There’s so much to love about fall in Milwaukee! The slight chill in the air, the return of Bucks basketball and Admirals hockey and the annual resurgence of pumpkin spice everything. But the biggest factor in autumnal ambiance is the flamboyant hues of fall foliage as the bright green of spring and summer shift to the brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow.
So, in preparation for fall in Milwaukee, here are just some of the places you should go for peak leaf-peeping this year.
By Foot
Seven Bridges Hiking Trail
A list of places to see the blazing colors of fall foliage in Milwaukee has to start with Seven Bridges Trail at Grant Park. Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature as you step through the looking glass into an enchanting fall wonderland. Tranquil and quiet, the trail is the perfect place to take in nature’s majestic new hues amongst sweeping lakeshore views.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
If you loved your experience at Havenwoods, there’s more to explore! Head to Bayside to blaze your trail across a variety of different terrains as you see fall foliage at an 185-acre nature preserve. Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is home to over six miles of trails, including forests, wetlands, restored prairies, ravines, bluffs and the Lake Michigan shoreline, giving you a new perspective on the season’s shades. The best place to take in the stunning views of those fall hues is by climbing the 60-foot observation tower, poking your head high above the tree-laden earth to peep the leaves from new heights.
Lake Park
For something a little closer to downtown, Lake Park’s got the color you crave. Frederick Law Olmsted has been lauded as one of our country’s foremost landscape architects, designing parks that continue to serve as spaces of play and relaxation to this day. In addition to Riverside and Washington Parks, Olmsted was the architect of the crown jewel in the Milwaukee County Parks system: Lake Park. Featuring a mix of paved around the historic park and dirt trails winding down to the lakefront, during fall, Lake Park is prime leaf-peeping territory.
Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum
Take your love of landscape architecture a step further at Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum. It is spooky season, but that’s very much not why we’ve included a cemetery on a leaf-peeping list. Before parks were established throughout the city, cemeteries functioned as gathering places and spaces of relaxation. Modeled after New Auburn Cemetery, these peaceful paths cover more than 200 acres of park-like cemetery and arboretum is home to over 2,600 majestic trees across 100 different species.
Havenwoods State Forest
From one trail to another, Wisconsin’s only urban state forest is another place to spot the season’s shifting colors. Choose your own adventure along one of four trails of Havenwoods State Forest, ranging from 0.7 miles to 2.3 miles, as you venture along wetlands, grasslands, woods, gardens, urban arboretums, ponds and a 120-foot bridge. Explore the trail on foot or cruise through the brilliant fall views as you traverse the trails on a mountain bike.
Humboldt Park
Looking for a quick, easily accessible leaf-peeping? Bay View’s got you covered. Take a tour of Bay View to get to the brightly colored trees of Humboldt Park. Best known as the home of the annual Chill on the Hill concert series, the 73-acre park features two ponds and long, mostly flat walking paths, ideal for an easy cruise to those brilliant sights of fall foliage with a hot cup of joe from the nearby Colectivo in tow.
Veterans Park
Cityscape and fall foliage, can it really get better than that? Well, Veterans Park is where it’s at. Walk along the park’s lagoon to ensconce yourself in the season’s shifting shades, then make your way along Lake Michigan to see the city dressed up in red, yellow and orange.
Oak Leaf Trail
Take your love of leaf-peeping on the go and view hues on the move along the Oak Leaf Trail. The 135-mile trail winds through downtown Milwaukee, connecting you to nature and your next destination. Take in the sights of the season’s changing color palate as you walk, run or roll along the paved pathways.
There’s so much more to love about fall in MKE. Check out Autumn Activities to keep the cozy season rolling, enjoy our 8 Favorite Fall Coffee Finds, make your plans for Spooky Season in Milwaukee and turn your leaf-peeping stay into a full-on Milwaukee getaway today!
By Car
Holy Hill
For a drive with a pop of color, make the trip just North of Milwaukee to Holy Hill in Hubertus. Perched seemingly atop the clouds, Holy Hill Basilica is a fall photo that is pretty much unmatched. Just driving through the town of Hubertus to get there, you’ll immediately feel immersed in the dazzling shades of autumn, with densely populated trees lining the road on both sides. Wind your way through the hilly region to explore the basilica or simply revel in the colorfully immersive experience.
Cedarburg
On your way back to Milwaukee, step into a scene straight out of a Hallmark movie in Cedarburg. The charming suburb just north of Milwaukee is home to cute boutique shops, historic attractions and a cozy, feel-good atmosphere, perfect for discovering that fall feeling as you walk along the tree-lined streets or drive through the last covered bridge in Wisconsin.
Fall Color Report
Want to know when we hit peak peeping in Milwaukee? Check out Travel Wisconsin’s Fall Color Report, which gives you the current fall foliage colors and the best time to spot your favorite autumn views here.
We want to see your fall photos! Be sure to tag #VisitMKE on social media.