West Michigan's abundant forests helped fuel Grand Rapids' rise as "furniture capital of the world" in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. While many hardwoods were sacrificed to sawmills in those years, Grand Rapids remains a tree-lover's paradise.
You’ll see an explosion of fall colors in 200+ local parks, on tree-lined suburban streets, and even alongside expressways as you cruise around town – including a “mountain” of trees that greets you two minutes west of downtown on I-196.
Peak fall leaf color in the Grand Rapids area typically occurs from mid to late October, but the exact timing can vary slightly from year to year depending on weather conditions. Sign up for the Pure Michigan Fall Colors e-newsletter for weekly updates on fall foliage throughout the state.
Our Favorite Color Routes
Our four countryside tours are filled with breathtaking natural scenery and exciting agritourism experiences throughout the year, but the views are even more spectacular in fall.
Each year, the Kent County Road Commission releases four fall color routes that showcase the vibrant colors of the season and the natural beauty of the area. Each route offers multiple loops of varying lengths, and identifies parks and bridges along the way.
The County Road Association of Michigan identified these Kent County roads as “don’t-miss” destinations for fall color:
- Honey Creek Avenue from Pettis Avenue to Cannonsburg Road (7 miles)
- Bailey Drive from Vergennes Street to Lincoln Lake Avenue (6 miles)
- Fallasburg Park Drive from Lincoln Lake Avenue 5 Mile Road (4.7 miles)
- 5 Mile Road from Lincoln Lake Avenue to Gavin Lake Avenue (2.7 miles)
- Gavin Lake Road from 5-Mile Road to Belding Road (2.9 miles)
- Wabasis Avenue from Belding Road to 12 Mile Road (4.6 miles)
- Ramsdell Drive from Cannonsburg Road to 11 Mile Road (6 miles)
Take a walk or bike ride across the Ada Covered Bridge, a 125-ft. beauty nestled in Leonard Park.
Photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR.
Fall Photo Spots
If you want to plan your own driving route, consider these scenic stops for your itinerary. You’ll find all sorts of colorful photo ops as you explore them on foot.
Ada Township Park. This 57-acre park includes a 200-tree arboretum, woodland garden, and nature area with barrier-free warbler trail.
Ada Covered Bridge. Erected in 1867, this 125-ft. Brown-truss wooden bridge spans the Thornapple River and is open to foot and bicycle traffic. It’s located in Leonard Park, just steps away from the walkable shopping and dining village of Ada.
Blandford Nature Center. An extensive trail network through old-growth forest and a naturalized golf course are ideal for admiring fall’s color palette.
Calvin Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens. Hike scenic trails through 100+ acres of forest, wetlands, and a native plant garden for a display of fall finery. Bring binoculars for birdwatching!
Fallasburg Covered Bridge. Opened in 1871, this 100-ft. Brown-truss wooden bridge still accommodates vehicular traffic across the Flat River just north of Lowell. It is adjacent to a forested county park crisscrossed with hiking trails. Visit Lowell’s charming main street, lined with antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants – before or after your tour.
The Grand Ravines' pedestrian bridge is the perfect spot for catching fall color scenery.
Photo by Alina Albin for Experience GR.
Walk the 900-ft boardwalk and enjoy views of Pickerel Lake at this peaceful nature preserve.
Photo by Bryan Esler for Experience GR
Pickerel Lake Park/Frederik Meijer Nature Preserve. Explore a scenic mix of wetlands, sandy woods, and rolling forest hills and valleys alongside a picturesque 80-acre lake. A 900-ft boardwalk crosses a portion of the lake.
Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery. This 100-year-old family orchard is a favorite fall destination for purchasing or picking 30+ varieties of apples, enjoying cider and homemade baked goods, and engaging with nature via hayrides, a petting zoo, a mountain bike trail and more. Don’t miss the 2025 corn maze celebrating Grand Rapids’ 175th anniversary!
White Pine Trail State Park. Michigan’s longest paved trail, spanning 92 miles from Comstock Park north to Cadillac, winds through colorful forests, farmlands and more than a dozen friendly towns. The 24.5-mile Kent County portion starts at Riverside Park, just a few minutes north of downtown GR.
Muskegon State Park and Saugatuck State Park. Hike forested sand dunes on the way to Lake Michigan beachfront (and dazzling fall sunsets) at these parks 40-50 minutes from downtown GR.
September and October are prime apple picking months, making it the perfect complementary activity to your fall color tour.
Photo by Polaris, Courtesy of Robinette's
More Fall Fun
Other ideas to supplement your fall color tour:
- See fall foliage from a different perspective – on a leisurely hike/bike ride, alongside a golf fairway, from a canoe or kayak, or as you fish local rivers (it’s salmon and steelhead season!)
- Visit Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for a different kind of fall color. The annual Mums at Meijer Gardens exhibit features Michigan’s largest chrysanthemum display, plus pumpkins, gourds, ornamental grasses and creative floral arrangements.
- Head to the family farms of Fruit Ridge Markets for apples, pumpkins, hayrides, corn mazes, and more.
- Pick your own apples at u-pick apple farms and orchards.
- Enjoy some fresh-pressed fall cider (and perhaps a just-baked doughnut or two).
- Try a flight of hard cider on the tucked-in-the-woods patio at Farmhaus Cider – it’s one of many Flights of Flavor food & drink pairings available throughout town.
- Tour local breweries for a taste of pumpkin beer and other seasonal specials.
- Soak up the view from an outdoor restaurant patio – you can see great fall colors at Rose’s on Reeds Lake, Blue Water, Bostwick Lake Inn, Third Nature Brewing and Pink Barrel Cellars, among others. Visit during Restaurant Week GR (Nov. 7-15, 2025) for special deals on special meals.
- Get a bird’s eye view of the city in fall from MDRD restaurant on the 27 floor of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Lookout Park atop Belknap Bluff or these rooftop bars.
- Ride a zip line through the colorful tree canopy at John Ball Zoo or tackle an elevated tree-to-tree adventure ropes obstacle course at TreeRunner Adventure Park.
- Enjoy some man-made color – visit ArtPrize Sep. 18 - Oct. 4, 2025 to see hundreds of artworks from international artists, all over downtown Grand Rapids.
Come to Grand Rapids for the fall colors, stay for all sorts of other autumnal adventures – check out these fall activities.
