Hi, friends! Yes, it’s time. Welcome to your first on-the-ground fall color report.
We’re off to a great start this fall season, with the beginning of what we like to call popcorn color. Trees are starting to lighten from their rich summer greens, mostly due to the dry conditions we experienced through August.
That lack of moisture has put continued stress on the trees, encouraging them to store their resources sooner. These eager trees will respond to our cooler temperatures sooner as well.
Remember, how bright and vivid the fall colors become is due in part to how cold it gets overnight. We’re almost hoping for those big swings in temperature between overnight and daytime hours. Those cooler nights can help trap sugars in the leaves and set the stage for brighter colors.
For now, the chlorophyll is still clinging on. Let’s call this a false fall, a little teaser for the full feature coming soon.
Warm daytime temperatures this week may have a bit of a fading effect, but looking ahead, the recent rain should help the leaves hold on. Trees that have been stressed by the dry conditions may still drop their leaves sooner.
This is prime time for transitional fashion: flannel mornings, T-shirt afternoons, and golden-hour selfies. Just remember, sunset is now before 7 PM.
Top Pick of the Week
Stick to the roadsides.
The Egg Harbor area is your must-see route this week. You’ll find the most pops of color showing up on individual branches right along Highway 42. There’s also a nice overlook from Eames Farm Hill on CTH E, with nearby pick-your-own apples already underway.
Another spot worth checking out is the stretch along CTH F in the mid-Peninsula near Fish Creek. It’s still early, but the trees are giving us our first little preview of what’s ahead. Keep watching the colors, keep exploring Door County, and we’ll be back with another Fall Color Report from Studio B.



