Old Mission Peninsula, about a week ahead of Traverse City’s color peak

TRAVERSE CITY — Fall color around Traverse City is in its peak window, after forecasts put the best of it around mid-October.

An MLive weather report published Oct. 2 said to enjoy Traverse City’s fall colors around Oct. 13.

Color across Northern Michigan had been patchy earlier in the month, with little in parts of Leelanau County, the UpNorthLive Storm Team reported. A Traverse City inn, the Alexandra Inn, puts the area’s 2026 peak between Oct. 8 and 18.

One of the closest drives is M-37 north from Traverse City up the Old Mission Peninsula, which Traverse City Tourism lists among the area’s scenic fall routes. The Alexandra Inn’s guide describes the peninsula as a narrow strip of land with water views on both sides, vineyards and tree-lined stretches.

Traverse City Tourism also lists M-22 up the Leelanau Peninsula and through Benzie County, Interlochen and the Boardman Valley, and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Air off Lake Michigan keeps the peninsulas insulated, so the gold and crimson often last there until the end of October, according to Traverse City Tourism.

Updated Oct. 13, 2026: Timing language refreshed for mid-October: the MLive target around Oct. 13 and the Alexandra Inn’s Oct. 8-18 peak window are now current rather than “a week out.” Peninsula drive guidance is unchanged.

Sources:
MLive, “Fall color exploding across Michigan’s U.P., starting to change in northern Lower Michigan,” Oct. 2, 2026, https://www.mlive.com/weather/2026/10/fall-color-exploding-across-michigans-up-starting-to-change-in-northern-lower-michigan.html
UpNorthLive, “When will fall colors peak across Northern Michigan?”, https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/when-will-fall-colors-peak-across-northern-trees-leaf-forest-michigan-upper-peninsula-change-autumn-guide-upnorthlive
Alexandra Inn, “Your Guide to Fall Color in Traverse City”, https://www.thealexandrainn.com/the-innsider/2026-fall-color
Traverse City Tourism, “Take A Traverse City Color Tour And Plan Your Fall Stay,” Sept. 2, 2026, https://www.traversecity.com/blog/post/take-a-traverse-city-color-tour/
Photo: stanthejeep, “Old Mission Peninsula,” 2005, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/), cropped and color-corrected; derivative under the same ShareAlike license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Mission_Peninsula.jpg

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Tags: Up North · Michigan Travel · Roads and Transportation · Fall Color · Beaches and Lakes