Holy Hill Basilica
This is one of the most popular spots for leaf peeping in Wisconsin. It is even considered a “rite of passage” for many locals, religious and non-religious alike. The neo-Romanesque church sits gracefully atop a tall glacial hill and is surrounded by lush forests on all sides. Holy Hill Basilica is the perfect artistic vista for photographers, artists, and everyday visitors throughout the autumn season. Holy Hill Basilica is located in Hubertus, around 35 miles from Milwaukee. While the entire setting is beautiful, one of the best views you can get of fall foliage here is from the top of the church’s 192-foot-tall bell tower. This is one of the highest-elevation spots in the area and offers a panoramic view of the forests’ changing colors. Be sure to plan ahead though, because this is a very popular destination for leaf peeping in Wisconsin and it can get crowded. The tower is open to the public from May through October, but even if you come later in the year, the picturesque setting is worth the visit. The church grounds and surrounding area provide excellent up-close encounters with the fall colors with several picnic spots.
Devil’s Lake State Park
The largest state park in Wisconsin is another excellent spot for leaf peeping. The middle of October is the perfect time to visit, as the fall colors are often at their peak around this time. If you climb the 500-foot-tall Quartzite bluffs, you can get some truly magnificent views along the shoreline. One of the best vantage points for viewing the expansive fall colors on top of East Bluff Trail. You can get there by climbing the Balanced Rock Trail. If you’re not in the mood for hiking the rocky terrain, however, you can also enjoy a picnic or cookout near the beach or rent a boat to cruise along the water. Devil’s Lake State Park is in Baraboo and has over 10,000 acres for exploring. Check out the Nature Center near the north entrance to the park as well to learn more about trails, history, geology, and other natural curiosities found in Devil’s Lake State Park. There are even live terrariums in the Nature Center housing some of Wisconsin’s amphibians and reptiles, as well as several hands-on displays and a children’s exploration room.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
With 21 protected islands and 12 miles of shoreline along Lake Superior, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore offers beautiful fall foliage amid its stunning sandstone cliffs, beaches, and sea caves. With a unique mix of both boreal trees and hardwood trees, the leaves create stunning tones of bright green, red, orange, and yellow during the autumn season. There are many beautiful areas on the mainland, but most visitors of course head out to the islands themselves. To get to the islands, you will need to use some type of water transportation, like a kayak, boat, water taxi, fishing or sailing charter, or one of the many tours and shuttles offered in the area. You can use your own personal boat or kayak, but there are also many commercial options available as well. With 21 different islands to choose from, there are plenty of places to enjoy the solitude and beauty of nature during the fall season. The stunning autumn colors also make kayaking and hiking around the islands a rather magical experience. Another great option is taking a lighthouse tour, giving you a higher vantage point to view the bright colors against the blue water. If you visit during the first week of October, you can also stop by the Bayfield Apple Festival, which includes live music, a grand parade, a carnival, and food and craft vendors.
Door County Coastal Byway
Sitting on a peninsula that extends into Lake Michigan, Door County has around 300 miles of long shoreline. The Door County Coastal Byway is a gorgeous 90-mile drive that offers one of the best views of Wisconsin’s fall foliage as it passes parts of Lake Michigan’s shoreline and loops around the peninsula. You can stop at one of the small villages along the way for wine tasting, apple picking, and charming fall festivals. As you drive from Sturgeon Bay to Northport at the tip of the peninsula, you will pass by several state parks like Newport State Park in Ellison Bay, Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek, Potawatomi State Park in Nasewaupee, and Whitefish Dunes State Park in Sturgeon Bay. Potawatomi State Park is filled with gorgeous sugar maples with orange and red leaves that contrast beautifully with green hemlock trees and Lake Michigan’s blue waters. At Peninsula State Park you can climb to the top of the observation tower for a bird’s-eye view of the fall foliage. You can also get a great view from Old Baldy, the tall sand dune in Whitefish Dunes State Park. For a fun fall activity with the family, stop by Plum Loco Animal Farm in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin. This family-owned farm-animal sanctuary offers a peaceful pastoral beauty, as well as interactive activities that your family is sure to enjoy. Children can let their imaginations run wild in the play-farm village or pick out and paint their own pumpkins. You can also feed and pet farm animals, like donkeys, horses, ponies, and goats, or walk around in the forest and look at the pretty leaves in all their fall colors.
Copper Falls State Park
For stunning fall colors and beautiful waterfalls, Copper Falls State Park is a great spot for leaf peeping in Wisconsin. The scenery is striking in the fall with vibrant orange, yellow, and red leaves mixed with the park’s deep gorges and ancient lava flows. There are several trails in the park for biking and hiking, including the popular Doughboys Nature Trail. This trail is just 1.7 miles and takes you to see the waterfalls and surrounding fall colors. But if you want truly spectacular views, you can climb the observation tower nearby to see the park from a higher vantage point. The forests of Copper Falls State Park are filled with a variety of different trees, including white pine, yellow birch, sugar maple, and hemlock trees. There are also second-growth forests in many areas with ironwood, red oak, aspen, red pine, paper birch, and basswood trees. Hundreds of plant species including clubmosses, herbs, ferns, and wildflowers, make this a beautiful area for picnicking and photography. Keep your eyes open for great pileated woodpeckers, eagles, loons, and chickadees chittering in the trees as well.
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The leaves in the northern areas of Wisconsin often reach their peak in mid-September and early October, while many other areas hit their stride around the second week of October. The southern regions of the state, on the other hand, commonly peak at the end of October through the beginning of November.
