Thought I would throw this out to all the experts in BWCA.com land! I made reservations for the wife and I in Grand Marais starting Oct. 10. Two years ago we spent the same week on the North Shore and we had extremely great, 100% peak fall colors. So, my question: what are the odds we'll enjoy awesome fall colors again this year? Too late maybe? Thanks for the replies!

I always bet on the last weekend of September.
If you are a little late on the 10th, well the colors on the way north will be great.
I am attending the 20/20 Art Tour in Two Harbors at the end of Sept/first part of Oct. I'll let you know!

quote Outdoorsfan69: "Thought I would throw this out to all the experts in BWCA.com land! I made reservations for the wife and I in Grand Marais starting Oct. 10. Two years ago we spent the same week on the North Shore and we had extremely great, 100% peak fall colors. So, my question: what are the odds we'll enjoy awesome fall colors again this year? Too late maybe? Thanks for the replies!"

I think very good. A few days earlier might have been better.

We will be in Grand Marais the 5th of Oct...... hope we have the time NG right!!

They always talk about North Shore colors,but get over the hill they are much better and more maples.
If you want to try something different the Walker leech lake are is hard to beat for fall colors.
Map of colors

We just came home yesterday. Things are just starting to change. Many small birch are yellow and the big ones look like they are thinking of turning soon. Lots of small red maples also. It just looks like it's going to change sooner than later.

I would think the 10th would be to late up north in MN it would be here in NW Wisconsin I would think a couple weeks earlier would be better.

the maples here are turning really fast

quote Outdoorsfan69: "Thought I would throw this out to all the experts in BWCA.com land! I made reservations for the wife and I in Grand Marais starting Oct. 10. Two years ago we spent the same week on the North Shore and we had extremely great, 100% peak fall colors. So, my question: what are the odds we'll enjoy awesome fall colors again this year? Too late maybe? Thanks for the replies!"

You should be fine at that time.
I have found that the last week of September is way too early for good fall colors in northern Minnesota.
Maples turn red in late August at times, but am not seeing any indication of that this year.
At other times, the colors change later with rain and cooler weather, and we certainly have that.

I noticed around home you get Maples next to a lowland and it is a little too wet and than stressed they seem to turn early. Noticed it this year also.
TGO is right.

Last Year Oct 11th, colors were at peak or just past. In Grand Marais last year, you would have been a little late.

from that site:
Fall Color Status: Generally fall colors are best for maple and oak from mid September into late September. Colors for birch and poplar / aspen are last two weeks of September into early October. Tamarack changes to lemon yellow at the end of October into November. We report fall colors and bird migration into two areas; the lower North Shore and upper North Shore below.

quote Pinetree: "They always talk about North Shore colors,but get over the hill they are much better and more maples.
If you want to try something different the Walker leech lake are is hard to beat for fall colors.
Map of colors "

I agree with this. While there are certainly some nice colors, the North Shore wouldn't be on the top of my list for locations to see fall colors. North Central MN would be much better with the mix of hard woods and big pines. The north shore is mostly aspen and spruce.

The great thing is there are a few people on the board that live in these areas, so you can get a real time update.

The last few years we went up the last week of Sept and had peak color on our way out. So this year we go in on Oct 1 and keeping our fingers crossed :-)

The Tamarack are golden yellow now and maples starting to turn in the Mille lacs area.
We got any pictures yet?

sounds like first week of oct. on sawbill will be perfect for me. well, it always is anyway, peak or not. :)

colors

I've been tracking the colors here Fall Colors

Hopefully I time it just right with an entry date of Sept 29th.