County road agencies list best scenic drives for fall colors

LANSING, Mich. — Fall is upon us and Michigan is like a painting during this time of year.

To help celebrate the changing of the seasons, county road agencies released on Tuesday their lists of the best fall color drives in the state.

“Taking a fall color tour down a county road is a great way to spend an afternoon,” said Denise Donohue, executive director of the County Road Association of Michigan. “Michigan’s colors are among the best in the country, making fall the perfect opportunity to go out and enjoy the state’s natural beauty.”

Peak viewing conditions are expected from Sept. 20 to Oct. 14, with mid-Michigan, West Michigan and Southeast Michigan all experiencing peak colors in the same week.

RELATED: Here's when you can expect peak fall colors in Michigan

The following regions are listed in order of expected leaf coloring dates starting from the Upper Peninsula and moving south:

Upper Peninsula (Sept. 20 - Oct. 5)

Chippewa County

• North and South Caribou Lake Roads in the DeTour Village area
• Gogomain Road from Goetzville to Pickford
• Lakeshore Drive from Brimley to M-123
• Salt Point Road from M-28 to Lakeshore Drive

Dickinson County

• Kramer Drive on the north side of the city of Iron Mountain
• Metropolitan Road near Felch

Gogebic County

• Black River Road to Black River Harbor
• Lake Road from Ironwood to Little Girls Point and Superior Falls
• Black River Road from Bessemer to Copper Peak and Black River Harbor
• Wolf Mountain Road from US 2 to Wolf Mountain
• County Road 519N from Wakefield to the mouth of the Big Presque Isle River and Porcupine State Park
• Thousand Island Lake Road from US 2 to Sylvania Wilderness Park

Houghton County

• Covered Drive Road
• Freda Road
• Calumet Waterworks Road

Iron County

• Ottawa Lake Road/Hagerman Lake Road loop
• Pentoga Trail (CR-639) to CR-424 along Chicagon Lake and Pentoga Road from CR-424 to Brule River
• Bates-Amasa Road (CR-643) US-2 to US-141 by Paint River and Hemlock River
• Gibbs City Road and Ponozzo Road

Keweenaw County

• Brockway Mountain Drive
• Lac La Belle Road
• Gratiot Lake Road
• Mohawk-Gay Road
• Eagle Harbor Road
• Cliff Drive
• Five Mile Point Road

Marquette County

• County Road 510 from County Road 502 north to Big Bay
• Triple A off County Road 510 in Big Bay
• County Road 533 in Skandia
• M-35 from County Road 480 to Gwinn

Ontonagon County

• South boundary road from Presquile to Ontonagon

Northern Lower Peninsula (Sept. 24 - Oct. 7)

Alpena County

• Bolton Road to Long Lake Road
• Nicholson Hill Road
• Scott Road
• Long Rapids Road

Antrim County

• Deadman Hill overlook off US-131 viewing Jordan River Valley
• Jordan River Road off US-131
• Pinney Bridge Road off M-66
• Cascade Road off Alba Highway (CR 620)

Crawford County

• CR101 looking north from CR100 (“Pioneer Hill”)

Emmet County

• Pleasantview Road north of Boyne Highlands to Robinson Road
• Robinson Road from State Road to Pleasantview Road
• State Road from Harbor Springs to Cross Village
• Brutus Road from Pleasantville Road to US-31
• Mitchell Road from Fletcher Road to Cheboygan County line

Leelanau County

• North Eagle Highway
• Newman Road
• Port Oneida Road
• Gills Pier Road
• Schomberg Road

Mason County

• Lakeshore Drive from Oceana Drive to Iris Road
• Hawley from Pere Marquette Highway to Walhalla Road
• South Masten Road to Washington Road and the Ruby Creek area
• North Lakeshore Drive along Hamlin Lake
• Custer Road from Hogue Road to US-10

Montmorency County

• Pleasant Valley Road
• Farrier Road
• Carter Road
• Meridian Line Road

Presque Isle County

• Long Lake Highway from M-65 into Alpena County
• E-634 Highway from Polaski Road west to Lake May Road
• W-638 Highway Ocqueoc Road from Walker Highway to North Allis Highway from Ocqueoc Road west to M-211.

Wexford County

• Fall Color Scenic Routes, all starting from downtown Cadillac:
  • Route 1: Cadillac Lakes (20 miles)
  • Route 2: Hodenpyl Dam (70 miles)
  • Route 3: Pine River (65 miles)
  • Route 4: Lake Missaukee (35 miles)

Mid-Michigan (Oct. 7-14)

Barry County

• West State Rd from Hastings to Middleville
• Gun Lake Rd from M-179 (near Gun Lake) to M-179 (near Hastings)
• Yankee Springs Rd from M-37 to Delton Rd

Clinton County

• Maple Rapid Roads from Harris Road to Tallman Road
• Tallman Road from Maple Rapid Road to Stone Road
• Stone Road from Tallman Road to Wacousta Road
• Wacousta Road from Stone Road to Hyde Road
• Peacock Road from M-78 to Cutler Road
• Clark Road from Upton Road East

Shiawassee County

• Grand River Road from Laingsburg to the Village of Byron

West Michigan (Oct. 7-14)

Berrien County

• Blue Star Memorial Highway along Lake Michigan from Van Buren to M-63
• M-63 south to St. Joseph
• Red Arrow Highway from Stevensville to Lakeshore Road in New Buffalo
• Red Arrow Highway to Union Pier then back to Warren Woods Road
• Red Highway to Madron Lake Road in City of Buchanan

Kalamazoo County

• G Avenue – 2^nd Street to 6^th Street, Alamo/Oshtemo Township
• U Avenue – 29^th Street to 32^nd Street, Brady Township
• O Avenue – 38^th Street to 42^nd Street, Climax Township
• 37^th Street – M-96 to G Avenue, Charleston/Ross Township
• AB Avenue – Douglas Avenue to 12^th Street, Cooper Township
• R Avenue – 29^th Street to 34^th Street, Pavilion Township
• East CD Avenue – 24^th Street to D Avenue, Richland Township
• 5^th Street – W Avenue to V Avenue, Prairie Ronde Township
• 39^th Street – FG Avenue to M-89, Ross Township
• Y Avenue – Portage Road to 24^th Street, Schoolcraft Township
• 8^th Street – Texas Drive to O Avenue, Texas Township
• YZ Avenue – 38^th Street to 42^nd Street, Wakeshma Township

Kent County

• Honey Creek Avenue from Pettis Avenue to Cannonsburg Road
• Bailey Drive from Vergennes Street to Lincoln Lake Avenue
• Fallasburg Park Drive from Lincoln Lake Avenue to Gavin Lake Avenue
• 5 Mile Road from Lincoln Lake Avenue to Gavin Lake Avenue
• Gavin Lake Road from 5-mile road to Belding Road
• Wabasis Avenue from Belding Road to 12 Mile Road
• Ramsdell Drive from 5 Mile Road to 11 Mile Road

Muskegon County

• Scenic Drive from Memorial Drive to Michillinda Road
• Along Lake Michigan shoreline and Duck Lake

Ottawa County

• Lakeshore Drive from Grand Haven city limits to Ottawa Beach Road/Holland State Park
• Hayes Street from M-11 intersection to Berlin Fair Drive/the Berlin Fairgrounds in Marne
• Leonard Street from intersection on Leonard Street/S. Lake Avenue in Village of Spring Lake to Lamont
• Mercury Drive/Green Street/N. Cedar Drive from Grand Haven to Riverside County Park

Southeast Michigan (October 7-14)

Macomb County

• 24 Mile Road between Van Dyke Freeway and Shelby Road
• M-53 between 28 Mile Road and 32 Mile Road
• Tillson Street between Sisson Street and South Main Street
• Lakeshore Drive between 8 Mile Road and Marter Road

Oakland County

• Lahser Road south of Square Lake Road to just north of Maple Road
• Franklin Road
• Orion Road between Rochester and Lake Orion

Washtenaw County

• Huron River Drive between Mast Road and US-23
• North Territorial Road between US-23 and M-52

SEE MORE: Fun events in West Michigan for fall