Michigan Travel · Holland
Holland fall color peaks about Oct. 26-31: climb Mt. Pisgah’s 239 steps for the view over Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa
HOLLAND, Mich. — Holland’s leaves turn later than most of Michigan’s, thanks to Lake Michigan’s warming effect, and this year’s peak is right around the corner.
Pure Michigan’s fall color report forecast Holland’s peak for about Oct. 26-31, and the forecasting site Falling Into Fall puts the Holland State Park area’s peak around Oct. 28, with good viewing from about Oct. 23 to Nov. 2.
The view: Mt. Pisgah. One of the best places to see it is the Mt. Pisgah Dune Climb and Boardwalk near Holland State Park. Its 239 wooden stairs lead to a 157-foot summit overlooking Lake Michigan, Lake Macatawa and the Holland Harbor Lighthouse, known as Big Red, according to Holland’s visitors bureau.
Hours and rules. Ottawa County, which runs the site, lists hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Oct. 16 through Feb. 28. The climb is free, and dogs are not allowed on the boardwalk.
Tips. The stairs are steep; take breaks on the landings. Late afternoon light on the dune grass and the oaks along the boardwalk makes for the best photos. Parking near Holland State Park can fill on warm weekends, even in late October.
On the ballot. Mt. Pisgah is part of Ottawa County’s park system, which is asking voters Nov. 3 to approve a parks millage increase.
Sources:
Pure Michigan, Fall Color Report, Oct. 6–12, 2026 (Holland peak forecast), https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIEDC/bulletins/42e14a0
Falling Into Fall, “Holland State Park, Michigan Fall Foliage 2026” (modeled peak, viewing window), https://fallingintofall.com/mi/holland-state-park/
Holland Area Visitors Bureau, “Mt. Pisgah Dune Climb and Boardwalk” (239 stairs, 157 feet, views), https://www.holland.org/listing/mt-pisgah-dune-climb-and-boardwalk/176/
Ottawa County Parks, “Mt. Pisgah” (hours, dogs), https://miottawa.org/park-locations/mt-pisgah/
Photo: Rklawton, “Mt Pisgah top - west view.JPG,” Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mt_Pisgah_top_-_west_view.JPG
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