Everything you need to know about fall colors in West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — You may have noticed it already: A riot of orange, a splash of gold, crunching on a freshly-fallen brown leaf. The trees are changing and West Michigan is in for a show.

There are certain spots leaf peepers should get to in the next few weeks, according to the County Road Association of Michigan. It put together a list of must-see fall scenic routes in the state.

In Kalamazoo County, there are east, north and south routes, including long stretches near Vicksburg and winding roads near Augusta. Ottawa and Muskegon counties feature scenic drives along the lakeshore. Check out the full list here .

“When I want to go see the fall colors, you know what I do? I get in my car and I go for a drive. There are so many scenic roads and scenic byways around West Michigan that are perfect for experiencing the fall colors,” said Nick Nerbonne, media digital and industry relations director at Travel Michigan.

KENT COUNTY

Each year, the Kent County Road Commission releases a Fall Color Tour guide of the best scenic driving routes. This year’s list spans hundreds of miles of county roads and suggests stops at places like parks and bridges.

“We’re proud of our bridge system, we’re proud of our road system,” said Wayne Harrall, deputy managing director at Kent County Road Commission. “I like trying to mix in some of the historic bridges, the older bridges that we have that are very unique in this county.”

He suggested checking out the Fallasburg Covered Bridge in Vergennes Township near Lowell, or a couple in Ada: the Ada Covered Bridge and the Burroughs Street Bridge.

“Both those bridges have a nice area that if you wanted to kind of look at the water itself, you can pull off. Burroughs Bridge will be 100 years old next year and it’s very unique. It’s a steel camelback bridge,” Harrall said.

But you don’t have to stay on the route. There are plenty of places to venture off, like county parks. Of the 46 parks in the county, 26 are featured on the Kent County Road Commission’s guide. Parks Director Ben Swayze encouraged people to “get out there and explore a park they haven’t been to before.”

He suggested visiting Townsend Park in Cannon Township, which was the first park in the county to open to the public back in 1924. With some “great hiking opportunities” and 109 acres added within the last year, Swayze said it’s a can’t-miss.

“There’s a lot of natural surface hiking trails that are cut into there, so great opportunity to hike within the park. And then it’s also located on Cannon Trail, so you can actually hop on the Cannon Trail from that, take that up to the north and visit some additional parks, both county parks and Cannon Township parks as well,” Swayze said.

He also recommended Seidman Park, featuring some recently reworked trails and newly-placed markings. It’s on the North Country Trail, which crosses several states.

“That’s a trail that goes all the way from Montana all the way to the East Coast of the country. So that’s a great place to get out and experience the color. (Seidman is) a natural park so there isn’t a lot of development in it,” Swayze said.

Calling Millennium Park in Walker the “jewel of our park system,” Swayze recommended walking some of the 17 miles of trails, both natural and paved surfaces.

“Just a great opportunity to experience nature down there, especially located along the river,” Swayze said.

If you’re looking for a view from above, Fisk Mound is the place to go. Fisk is a “small but mighty park,” Swayze said, less than 2 acres. Located in Solon Township on the north side of the county, it boasts the tallest point in the county at 1,072 feet above sea level.

“While most of our other parks are experiencing the color from underneath, Fisk Mound is a park, if you can make your way out there … an opportunity to experience the color from the top as well,” Swayze said.

OUTSIDE KENT COUNTY

Sightseers who want to travel outside Kent County may find some luck on Lake Michigan Drive, according to Nick Nerbonne with Travel Michigan. He recommended taking the road from Grand Rapids toward Grand Haven. Along the way, you’ll pass a lot of farms, small markets and “places where you can enjoy the country feel,” he said.

Once in Grand Haven, outdoor adventurers can hike the Rosy Mound Natural Area, where one trail goes up above the dunes and bluffs above the lake.

“Michigan stands out across the country, not just here in the Midwest, because of the fact that we combine the wonderful and vibrant colors we have across the state with the Great Lakes,” Nerbonne said.

He called the drive from Grand Haven down to Holland on Lakeshore Avenue a “spectacular way to experience the fall colors but also stay close to home.”

A little farther north, visitors can do what’s called the Depot to Depot self-guided color tour (named for old train depots). Since it’s self-guided, you can go anytime.

“It winds its way through the West Michigan Pike byway, so it really just follows the coast of Lake Michigan through the woods and along the coastline and it goes to really, two iconic places from Muskegon South Pierhead Light to the White River Light Station,” Nerbonne said.

White Pine Trail from Grand Rapids to Cadillac and the Kal-Haven trail from Kalamazoo to the Lake Michigan shore are also popular destinations that stretch miles and offer hiking and great scenery.

While you’re out and about, Nerbonne recommended taking advantage of “agritourism” along the way — the overlap of agricultural industry with tourism. As one of the most agriculturally-diverse states in the country, Michigan is home to over 45,000 farms.

“The farmers of Michigan are inviting travelers to come and experience their farm and what they do on the farm and then enjoy some of the delicious products they produce, some of the fresh fruits and vegetables and really, create an experience out of the agricultural industry we have,” Nerbonne said.

He recommended visiting an apple orchard or pumpkin farm to enjoy some flavors of fall.

For more itineraries and ideas for experiencing fall across Michigan, visit the Pure Michigan website .

You can submit your fall colors photos to WOOD TV8 on our ReportIt page .

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