Red, orange and gold – fall has arrived on trees across Wisconsin.
As we enter the third week of October, much of northern and central Wisconsin is turning to or approaching fall colors, according to observers at Travel Wisconsin’s Travel Wisconsin. Autumn colors report. However, the southern part of the state is rather mixed, with many places still quite green.
What are your favorite places to admire the colorful scenery? Maybe it’s driving “up north,” walking down the street to a nearby park, or even a stretch of highway.
We recently asked our readers on social media about their favorite places to see fall colors. Here are their most popular types:
Note: In case of changes, please check each location’s website before making your trip.
Holy Hill
You know, when a place looks so breathtaking, it doesn’t seem real. Enter: Holy Mountain.
Holy Hill Basilica and the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians – located on 435 acres in the Hubertus area – perch atop a 500-meter-high came, according to a previous Journal Sentinel report.
It includes a 52-meter observation tower with 178 steps leading to it. Prize? Panoramic views of the surrounding Kettle Moraine State Forest and beyond. On a clear day, you can even see Milwaukee from here.
The report says other places worth taking in the views include the terrace in front of the Stage Tower, the Stations of the Cross walkway and part of the Ice Age Trail. According to the Holy Hill website, the sanctuary is accessible by elevators.
Visitors are required to maintain “respectful silence” in the basilica and its chapels and behave “with respect and reverence” in the sanctuary, according to the website.
Holy Hill also has a café and gift shop.
- WHERE: 1525 Carmel Road, Hubertus
- HOURS: According to side of the Holy Hill, the area is open every day from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Stage Tower is open from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday from May to October, weather permitting. The basilica is open from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Here is the Holy Mass schedule).
- ENTRY: The tour is free, but donations are appreciated.
- MORE INFORMATION: holyhill.com
Lapham Peak
According to Lapham Peak – part of the Kettle Moraine State Forest – there is a 45-foot observation tower that stands atop the highest point in Waukesha County (3,000 meters above sea level). state DNR website.
According to the JS report, portions of the Ice Age Trail and a 2.8-mile paved accessible plantation trail run through nearby forest for a closer look at the colors.
- WHERE: W329 N846 County Highway C, Delafield
- HOURS: Lapham Peak is open from 6am to 9pm all year round.
- ENTRY: Lapham Peak requires a state parks admission sticker, which costs vehicles with Wisconsin license plates $8 per day or $28 per year. For residents 65 and older, rates drop to $3 per day or $13 per year. The cost for out-of-state residents is $11 per day or $38 per year. It is possible to purchase stickers onlineand also at Features of the Wisconsin State Park System AND DNR Service Centers.
- MORE INFORMATION: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/laphampeak
Door County
Fall accents can be seen throughout Door County, from its picturesque parks and quaint towns to its renowned winding road.
This winding road – one of the most photographed places on the peninsula, especially in the fall – is a winding stretch of State 42 west of Northport. The road with compact and rapid turns is surrounded by trees.
Another one of the area’s most popular attractions is Peninsula State Park’s 60-foot-tall Eagle Tower, which is accessed via an 850-foot “fully accessible” canopy to the top. state DNR website he said. Or, if you prefer stairs, there are those too – 100 of them.
According to its website, the tower offers “panoramic” views of the park, surrounding islands, the Upper Michigan coast and Ephraim.
According to the JS report, wires in sections of the observation deck balustrade provide a less obstructed view for children and people in wheelchairs.
For more ideas on where to find fall colors in DC, click here.
- WHERE: To find the winding highway, drive north along State 42. It’s located on the northern tip of mainland Door County and leads straight to Northport, where the ferry runs to Washington Island. Peninsula State Park is located at 9462 Shore Road, Fish Creek.
- HOURS: Peninsula State Park is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m
- ENTRY: Peninsula State Park requires a state parks admission sticker, which costs vehicles with Wisconsin license plates $10 per day or $28 per year. For residents 65 and older, rates drop to $3 per day or $13 per year. The cost for out-of-state residents is $13 per day or $38 per year. It is possible to purchase stickers onlineand also at Features of the Wisconsin State Park System AND DNR Service Centers.
- MORE INFORMATION:https://wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/peninsula
Devil’s Lake State Park
Devil’s Lake State Park is the largest and most popular park in Wisconsin.
Offers “magnificent” views from 500-foot quartzite bluffs overlooking a 360-acre lake, DNR website he said. And this lake? It is shaped like a butternut squash – like autumn.
According to the JS report, the most forested bluffs are home to red and white oaks, sugar maples, basswoods and hickories.
There are nearly 30 miles of hiking trails, some much more challenging than others.
According to the DNR website, the most popular trail in the park is the 1.5-mile Tumbled Rocks Trail, which runs between the base of West Bluff and the eastern shore of the lake. The roughly paved trail offers great views of the lake, and the northern portion is accessible.
Here’s a guide to the park and its trails, including those that are accessible.
- WHERE: The main entrance to DL County on the north side of the lake is at S5975 Park Road, Baraboo. There is also an entrance on the south shore of the lake on S. Lake Road, west of DL County.
- HOURS: 6:00 to 23:00
- ENTRY: Devil’s Lake requires a state parks admission sticker, which costs vehicles with Wisconsin license plates $13 per day or $28 per year. For residents 65 and older, rates drop to $3 per day or $13 per year. The cost for out-of-state residents is $16 per day or $38 per year. It is possible to purchase stickers onlineand also at Features of the Wisconsin State Park System AND DNR Service Centers.
- MORE INFORMATION: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/devilslake
Honorable Mentions
Some other places readers shared:
Chelsey Lewis and Christopher Kuhagen of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
