Keweenaw Peninsula Fall Color Tour

There is one place in all of Michigan where the colors are so vibrant and the views so majestic it will take your breath away. The Keweenaw Peninsula is that place in the heart of the Copper Country. Thousands of people each year feel the pull to this destination to behold the beauty of what awaits the traveler. How many shades of orange and reds can there possibly be in God’s country?

Fall Colors in Houghton and Hancock

The Keweenaw color tour is a loop around the Peninsula showcasing some of the best views in all of Michigan. Starting in Houghton the visitor can view the colors that sweep across the two cities. There is no bad view from either side of the valley. The Portage lift bridge anchors your eye as colors engulf Michigan Tech University and frame in Mount Ripley.  

Falls Colors at Hungarian Falls

From here head a short distance to Hubbell to see the colors in a magnificent waterfall backdrop. The Hungarian Falls is a short hike with three falls.  The lower falls give a breathtaking view of the falls but also looks out to Torch Lake and the colors of the valley below.  The middle falls are a remarkable photo gallery of fall colors with the powerful drop of the falls which you can get up close to.  The upper falls are no less beautiful and a little bit more a hike through woods where the smell of fall is thick upon the air.

Falls Colors in Gay MI

The next destination is Gay, MI for a stop at the Gay Bar and Restaurant for lunch.  The drive will take you through some historic mining history just outside of Hubbell and between Lake Linden.  These eerie buildings and structures are great places to see how the fall colors can transport them into artwork.  Along the way let the glimmering waters of Torch Lake be a great canvas to showcase colors on the opposite side of the lake.  

Fall Colors in Lac La Belle

After leaving Gay, MI you make first contact with Lake Superior while driving along the shorelines of the Keweenaw.  There are plenty of roadside parks and pull-offs to get amazing photos of colors alongside Lake Superior.  Entering into the picturesque town of Lac La Belle the colors up and down Mount Bohemia are breathtaking.  There are plenty of hiking opportunities to the top of the mountain for glorious views. However, a popular destination to stop in is Bear Bluff which is perhaps of the best spots in all of the Keweenaw to see the colors alongside Lake Superior.

Fall Colors in Copper Harbor

The next destination is Copper Harbor. The drive to Copper Harbor is worth all the tour.  Driving between the town of Delaware and Copper Harbor are the famously covered roads.  You will literally feel like you are driving in a “Color Tunnel”.  Your heart will fall in love with this drive and you will remember this stretch of miles forever.  Once in Copper Harbor, you may want to pursue the many stores and restaurants in the city, stop in at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, or check out the harbor.  However, the must stop at this destination is the drive-up Brockway Mountain.  This is the epicenter of the entire trip.  There are 360-degree views of the Keweenaw, Lake Superior, and on a clear day Isle Royale.  

Fall Colors in Eagle Harbor and Eagle River

The next two stops will bring you down the west side of the Peninsula.  The features of this side of the shoreline are much rougher and rugged as compared to the east side.  There are plenty of pull-offs and little places to fall in love with.  The towns of Eagle Harbor and Eagle River are all postcard-worthy with colors that embrace the vibrancy of the color season.

Keweenaw Fall Color Tour Photo Gallery