Beyond its museums, sports arenas and trendy restaurants, Michigan’s energetic capital packs enough natural areas to make a perfect place for a weekend of leaf-peeping.
Two rivers meet downtown, and Michigan State University’s campus is full of large natural areas, with a system of nature centers just a short drive away. Color peaks here in mid-to-late October.
Follow the Trails
In addition to the river’s banks, there are ample trails for walking, hiking and biking around Lansing. The Sycamore Creek/Valhalla Trails wind through the woods and around a lake, while East Lansing's Northern Tier Trail takes you through 4.5 miles of beautiful, paved pathways. Look out for colorful maples and oaks overhead, with the surrounding trees, creeks and wetlands offering plenty of chances to spot songbirds, squirrels and other local wildlife.
Centers of Nature
Fenner Nature Center holds 134 acres of maple groves, restored prairie and a rolling glacial esker with a series of self-guided woodland trails winding throughout. Arrive on the last weekend of October, and you’ll find the Apple Butter Festival . Here, you can savor the flavors of fresh cider and apple butter, sample from local food trucks, enjoy local bands and even take a turn stirring the butter yourself among other seasonal crafts.
Two more nature centers sit close by – Harris Nature Center set along the Red Cedar in Meridian Township, and Woldumar Nature Center just west of town. Each offers miles of trails through the fall colors and interpretive displays about local geology and wildlife.
On the Road
Give yourself a day to drive around the area. Start by heading north out of the city to Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg, where 16 miles of trails wind through prairie and hardwoods around Lake Ovid, which is a layover for ducks and geese during fall migration. From there, swing northwest to Uncle John's Cider Mill in St. Johns, a family farm for more than a century, for fresh-pressed cider and something out of the Pie Barn.
Find more weekend getaways to soak up as much Michigan fall color as possible this season. To see predictions of where and when fall color will peak throughout our two peninsulas, check out our interactive fall color map.