An Ideal Weekend to View Fall Foliage ‘Up North’

This weekend is shaping up to be an ideal time to take in the fall foliage “Up North.”

Autumn colors are nearing their peak in a number of state parks in the northern part of the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Driving conditions also are expected to be near-perfect, with the National Weather Service forecasting sunny skies statewide and temperatures in the 70s in the Twin Cities metro and 60s in Duluth.

By the way, Saturday's high in Apple Valley-Rosemount is expected to be 76, followed by a high of 75 on Sunday.

According to the DNR’s Fall Colors Reports, most trees north of St. Cloud are sporting colors of at least 50-percent peak. Foliage in northeastern Minnesota is at between 75- and 100-percent peak.

State parks judged to be at least 75-percent peak include Bear Head Lake, Cascade River, Franz Jevne, George Crosby Manitou, Hill Annex Mine, Judge C.R. Magney, Savanna Portage, Scenic, Schoolcraft, Temperance River and Tettegouche in the northeast part of the state; and Big Bog, Charles A. Lindbergh, Itasca, Lake Bemidji and Zippel Bay in northwestern Minnesota.

Click here for a complete listing of fall foliage conditions in state parks.

The DNR says foliage in most of Dakota County, except for the far southern portion of the county, is at between 25 and 50 percent.

Typically, northern Minnesota reaches peak color between mid-September and early October, says the DNR. Central and southwestern Minnesota usually reach peak between late September and early October, with the southeastern portion of the state reaching peak a week or two later.

Click here to visit the DNR’s Fall Colors Reports website.