Experience Michigan's Paradise: Experience Color

First Signs of Color Along Tahquamenon Scenic Byway, September 3, 2015

As humans, we like color. If not, we would still be watching black and white television. As photographers we try to capture the “true” colors of an image; vibrant, beautiful colors. For many of us, we fail. The printed image just doesn’t do justice to our memories. We like colors. Maybe that is just one of the reasons why we are enamored by autumn colors. Remember learning about Chlorophyll and photosynthesis in elementary school. As children we could relate to the leaves. After all, when they were vibrantly green and it was very warm outside, we were often, OUT OF SCHOOL. The change of colors was an indication that there would be relief from the heat, and time for studies.

Please note the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the National Forest Service do a fabulous job of explaining why the leaves change color at their website Why Leaves Change Color. I highly recommend giving it a read before the grand kids and neighborhood children start asking questions. Even for children that tend to lean away from science, the change of leaf colors, sparks questions of interest at a very early age.

Bold Colors Against Blue Skies, October 7, 2015

I think that as we age, the seasons become a strong reminder of the seasons within our own lives. The summer within our lives was busy, stress-fully filled with jobs within and outside the home. Children presented us with needs and concerns while relationships with our parents and friends needed tending. Just as the summer changes pace with the onset of autumn through the gradual shortening of the days and the decline in temperature highs, our children grow up, move out of the home and start their own families. All of a sudden, our pace slows down, and we again, notice the changing of the seasons. Hiking a trail, or taking a drive to immerse ourselves in color, allows us to slow down and appreciate the seasonal changes within us.

My father was a farmer in north eastern Indiana. He had a Sunday ritual through the summer months of going for a drive in the car. He would drive along the county dirt roads, listening to an afternoon sermon. I didn’t realize until I was older but he was checking on the neighboring farms, Bill’s wheat, and Larry’s soybeans. He would also check his own fields. He would stop by the wheat field and roll the head in the palm of his hand to estimate harvest time or he would step in to the corn field and palm a couple of ears of corn. I was so impatient. There was no game boy in those days or even air conditioning. But as time passed, autumn often meant for me, a time for harvest. Exploring the colors of autumns often fills us with pleasant memories of times past.

A Mix of Hardwoods and Evergreens

My husband and I have always enjoyed a leisurely drive in the country; if at all possible, no four lane highway, but gently curving roads that provide for a burst of one color and then another on the next curve. Whenever possible our windows are down to let in that cooler, natural air. Today we live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, one of the top locations in the country for leaf peeping and gently curving state and county roads bordered by national and state forests of sugar maples, red maples, American Beech, and northern white cedar filled with colors among the many pines that remain green and highlight the contrasts.

National scenic byways are often designed to enhance that color tour experience. In the Paradise area there are a number of fine color tours. Physically located on the Tahquamenon Scenic Byway, Michigan State Road 123, Paradise is an ideal location for your base camp. Check your calendar and see if you can start planning your color tour adventure even today. The region has a limited number of accommodations, making plans ahead of schedule allows you to select the dates that interest you most and the accommodations that you prefer.

North Country Scenic Trail, October 10, 2015, Tahqua Trail

The Tahquamenon Scenic Byway is a dilapidated horseshoe-shape of sorts, starting and ending along M-28 between Eckerman and Newberry, Michigan. But the drive on the well-maintained M-123 from its origin at Exit 352 off Intersate-75 just north of the Mighty Mac Bridge is a pleasurable drive. The Tahquamenon Scenic Byway offers no less than 10 points of interest along the route including the Tahquamenon Falls State Park and the Whitefish Point Lighthouse. If you have a four wheel drive, Luce County Road 500 to the Crisp Point Lighthouse is an adventure, but the breathtaking views of Lake Superior and Crisp Point are well worth the trip. Following the curve of Lake Superior’s Whitefish Bay is the Whitefish Bay National Scenic Byway within the Hiawatha National Forest. This is an ideal drive from just south of Paradise to Sault Ste Marie, check out the Soo Locks, explore Sault Ste Marie and then return to Paradise for a quiet evening reminiscing the day.

October 22, 2015 Colors Are Still Present

The peak season of color change is often mid September to mid October. The primary factor for color change is the longer nights, decreasing the opportunity for photosynthesis. So this time frame stays very consistent. Having said this, other factors have an impact on the length of time colors are present. If trees become stressed because of a lack of water, or major temperature changes, leaves can change colors as well. The color may fade quickly or drop to the ground sooner. The UP Travel website offers some insight as to the progression of colors. The local weather stations provide insight as well. This region is served well by 9and10News, Fox32 and Up North Live. With Internet access you can quickly check on the current status (Start checking in September) for making a quick trip north. Better yet, give your favorite establishment a call to see what the weather conditions are and receive a direct, eye-witnessed leaf peeping status update.