In a dream scenario, fabulous fall foliage goes hand in hand with dry weather and abundant sunshine for easy autumnal explorations. That’s just what played out last weekend over northeast Minnesota. Moreover, this dream scenario is forecasted to set up for a second weekend in a row to start off October. Here’s how to get the most out of the fall color explosion happening right now in the Arrowhead.
Photo by Christopher Pascone
You’ll want to get up to the Superior Highlands to see the full effect of the red and orange sea of maple leaves. That’s because maple trees prefer loamy, well-drained, slightly acidic soil—which they find mostly at the higher elevations of the Sawtooth Mountains.
One engaging way to see this fall color show is on two wheels. Biking the ubiquitous Cook County gravel roads, or the Britton Peak mountain bike trail system, will take you into a kaleidoscope of color this weekend.
It’s not hard to get up to the Highlands. Take the Sawbill Trail to the Britton Peak trailhead a mile north of Tofte, or head up the Onion River Road (halfway between Tofte and Lutsen), then start biking at the intersection of the Jackpot and High Climber mountain bike trails. Get ready for heart-pounding singletrack under a cathedral ceiling of chlorophyll green turning to sugar red.
Another trip option, which my buddies and I executed for our five-day bikepacking expedition last weekend, is to park at the C.J. Ramstad Trail parking off the Caribou Trail 4 miles north of Lutsen, then pedal to your heart’s content in any direction from there (we biked 180 miles on mostly empty gravel roads). Head west on the Honeymoon Trail, north on the Clara Lake Road, or east on Murmur Creek Road. Fall colors are peaking, or just beyond, wherever you go in the region according to the MN DNR fall color map.
Our own pedal-powered sojourn took us far to north and east from Lutsen, all the way to the Canadian border.
Photo by Christopher Pascone
We rode past the Eagle Mountain trailhead, which had cars overflowing onto The Grade on a beautiful Saturday morning. Leaf peepers are out in force at this popular hike—plan accordingly.
We came south on Bally Creek Road before gliding east past sprawling Devil Track Lake. Then, we hauled ourselves and our camping gear up and over the Pine Mountain Road to reach the Gunflint Trail. From there we took the glorious gravel of the Greenwood Lake Road to Carrot and Turnip lakes—but ate jambalaya instead by the campfire.
Our fourth day brought us to spectacular views of Canada from the Portage Brook Overlook just off the Arrowhead Trail, and then again from the Pigeon River Overlook at the end of Otter Lake Road. The eternal Canadian wilderness had a magnetic pull when viewed in high-noon sunshine. Getting to these overlooks took us lots of climbing on the bikes; locals came on ATVs and side-by-sides.
Photo by Christopher Pascone
Finally, we rode the Jackson Lake Road south to the Arrowhead Trail, then took North Road to Judge C.R. Magney State Park, before biking back to civilization in Grand Marais. The Grand Marais Campground is very friendly to bikers, and can accommodate any group of two-wheeled fanatics, no matter how big or small.
Photo by Christopher Pascone
Any of the Cook County roads or mountain bike trails will bring you to backcountry bliss, whether your vibe is biking, hiking, ATVing, or just plain-old driving. Go experience those blazing fall colors now, while the sun is out.
