Minnesota has some of the best fall foliage in the entire United States, and the locals love to talk about it! You truly can’t find a bad location to find those lush bright fall colors, but I do have some favorites. I love exploring the North Shore, but in this list I discuss some go-to spots all over the state. So, if you’re visiting Minnesota this fall, here’s 15 places to see the fall colors (from a local)!
Skyline Scenic Byway
Skyline Scenic Byway is a scenic drive starting at the edge of Duluth near Proctor going through the town of Duluth until you reach the town’s edge entering highway 65 up the north shore. Along this route you weave through forests and neighborhoods, seeing lakes, streams, and stunning views of the city! You can find pull overs all along this route, and one of the best spots to stop along the route is Enger Tower!
Hawks Ridge is known for being a bird watchers paradise (hence the name), but it offers so much more than that! Located in Duluth, Seven Bridges Road runs through Hawks ridge, yes, taking you across 7 bridges. These bridges with the fall leaves make for incredible photos! As you drive, make sure to stop at the top view point, and walk up to the viewing platform for the best views of the forest, city, and Lake Superior in the distance. There’s plenty of hiking and mountain biking here, too!
Hawks Ridge
Palisade Head
If you’ve drove up the North Shore before, I can bet you’ve stopped here. It’s located just past Silver Bay. If you haven’t, this is a viewpoint along Lake Superiors shore that you can drive up to (they do close it for winter but you should be able to access it by driving all of fall unless we have snow). If the road is closed, you are welcome to walk up. Parking is limited up top, but there are spots down by the main road, where you can park and walk up, or just come back later in the day. This is a great bang for your buck view, with low effort and high reward!
Jay Cooke State Park
Jay Cooke State Park is located near Carlton, Minnesota, just south of Duluth. This park is worth the slight detour when heading up the north shore. It has an iconic swing bridge and stunning fall foliage along the St. Louis River. I personally love to hike deeper into the park, past the Swing Bridge parking down the road. The drive through the park is scenic, but the best views are when you walk the trails! My favorite trail is Grand Portage Loop.
Fort Snelling State Park
Fort Snelling State Park in Saint Paul, Minnesota has a ton of history, which you should totally take the time to learn and check out the historic parts of the park. Additionally, this park is huge! Personally, I enjoy the entrance off Post Rd. I love exploring the lakes and rivers on this end of the park, and you can see planes flying over! It’s a great kid and dog friendly location!
Lake Bde Maka Ska (formally known as Calhoun).
This is one of the lakes that are considered part of the chain of lakes that are within Minneapolis. This is one of my favorite and most accessibly lakes in the area. You can see bikers, hikers, and roller bladders using the paved trail around the lake, and you can drive almost all the way around. One of the best parts is you’re able to see the fall foliage with the Minneapolis skyline in the distance. You can’t beat these city views and you can continue onto other lakes with the connecting roads!
Tettegouche State Park
Located near Tofte, Minnesota is Tettegouche State Park. I do know this is a fan favorite park in the state, and it’s clear why! The hiking within this park offer views of Lake Superior, Baptism River, and stunning waterfalls like High Falls. This is a park that you need to get out and hike to really get the best views of the fall colors. Otherwise, before the park entrance if you’re heading north, you can pull over near the bridge to walk across and see the river rushing into Lake Superior with stunning views! Additionally, the visitors center does have a coffee shop, which is perfect for grabbing your pumpkin spiced latte!
Itasca State Park
This state park is located near Bemidji, Minnesota. This park is huge and almost feels like a national park, plus it’s where the Mississippi River starts! Within this park you can admire the fall leaves with a scenic drive, hike or fire tower adventure! Check out the top trails here. I have camped here during the fall, and it’s one of my favorite spots this time of year! I rented a van with Vanna Vans based out of Fargo, and it was the perfect fall getaway if you want a weekend idea!
Barn Bluff or Memorial Park
Both of these locations are located in Red Wing. The reason I put them in the same spot is because of their close proximity and the fact that one is hike only and the other you can drive up to the top. Barn Bluff is a hike, let me rephrase that, a bunch of stairs is the hike, leading up to the stunning views of Red Wing and the Mississippi River. Where as Memorial Park, you’re able to drive all the way to the top offering sweeping views of Barn Bluff, Mississippi River, and the town of Red Wing. You can’t go wrong with either, just depends how much work you want to put in! The photo here is from Memorial Park. Here are the details on hiking Barn Bluff.
Honey Moon Bluff
Located in northern Minnesota, near Grand Marais, off the gunflint trail, is Honey Moon Bluff. This trail is just under a half mile, but steep with stairs pretty much the whole way up, and ends with incredible views. You can expect to see fall colors lining the edge of Moss Lake! You can find hiking details here. The drive along the Gun Flint trail alone is worth taking the trip.
White Sky Rock
White Sky Rock is another short hike that comes with a high reward, but it’s almost all straight up hill. Located near Lutsen, Minnesota, this trail is worth the drive to! Once you reach the top, you get 180 degree views of multiple lakes, including Lake Superior in the distance. I love this hike in all seasons, but fall takes the cake. Find trail hiking details here.
Paul M. Theide Fire Tower
Paul M. Theide fire tower is located near Brainerd, Minnesota. This is a short hike to the fire tower, and then up a few flights of stairs to insanely gorgeous sweeping views of Minnesota’s forest land! The walk to the fire tower is short, but magical. If this fire tower is far from you, check out my blog post where I share 10 fire towers you can climb in Minnesota.
Artist Point and Grand Marais Light House
Right in the heart of Grand Marais, Minnesota lies a stunning harbor on the shores of Lake Superior. You can walk out to the light house on concrete slabs that help create a barrier for the town. Parts of this trail include somewhat of a make your own trail, as you wander around artist point. Can you see why artists would want to explore here? In the fall time, the crisp air and cold lake add to the Midwest autumn vibes!
Oberg Mountain Loop
Oberg Mountain Loop is a classic Northern Minnesota hike, and honestly it’s great in any season. This is kid and dog friendly and just over 2 miles long! This trail has stunning scenery the entire hike, with thick forests, and views of both Oberg Lake and Lake Superior. You don’t want to miss this one. Find the trail details here.
Lake Front Park
This is a local park that my mom and I love to walk. Located in the heart of downtown Prior Lake! It’s a summer favorite, but it truly shines in the fall. All of the trails are paved which makes it great for biking and walking. There are trails that lead you to Prior Lake and others that just loop through the stunning trees. For some reason, I think this park has some of the brightest fall colors in the twin cities.
