other transactions in several states at restaurants, retailers and hotels.

White's past is facing more scrutiny since he unexpectedly won the Republican Party of Minnesota's endorsement to run for the U.S. Senate against Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar this fall. It's unclear if the party or the delegates who backed White knew of his previous campaign's expenditures, which three campaign finance experts interviewed by the Star Tribune described as possibly criminal. It's illegal to use campaign funds for personal use.

In an interview Friday, White defended his previous campaign and its transactions, saying they were "very modest."

"Which charges are considered extravagant? Was it extravagant for Black Lives Matter to buy mansions? Was that extravagant? Is it extravagant for Ilhan Omar to have paid her own spouse $500,000 out of her campaign? Is that extravagant?" White said. "My campaign only raised $500,000 total, and I guarantee you, we didn't spend it all at Bed Bath and Beyond."

Campaign finance experts say that White's 2022 campaign transactions are highly unusual.

"This is one of the wildest ones I've ever reviewed," said Jordan Libowitz, spokesperson for the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Libowitz said his group is looking into the spending now, first reported by the Daily Beast , and others likely are, too.

"There's a hard and fast rule that campaign spending has to be directly for the campaign," Libowitz said. "When you see people get in real trouble — I don't mean a $2,000 fine from the FEC, I mean, go to jail trouble, get arrested, get prosecuted by the DOJ trouble, have the FBI looking through everything you've done trouble — it's for personal use of campaign funds."

Libowitz said campaign accounts sometimes remain open after the campaign has ended. If a candidate has remaining cash, they can use it to pay for general expenses, including paying staff, rent and cable bills. They can also keep raising money to pay off debt.

"We don't see just continued spending and spending in lots of places," he said. "That raises a pretty big issue even if it weren't things that would be very hard to justify on their own, like, say, a Florida strip club."

Any personal use of campaign money gives authorities the ability to make a "clear case" against a candidate, he said. Libowitz says White's spending may have flown under the radar because he was a "long shot candidate in a long shot primary" and "too small to be on the FEC's radar at the time."

White was once a professional basketball player and Black Lives Matter protester. During an April 2021 protest outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department after the death of Daunte Wright, White urged the crowd to storm a fence barricading the department.

He's since gained popularity in conservative circles, becoming a regular guest on ex-Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon's online shows. At last week's GOP state convention, Bannon delivered a video address introducing White to delegates.

Brett Kappel, a Washington-based attorney and national expert on campaign finance law, said it's "hard to imagine any of those post-election expenditures being campaign-related, although it's possible that some of these events were fundraising events to pay off debts."

Kappel said he hadn't seen a strip club appear on a campaign finance report since the 1980s, and that he "would be astonished if both Federal Election Commission and criminal complaints aren't filed against [White] personally."

"It's equal to or exceeds George Santos levels of abusing campaign finance rules," Kappel said, referring to the GOP representative who was expelled from Congress this year.

Minnesota GOP Party Chair David Hann did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Anna Mathews, the party's spokeswoman and executive director.

Spending the FEC deems "automatic personal use" includes clothing and entertainment. However, there are some exceptions if the clothing and entertainment are for official campaign use. A candidate can spend on travel as long as it's "directly connected to the office holder's bona fide official responsibilities."

A spokesperson for the FEC said it cannot comment on specific candidates or committees.

White said people involved with his past race and current run for Senate will "lend their accounting services to reconcile that campaign."

"We're very confident that there's nothing nefarious or scandalous that is going on there. Hotels? Campaign expenditure. Ground transportation? Campaign expenditure," White said. "We wire-transferred videographers and people who did content for the campaign, and we wrote checks to people who did services for the campaign."

White added that he wasn't responsible for the campaign finance filing, but "those are things we feel comfortable going back and figuring out."

Asked about the money spent at the Gold Rush Cabaret strip club in Miami, White said, "I don't necessarily recall that ... but I'm sure it's probably somebody just using the wrong card in their wallet."

White claimed he may have paid a fine to the FEC for the expense. He was hit with an FEC fine totaling nearly $8,000, which records show he paid last year .

White provided a different explanation to the Daily Beast , claiming the strip club was a legitimate expense because he had done what he described as a campaign-related podcast in Florida. "I like the food there," he said of the club.

Ryan Faircloth covers Minnesota politics and government for the Star Tribune.

Sydney Kashiwagi is a Washington Correspondent for the Star Tribune.

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Brittney Griner still out as Phoenix Mercury fall to Liberty, face Lynx

Everything that could've possibly gone wrong for the Phoenix Mercury occurred in their 70-47 road loss to the WNBA's top team and unbeaten Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.

Things won't get easier for Phoenix (3-3) as it continues a three-game road trip before hosting the young Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.

It's been especially difficult without Brittney Griner (left foot-toe), who's out indefinitely and hasn't played since the first of Phoenix's two preseason games.

Phoenix played the second of back-to-back games at the defending Eastern Conference champion New York Liberty (4-2), led by the reigning MVP Breanna Stewart, on Wednesday. Phoenix lost 81-78 after leading late.

“You flush this one. You’re moving on. You don’t have time to break it down," Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said after losing to Connecticut. "We’ll talk about it a little bit tomorrow, but we gotta ready for the Liberty. This was an outlier. I don’t think this is something that we’re gonna talk too much about. We’re just gonna keep moving.”

The Mercury were without one starting guard in Becca Allen (concussion protocol) for the second straight contest, and backup point guard Sug Sutton (right ankle) was out at Connecticut.

After New York, the Mercury face the Minnesota Lynx (4-1), led by three-time All-Star Napheesa Collier. Minnesota currently has the league's second-best record, is second in scoring (88.6 points per game), and is No. 1 in defensive rating (91.2), steals (11.8) 3-point percentage (38.6), and field goal percentage (47.0).

Phoenix ranks seventh, eighth, ninth, eighth, sixth, and last at 12th in those respective categories.

It was all good just a week ago before Phoenix's two straight blowout losses to the fifth-place Dallas Wings on Saturday and then at Connecticut.

The Phoenix Mercury were on a three-game win streak, which included handing the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces their second regular-season home loss since last year.

Phoenix's top newcomer Kahleah Copper reached a historic scoring streak for the team and WNBA, which earned her Western Conference Player of the Week honors .

Then things went in reverse for Phoenix. Its tandem Diana Taurasi and Copper had 28 and 32 against Dallas, respectively.

Dallas' top player Arike Ogunbowale dropped 40 points and three of their other starters scored in double digits on the Mercury. Also, Connecticut's top duo DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas filled out the stat sheet in addition to their combined 29 points, whereas Taurasi and Copper were held to a combined 13 points, 4-of-25, and 0-of-12 from the 3.

But it will take more than just Taurasi, Copper, Natasha Cloud and Sophie Cunningham for the short-handed Phoenix to prevent a three-game skid.

“It takes all of us. It’s a team effort. It’s not just one person who can shut it down. It’s about what’s on the court and everybody on the bench," Griner's replacement starting big Natasha Mack said after the Sun game. "Most of our team is still new. The chemistry, we’re still learning each other. It’s early in the season. All we can do is bounce back from that.”