The Upper Peninsula in Fall

By Mike Wendland | Updated Oct 13, 2016

In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, autumn means an explosion of colors, cool temperatures, gorgeous sunsets and a special time to enjoy the beauty of God's country.

That's why we scheduled our Roadtreking Fall Foliage Boondocking Adventure for October, held in the Porcupine Wilderness State Park. We arrived in peak color and experienced wildly fluctuating temperature. On Monday it was in the low 70's F. Wednesday saw a cold front come through with temperatures that dropped to the upper 30's overnight.

By Thursday when the gathering ended, the color had peaked and a stiff northwest wind of Lake Superior was quickly starting to blow the leaves away. We spent our time hiking, taking photos, visiting around warm campfires and throughly enjoying one of the largest true wilderness tracts east of the Mississippi.

Scroll dow to find lots of the photos I took this week of fall in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. You can find more from many of the attendees on our Facebook Group – www.facebook.com/groups/roadtreking/

Fog shrouds Courtney Lake just before sunrise — Fog shrouds Courtney Lake in the early morning

Our Boondocking Spot in the Ottawa National Forest

The autumn splendor reflected in the window of our Roadtrek

Jennifer hiking the East River rail in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

The still of a small lake acts like a mirror to the trees

Bo running along a wild stretch of Lake Superior shoreline

A great river hiking walk along the Presque Isle River

A slow shutter capture of the rushing river

upmanaidofalls-1-of-1 — One of the many falls along the Presque Isle River as it tumbles down to Lake Superior

Dal splendor showing one of the 230 RVs that we had for the gathering at the Presque Isle campground on Lake Superior — Fall splendor showing one of the 30 RVs that we had for the gathering at the Presque Isle campground on Lake Superior

Bo and I explored the rock and woods strewn Lake Superior beach at the Presque Isle campground

Fall color paints the forest at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan's UP

Mary Jane Curry, our RV Recipes columnist for the Roadtreking blog, did a cooking demo for our campers

Bo checks out the raging Presque Isle River

Another look from a hiking overlook at the forest in peak color

A wild, wind-shipper part of the Lake Superior shoreline

Mike Wendland

Published on 2016-10-13

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

4 Responses to “The Upper Peninsula in Fall”

October 17, 2016at6:55 am, Joyce Leeper O'Connell said:

The Porcupine Mountains are in our back yard, as we live on the beautiful Keweenaw peninsula. And we just visited Munising Falls last Saturday. We’ve also camped at the Presque Isle campground a couple of times. You should come on up to the Keweenaw sometime! The Porkies and Munising are gorgeous, but life is even better north of the Houghton Hancock Bridge!

October 17, 2016at12:32 pm, Mary Korbulic said:

Right on, Joyce. Thanks for showing us such a great time when we did the Welcome Boondockers thing at your wonderful little hideaway on the Keweenaw Peninsula in early September. Too bad we were too early for the fall colors, but the KP was absolutely gorgeous, and your hospitality was off the charts!

October 17, 2016at12:47 pm, Joyce Leeper O'Connell said:

We really enjoyed your visit, Mary! It was a real treat to have you!