Since 1st day of fall, I have started working on my bucket list. My favorite task on the bucket list is viewing fall colors. I never feel tired or satisfied with fall colors. Every year fall season arrives and every year I go to see the fall colors. The view of those colorful leaves gives me new energy. I keep hunting new places to peak through the fall color no matter its just small park or a huge mountain. Here I have listed out “10 spots to see fall colors in the Milwaukee area”
10 spots to see fall colors in the Milwaukee area
1. Whitnall Park
I love this park for all seasons because it’s closest to my house. No need for advance planning or any extra preparation how cool is that? In Whitnall Park, you will find a variety of trails according to the difficulty level. Pick yours and explore the fall colors through hiking. If you don’t want to do hiking then find a picnic area and enjoy your meal peacefully between colorful trees. They also have a separate maple collection. Look into their map to find your desired spot.
2. Holy Hill
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary at the holy hill is a favorite spot among the Wisconsinites especially for those who live in the Milwaukee area. The interior of the basilica left me speechless and the atmosphere is so peaceful. The scenic tower located in the basilica is 192 feet long and you need to climb 178 stairs to get that spectacular view. In the fall season, it gets crowded so be patient if you are visiting on the weekends. You can check more details on its website linked here Holy Hill
3. Ice Age Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail has spread across Wisconsin nearly 1200 miles. The eastern end of the trail is in the Potawatomi state park in sturgeon bay, door county. The western end of the trail is in the Wisconsin interstate state park in St. Croix Falls. Find the nearest slot of ice age trail and enjoy nature, it also overlaps the Kettle Moraine Forest in some area.
4. Parnell Tower
The Parnell Tower is located in Plymouth on the way to Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive. I have already shared a detailed article on “Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive“. You need to have a state park permit sticker or you can buy one there. You walk through the woods, which is hardly half a mile and reach the base of Parnell tower. Climb almost 5 stories high tower and enjoy the 360-degree view of the area. If you are not doing the whole scenic drive, then you can directly go to Parnell Tower. Here is the address:- Parnell Tower, 7817 Kettle Moraine Scenic Dr, Plymouth, WI 53073
5. Grant Park
The grant park is a weekend destination for South Milwaukee residents. It has a beautiful clean beach and it’s not crowded. It also has a kids play area and picnic areas which makes it perfect to plan the fall picnic. Besides all this grant park is famous for seven bridges hiking trail.
6. North Point Lighthouse
This is the best lighthouse near Milwaukee. You can get a great view of Lake Michigan from the top of the lighthouse. It’s 74 feet tall and gives a 360-degree view of the area. This lighthouse is open only on the weekend from 1 pm to 4 pm. They also provide private and group tours if you are interested in otherwise a breathtaking view and a popular destination for fall.
7. Lake Geneva
The Lake Geneva is my all-time favorite one-day getaway destination. It’s around one hour drive from Milwaukee but some beautiful view on the way. Lake Geneva freezes in the winter and it has beautiful trails where you can hike and view the mansions built near the lake. Also, don’t forget to take a scenic drive.
8. Kettle Moraine forest
I have already shared my experience of Kettle moraine scenic drive last year. If you don’t want to do the drive, then you can directly go to the Kettle Moraine forest for hiking and picking. The kettle moraine forest is a huge area so you can choose any unit and select the hiking trail as you like. Hence, pick any hiking trail or you can just drive through the forest. Here are the links for Northern and southern unit trails. Check the below link to find out details about the trails http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/kms/trails.html
9. Oak Leaf Trail
Oak Leaf Trail is famous among the local joggers, runners, bicyclists, and skaters. You will find people who go for a walk daily on this trail. This trail is more than 110 miles long with multiple loops through all the major parkways and parks in the system. The trail loops include off-road paved trails, park drives, and municipal streets. I usually go to Root River Parkway and the south shore parkway to enjoy the trail.
10. Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve
One of the stunning bluffs along Lake Michigan gives a spectacular view of the lake. There are plenty of trails to hike and during the hike, you will cut through the beautiful fall colors. You can walk along Lake Michigan as well. It is around half an hour-long drive but it’s worth it.
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Beautiful, thank you for sharing!