As quickly as summer passes each year, autumn seems even more fleeting as we rush towards a season whose name we are not allowed to pronounce.
Make the most of the changing leaves and cooler temperatures with this fall to-do list—you can only do them in the fall, or they’re even better when the leaves are changing color.
Fall colors begin appearing in Wisconsin in September and peak in October, first in northern Wisconsin and moving south.
Autumn colours seen from above
For some of the best views of the changing leaves, climb above the treetops. In northern Wisconsin, climb the Mountain Lookout Tower on Forest Road 2106 north of Mountain to see the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. In southern Wisconsin, enjoy views of the Kettle Moraine State Forest from lookout towers at Pike Lake, Parnell and Lapham Peak. The Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill is also a favorite place in southeastern Wisconsin to view fall colors, with a tower overlooking Milwaukee.
More:13 Places to See Fall Colors from High in Wisconsin
Go down the zipline
Immerse yourself in the colors of autumn on a zipline. A 2.5-hour treetop tour in Northwoods Zipline in Minocqua features nine ziplines through dense forest (and over one lake) and five tree bridges.
Other options: Adventures on the shores of the lake in Port Baileys, Door County Adventure Center in Ellison Bay) Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures in Lake Geneva, Boundless adventures in Bristol, Wildman Adventure Resort in Niagara and Bigfoot Zipline, Wilderness Canyon at the Wilderness Resort AND Vertical illusions all in Wisconsin Dells.
Pick up the apples
In Wisconsin, apples are typically ready for picking in mid-September, with most orchards remaining open into October.
In southeastern Wisconsin Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago is known for its apple pie baked in a paper bag, so this is a good place to get apples and eat them. The farm is open for apple picking during its annual Harvest Fest, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 through Oct. 23. The farm also offers a corn maze, horse-drawn carriage rides, pony rides, rides on the East Troy Electric Railroad and plenty of food, from homemade caramel apples and pie slices to homemade chili and chicken pot pie.
There are plenty of orchards to pick in Door County. Fill your bag at the orchard outside at Fish Creek’s Orchard Country Market & Winerythen head to the market to sample apple delicacies, including wines made from apples grown on site.
More: Pick-your-own apple orchards near Milwaukee
More:September is the best time to visit Gays Mills, the apple capital of Wisconsin
Visiting the cranberry bogs
Fall is also the time of year for another fruit: cranberries.
Wisconsin is the leading producer of red berries in the country, harvesting more than half of the nation’s cranberries. Much of that production comes from the Warrens area, the cranberry capital of Wisconsin and home to the world’s largest cranberry festival takes place every year on the last weekend of September.
The festival includes tours of the marshes, handicraft stands, classic shops, a parade and a cranberry food tasting.
Learn more about state fruits at Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens, open daily from 9am to 5pm during the fall.
For more festivals with bog tours and cranberry tastings, check out Cranberry Fest in Eagle River (October 1-2), Fall on the Farm in Manitowish Waters (October 1) and the Stone Lake Cranberry Festival (October 1).
Conquer the corn maze
If it’s knee-high by the Fourth of July, it’ll be a maze you won’t remember by the end of September.
Take a flashlight with you to explore the maze Schuster’s Farm in Deerfield, where the 20-acre maze is open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October. The farm also has a Haunted Forest to wander through, fire pits for rent, a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, farm animals and activities for children.
More:Wisconsin’s Corn Mazes That You Can Get Lost In During Fall
Select and carve out a pumpkin
There are many places in Wisconsin where you can pick pumpkins, but Waldvogel’s farm in Juneau is considered the largest in Wisconsin, and in addition to pumpkins, there are over 60 attractions there.
More:Looking for pumpkin picking, horse-drawn wagon rides, corn mazes and other fall attractions in Milwaukee? Check out these farms.
See the mass migration of Canada geese
Fall is the migration season for birds, and many exploit Wisconsin’s waterways to make their way south. One of the biggest spectacles is the migration of Canada geese, hundreds of thousands of which stop at Horicon Swamp on their journey. Migration peaks between mid-October and mid-November, and the best birding occurs at sunrise and sunset. Visit the marsh visitor center on Highway 28 between Horicon and Mayville for birding tips and trail information.
Take the chairlift to see the autumn leaves
Before skiers and snowboarders take control, the chairlifts at Granite Peak Ski Resort outside Wausau are open to anyone who wants to take in the views while riding Rib Mountain. Rides are offered weekends from Sept. 10 through Oct. 17. Tickets are $15 for adults (13 and up), $10 for children (6-12), and free for toddlers (3-5); a family pass is $40 (good for two adults and two children).
Take a train ride to see the fall colors
Admire the colours while travelling by train. East Troy Electric Railway offers rides between its station in East Troy and the Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago. Mid-Continental Railway Museum in North Freedom offers 55-minute scenic drives through the Baraboo Hills on weekends through October 16. In Spooner Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad offers a range of rides — including dinner trains — along the Namekagon River.
To enjoy the views from your car or motorcycle, exit the interstate onto two-lane side roads. In southeastern Wisconsin, follow the green acorn signs on the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive through the northern part of the state forest. In western Wisconsin, follow the Great River Road, which winds along forested cliffs above the Mississippi River. To the north, admire fall colors against the backdrop of the largest Great Lakes in Lake Superior Scenic Routewhich runs along Highway 13 around the Bayfield Peninsula.
More:Waterfalls, Cliffs, and the Big Lake: 3 Fall Drives in Wisconsin
Visit the Fall Festival
Put on a flannel, grab a cup of apple cider, and browse the arts and crafts at one of these fall festivals:
Explore the haunted house
There’s plenty to choose from, including a favorite spot for Milwaukee locals The hill has eyes in Franklin. Neenah The grave house with ghosts claims to be one of the largest in the Midwest, with three haunted locations: two indoors and one outdoors. The Trapped Buried Alive Experience is a “one-of-a-kind experience where you and your group can see first-hand what it’s like to be buried alive.” Being buried alive is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Contact Chelsey Lewis at (414) 224-2144 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @chelseylew AND @TravelMJS and Facebook on Sentinel Travel Journal.
