Isle Royale Forums

Does anybody have an idea when the aspen/birch on the northeast part of the island turn color? I'm contemplating a quick trip to I.R. in the fall and it be great to time my trip so as to see the aspen/birch in full color.

If I were to place a wager, my estimate for a normal year would be the 3rd week in September for peak color. This could easily slide one week in either direction. But this year with the Lake Superior surface temperatures being abnormally warm the whole thing might move later by as much as two weeks. So this year my money would be on the last week in September with the possibility extending into the first week in October. I don't know what the moisture levels have been like. It's also going to depend somewhat upon which part of the Island as well. The mainland in the Keweenaw is typically later, around the first week in October.

You could always go early and stay late,

Thanks for the reply. I lived on Lake Superior (Munising) back in the 1980's and know that the Lake can influence when the trees turn color (with the shoreline forest turning color later than the forest away from the lake). Normally you can count on the aspen/birch across the lake in Ontario turning color around October 1st.. This year, with the mild winter, early spring, and warm summer, I don't know what to expect. Whatever, I have to go before October 4th, which is when the Voyager makes its last run of the season. I suppose I'll go around then.

We typically go and come back on the last boat from Grand Portage most years and the colors vary greatly from year to year. Last year, when we arrived, they were just starting and were peaked by the time we left. The previous year, the maples were just starting to change when we left. The U.P. seems to change before the island.

In addition, the moose rut seems to coincide exactly with the leaves changing. Last year they were VERY active and, the previous year, I do not recall even hearing one.