Fall starts in just five days and Michigan's county road association has released a list of the best fall color drives.
According to the County Road Association of Michigan, the best time to see resplendent red, yellow and orange leaves clinging to trees and coating the ground is Oct. 7-28. But the association also has compiled a county-by-county list of the best roads to see fall colors and when to drive them.
Fall comes to the Upper Peninsula first and will spread southward throughout October.
Here's the full list of the best drives, organized by date and county:
Upper Peninsula (Oct. 7-14)
Color lines the shores of Lake in the Clouds which sits high up in the Porcupine Mountains in the far western U.P. in Oct. 1993. (Photo: Alan R. Kamuda, Detroit Free Press)
Chippewa County
- North and South Caribou Lake Roads in the DeTour Village area
- Gogomain Road from Goetzville to Pickford
- Lakeshore Drive from Brimley to M-123
- Salt Point Road from M-28 to Lakeshore Drive
Dickinson County
- Kramer Drive on the north side of the city of Iron Mountain
- Metropolitan Road near Felch
Houghton County
- Covered Drive Road
- Freda Road
- Calumet Waterworks Road
Iron County
- Ottawa Lake Road/ Hagerman Lake Road loop
- Pentoga Trail (CR-639) to CR-424 along Chicagon Lake and Pentoga Road from CR-424 to Brule River
- Bates-Amasa Road (CR-643) US-2 to US-141 by Paint River and Hemlock River
- Gibbs City Road and Ponozzo Road
- U.S.-2 to Houghton County
Keweenaw County
- Brockway Mountain Drive
- Lac La Belle Road
- Gratiot Lake Road
- Mohawk-Gay Road
- Eagle Harbor Road
- Cliff Drive
- Five Mile Point Road
Marquette County
- County Road 510 from County Road 502 north to Big Bay
- Triple A off County Road 510 in Big Bay
- County Road 533 in Skandia
- M-35 from County Road 480 to Gwinn
Northern Lower Peninsula (Oct.14-21)
Alpena County
- Bolton Road to Long Lake Road
- Nicholson Hill Road and Scott Road
Antrim County
- Deadman Hill overlook off US-131 viewing Jordan River Valley
- Jordan River Road off US-131
- Pinney Bridge Road off M-66
- Cascade Road off Alba Highway (CR 620)
Crawford County
- CR 101 looking north from CR 100 (“Pioneer Hill”)
Emmet County
- Pleasantview Road north of Boyne Highlands to Robinson Road
- Robinson Road from State Road to Pleasantview Road
- State Road from Harbor Springs to Cross Village
- Brutus Road from Pleasantville Road to U.S.-31
- Mitchell Road from Fletcher Road to Cheboygan County line
Leelanau County
- North Eagle Highway
- Newman Road
- Port Oneida Road
- Gills Pier Road
- Schomberg Road
Mason County
- Lakeshore Drive from Oceana Drive to Iris Road
- Hawley from Pere Marquette Highway to Walhalla Road
- South Masten Road to Washington Road and the Ruby Creek area
- North Lakeshore Drive along Hamlin Lake
- Custer Road from Hogue Road to U.S.-10
Montmorency County
- Pleasant Valley Road
- Farrier Road
- Carter Road
- Meridian Line Road
Presque Isle County
- Long Lake Highway from M-65 into Alpena County
- E-634 Highway from Polaski Road west to Lake May Road
- W-638 Highway Ocqueoc Road from Walker Highway to North Allis Highway from Ocqueoc Road west to M-211.
Wexford County:
Fall Color Scenic Routes, all starting from downtown Cadillac:
- Route 1: The Lakes (20 miles)
- Route 2: Northwest to Mesick (63 miles)
- Route 3: Southwest to Hoxeyville/Luther/Briston (64 miles)
- Route 4: Northeast to Lake City/Manton (32 miles)
Mid-Michigan (Oct. 17-21)
Barry County
- Hickory Road from M-43 to east near Gilmore Car Museum
Clinton County
- Maple Rapid Roads from Harris Road to Tallman Road
- Tallman Road from Maple Rapid Road to Stone Road
- Stone Road from Tallman Road to Wacousta Road
- Wacousta Road from Stone Road to Hyde Road
- Peacock Road from M-78 to Cutler Road
- Clark Road from Upton Road East
West Michigan (Oct. 21-28)
Berrien County
- Blue Star Memorial Highway along Lake Michigan from Van Buren to M-63
- M-63 south to St. Joseph
- Red Arrow Highway from Stevensville to Lakeshore Road in New Buffalo
- Red Arrow Highway to Union Pier then back to Warren Woods Road
- Red Highway to Madron Lake Road in city of Buchanan
Kalamazoo County
- Q Avenue – 10th Street to 12th Street, Texas Township
- U Avenue – 4th Street to 8th Street, Prairie Ronde Township
- W Avenue – 8th Street to Schoolcraft Village Limits, Prairie Ronde Township
- 14th Street – Lyons Avenue to U Avenue, Schoolcraft Township
- U Avenue – Portage Road to 23rd Street, Schoolcraft Township
- V Avenue – Canadian National Railroad to 28th Street, Brady Township
- 28th Street – V Avenue to UV Avenue, Brady Township
- 34th Street – UV Avenue to V Avenue, Brady Township
Kent County
- Honey Creek Avenue from Pettis Avenue to Cannonsburg Road
- Bailey Drive from Vergennes Street to Lincoln Lake Avenue
- Fallasburg Park Drive from Lincoln Lake Avenue to Gavin Lake Avenue
- 5 Mile Road from Lincoln Lake Avenue to Gavin Lake Avenue
- Gavin Lake Road from 5-mile road to Belding Road
- Wabasis Avenue from Belding Road to 12 Mile Road
- Ramsdell Drive from 5 Mile Road to 11 Mile Road
Southeast Michigan (Oct. 21-28)
Macomb County
- Wales, McKail and Fisher roads in Bruce Township
- M-53 between 23 and 26 Mile roads
Oakland County
- Lahser Road south of Square Lake Road to just north of Maple Road
- Franklin Road
- Orion Road between Rochester and Lake Orion
Washtenaw County
- Huron River Drive between Mast Road and U.S.-23
- North Territorial Road between U.S.-23 and M-52
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.
