Natural History Wanderings

Eastern Region 9 – National Forests  has a new fall color report for 10/9/14 for the following states:

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin

Illinois

We are beginning to see dots of color throughout the Shawnee National Forest’s rolling hills. The sassafras, sumac and dogwoods are redder, while the yellow and brown tulip poplar and sycamore leaves are crumbling and falling to the forest floor. The maple trees are beginning to show a touch of red and orange. Overall, the color is only at about 30%.

Indiana

The Hoosier National Forest is still in the beginning stages of fall color. Sassafras and pawpaw are in full color while the maples are starting to change. Tulip poplars are showing their yellows but the walnut trees are almost bare. Sweetgum, poison ivy and sumacs are beautiful with their brilliant, deep reds. Color is at about 15%.

Michigan

Peak color occurred last weekend on the Hiawatha National Forest, however the color is holding very well in many parts of the Forest, particularly near the Great Lakes shorelines.  Maples, Red Maples, Beeches, and Aspen are in color right now, and while some leaves have fallen, it promises to be another beautiful weekend coming up.

Color is starting to tiptoe deeper into the woods on the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The further north you are, the more color you will see in the interior portions of the woods. Right now, roadways and shorelines have the brightest colors, especially along the Manistee, Pine and Au Sable Rivers. The Pere Marquette and White Rivers are both a little further behind. Main roadways through the Forests are brilliant with color, while some of the interior roads have the golden light of fall, with very little color. See below for detailed locale information;

• Manistee/Cadillac Area– The roadways give the appearance that full color is here, but the trees heading into the Forest are just beginning to change color.  Overall color is still around 40-50%
• Baldwin/White Cloud Area– Along the roadways the trees are changing color, the further south you go the less color you will see. The Pere Marquette and White Rivers are starting to show more color, as are the swamp/wetland areas and lakeshores near several campgrounds, but overall color is still around 25-30%
• Mio/Grayling Area– Color is reaching further into the Forest, but roads and shorelines are still the most colorful areas. Overall color is still around 35-40%.
• Oscoda/Tawas City Area– River Road National Scenic Byway and the Au Sable River corridor are starting to see more color.  But most areas are still very green as you move deeper into the woods.  Overall color is still around 25-30%.

Fall wildflowers are done, but as you walk through the woods look around the ground and see what mushrooms you can find. Ranging from bright red or orange to dark purple or white you will see fungus in an array of colors on the forest floors

Fall color on the Ottawa National Forest has been different this year.  Just when you thought color had peaked or was past peak, you come around a bend on a forest road and see that not all fall color is gone.  Even with this patchy color, the Forest woods are still beautiful. The plentiful aspens are just starting to turn “golden,” making for some amazing photo opportunities.  In exploring, you can find some spots where oaks and maples are holding their color longer than usual. There are some hearty leaves this year, hanging on through the recent wind and rain. Plan a scenic drive along Lake Superior where the fall colors are really popping!  Temperatures for the weekend are supposed to climb into the low-mid 50’s, which would make an adventure into the woods very delightful.  Hurry to the Ottawa to enjoy the remaining fall color.

Minnesota

We are seeing tamaracks changing quickly, while oak and aspen are still showing nice color along roads in the Chippewa National Forest.  Cold, windy air is making this a very chilly autumn.  Rain last Friday turned to flakes of snow! There is quite a big difference in temperature now, from the last week of September, which was in the upper 70s.  Along with temperatures dropping, so have many leaves off trees. Although most of the forest is past peak, fall color can still be enjoyed as you enter forest roads and trails.  Hunters are out and about.  Please remember to wear blaze orange when out hiking and enjoying this autumn season.

The times are a-changin’ indeed, with recent winds and rain bringing down many leaves in the Superior National Forest. That being said, color is still at around 75%, but won’t last long. There are still some full 100% patches, often in birch and aspen stands, but most of the maples have lost their leaves in many areas. The forest floor is littered with colorful fallen leaves and pipits turning them over looking for tasty morsels.

Missouri

Dogwoods and poison ivy are showing red with a dash of yellow on redbuds and Missouri oak trees in southern parts of Mark Twain National Forest. Fall colors peak on most of the forest, scattered across 1.5 million acres in southern and central Missouri, mid to end of October.  New England asters, native goldenrod and ragweed are adding a dash of blue, yellow and white to road sides. Fall colors are at 10%. Visit http://1.usa.gov/1sPmKnr  for recommended roads and trails to see fall color.

New Hampshire

Color and weather have been truly exceptional this foliage season on the White Mountain National Forest. There has been an unusual amount of red especially at elevation and points north and west; though it is slowly fading.  Colors are about peak at lower elevations (what we who live her call the “intervales”) and along the south and east side of the Forest.

Moderate rain and wind predicted this week will likely increase leaf drop wherever the color was most mature, but won’t get it all. Overall, large-scale colors are still “wow” but just past their brightest.  Many smaller, more focused locales (which tends to provide better pictures anyway) are clearly at or just approaching peak.  Enjoy!

Vermont

Foliage is past peak at the higher elevations of the Green Mountain National Forest.  The past few days of rain has brought a lot of leaves down at all elevations.  The later turning trees are still beautiful, and stand out amidst the evergreens, grays and browns.

West Virginia

A common theme for all the ranger districts of the Monongahela National Forest is that the rain and wind is changing the landscape of the fall foliage situation. The colors, they are a changing, the leaves they are a falling! See below for detailed locale information:

• Cheat Area(Parsons):  though the leaves are slightly past peak in the higher elevations, they are still spectacular. A drive through Canaan valley is beautiful and very much worth the trip. The lower elevations are at about 30%, with just a beginning glimpse of some reds and yellows. Some spots have color, but are losing their leaves because of windy, rainy conditions. These areas will probably peak within the next week or week and a half.
• Gauley Area(Richwood):  there is about a 30-40% change in the leaves overall. Travelling up along routes 39/55 towards the cranberry mountain nature center it goes to about 75%, with some of the leaves already beginning to fall off. By most reports, the highland scenic highway is still at peak.
• Greenbrier Area(Bartow):  it is reported that this area is at about 80% change. Though the district is technically past peak color, there are still a few very pretty trees to behold.
• Marlinton Area(Marlinton):  the area has seen a dramatic change in fall foliage over the past weekend. Rain and winds have sent leaves down to the ground as fall foliage here has almost passed prime time. Leaves in the higher elevations are at approximately 80% peak and approximately 70% in the lower elevations. If you want to get a glimpse of color in the mountains of the Marlinton ranger district, plan to do so soon!
• Potomac Area (Petersburg): here in the northernmost are of the Forest the color of the leaves in the valley are starting to change, at about 10-15%. It will be about one to one and a half weeks before they reach their peak.
• White Sulphur Area(white sulphur springs) the southernmost area of the Monongahela national forest):  the colors in the southernmost area are at around 30-40% in the mountains, and around 20% in the lower elevations.

Wisconsin

Rain and much cooler temperatures are heralding summer’s end and the beginning of fall on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. While many trees have shed their leaves, there is still much to see in the Forest. For information to plan your trip to the Northwood’s, visit us on Facebook.

Milwaukee Metro Area: Mild evening temperatures mean little change in metro Milwaukee’s fall colors this week. Recent wind and rain brought down more leaves, but the predominant color is still mostly green across the landscape, with a good representation of yellows and golds in the birch, ash and aspen trees. Some maples are displaying shades of green, gold, orange and red all on one tree! Sumac bushes and wild grape and Virginia creeper vines are intense red and scarlet, while the purple aster flowers bloom along roadsides and in fields.