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Opportunities to experience autumn splendor abound in Marquette County. From time-tested driving tours to hiking and biking, you’ll find adventures to suit the spirit await, providing visitors with the best nature has to offer while celebrating the area’s glorious fall color. Local trees are just starting to show color change as bursts of bronze, yellow and red color are beginning to appear. Peak color is fast approaching—expected to be only one week away.Newberry and Luce County’s summer foliage is fading fast this week and russet, yellow and orange hues are coming through. Viewers will see pops of bright orange and red from the maples that dot the tree lines. The drive up M-123 toward Tahquamenon Falls is stunning with the overhanging Maples along this road. The vivid fall colors make for a great backdrop for pictures at The Falls as well. Another great fall drive is along CR-407 north to Lake Superior, where the natural beauty of the bright, colorful trees makes a stunning view of the lake in the background. The area is anticipating peak color to be about one week away. Fall color is advancing slowly across Traverse City and the Grand Traverse Bay area, particularly at higher elevations to the east and south of the city and the interior of the Leelanau Peninsula where temperatures have been slightly cooler than in the coastal parts of the region. Spotty Maples are showing bright red and orange, and there is some spot color from the yellow and crimson of climbing vines, but the area has yet to display the kind of massed color locals expect to see in a week or two. Nevertheless, the splashes of bright purple from the fall asters and the luminous stalks of goldenrod are making a fine show at ground level. A wonderful fall drive can be found in the highlands just south of Traverse City, an area dotted with dozens of small lakes and dense forests of evergreens and hardwoods--as well as the majestic 158-acre Boardman Valley Nature Preserve (http://garfield-twp.com/twpnaturereserve.asp). Much of this intensely varied landscape is contained in the vast, multi-county Pere Marquette State Forest (http://www.stateparks.com/pere_marquette_state_forest_in_michigan.html), and it is best explored by heading out into the maze of twisting roads that wind through the forests, around lakes and along the tops of high wooded bluffs. But beware of the roads around Arbutus and Spider lakeshore drives (http://www.arbutustriangle.com/ ). This beautiful area is so confusing to the newcomer—it is known as the “Arbutus Triangle by locals.” The Grand Traverse Bay area expects to see peak conditions in about three weeks.For the Ludington area, some of the best viewing for the upcoming weekend can be seen at the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, Lake Michigan Recreations Area and the Ludington State Park. Locals report vibrant Aspen, Beech, Hickory, Maples and Oaks radiating like a crimson tide throughout area parks and nature areas. The area will peak in one or two more weeks. Mt. Pleasant’s Chippewa River, which leads to Island Park offers paddlesports enthusiasts great opportunities to see the orange, red, and yellow leaves sprinkle the banks and the city’s surrounding parks throughout the fall color extravaganza. This week, visitors to the area will see some reds among local Maples and Oaks. Peak conditions are expected to arrive in three two to three weeks.Holland and the Ottawa County is bedazzled with its display of golden Aspens, red Maples and pale cream Beech trees—however, the annual color show in its prime has barely begun. Visitors to the area will find Lakeshore Drive between Holland and Grand Haven and the scenic Blue Star Highway between Holland and Saugatuck to be the best scenic drives for the upcoming weekend. Hike up the Mt. Pisgah Dune, where you’re perfectly positioned to get a 360-degree view of the area’s breathtaking fall foliage framed by Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa. Holland's first-ever Fall Fest will take place this weekend (October 9- 10). Come and enjoy the comfort food cook-off, watch professional pumpkin carvers, see fascinating pumpkin creations throughout downtown Holland. Peak is three or four weeks away.Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties are reporting a splash of yellow about area trees. As we patiently wait for Mother Nature to make a splashing debut, local farmers markets across Saginaw County are in full swing. Peak conditions are reported to be three to four weeks away.The communities of Southwest Michigan are still experiencing lush green foliage, blue skies and summer temperatures. However, fruits and vegetables are abundant at local farm markets, while grapes are being harvested at Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail wineries to produce next year's award-winning wines. (http://miwinetrail.com/)Visitors to South Haven and the towns of Van Buren County will find gold and crimson Maples along M-43 going east, vivid bronze, and red Oaks along the M-140 corridor going south and gold and bronze Elms along CR-376. Families can enjoy hiking and biking along the Kal-Haven Trail or at Van Buren State Park. Area orchards, farm markets and u-picks have a bountiful selection of locally grown and harvested goods, while wineries and breweries welcome weekend color seekers to their tasting rooms and brew pubs to sample the seasonal’ s best spirits. Peek conditions are still one to or two weeks away. (http://www.southhaven.org/uploads/ckeditor/files/SouthHaven_Color_Tours.pdfhttp://www.southhaven.org/content.cfm?ID=125The leaves are starting to turn in the Ann Arbor area! Approximately 25% of the trees have begun changing, and there are pops of color peering out of the forest more and more. Color along the 104-mile Huron River Water Trail (http://www.michigan.org/property/huron-river-water-trail/ ) is particularly amazing this time of year. This weekend, you’ll find numerous reds, yellows and oranges-- of the editable type-- at cider mills, farmers markets, orchards and breweries (http://www.visitannarbor.org/things-to-do/seasonal) throughout Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.Other Lower Peninsula communities are reporting only spotty color for the coming weekend, with peak conditions still as much as three or more weeks away.