Wisconsin Road Trip | Take Your RV on a Fall Colors Tour
September 14, 2017
Autumn in Wisconsin is brief but beautiful. We’re fortunate enough to experience all four seasons in our state, which is why you should take every opportunity to enjoy the crisp fall air and striking beauty of the changing leaves.
If you have an RV or camper, it’s a chance to enjoy one last trip before winter sets in. If you’re wishing your family owned an RV, you may not have to wait to start taking those adventures. With an RV or vehicle loan from Unison Credit Union, you’ll get help financing an RV or camper so you can stop dreaming and hit the road.
While there are some beautiful landscapes around the Fox Valley and Green Bay area, even more fall colors await you in the Northwoods, around Door County, and along the bluffs of Western Wisconsin.
When you take your RV or camper, you’ll be able to travel longer distances and make it more than just a day trip. That way, you can take your time and enjoy activities like hiking and apple picking, or visit wineries and local restaurants.
Here are several Wisconsin destinations for those seeking stunning displays of fall colors (don’t forget to take your camera).
A “Superior” Lake Experience
Apostle Islands Visitors Center, Bayfield, WI
Head north with your camper or RV to see the sights around Lake Superior, where the leaves hit peak color a bit earlier than the rest of the state, usually around the last week of September, depending on the weather that year.
The website SuperiorTrails.com recommends a few tours near the Wisconsin shoreline, including one that brings you through the orchards of Bayfield. The city’s Apple Festival occurs the first weekend in October. You can also take in some Wisconsin waterfalls on this trip. The site suggests checking out Copper Falls State Park and Potato River County Park.
The Door Peninsula at Its Peak
Door County in Autumn. Photo by Leif and Evonne
A bit closer to home, you’ll find one of the best destinations for breathtaking panoramas of the autumn season. If you think Door County is only for summertime trips, you are in for a pleasant surprise.
Spend a day at Potawatomi State Park and climb the observation tower for a view of Lake Michigan, or head up to Bailey’s Harbor and take a ride around Kangaroo Lake. DoorCounty.com also recommends Skyline Road in Fish Creek. You could easily take a trip around the entire peninsula stopping to visit quaint shops and eateries along the way.
Door County hosts some fun fall festivals, too. That includes:
- The Harvest Festival and Car Show in Sturgeon Bay.
- Sister Bay’s Fall Fest.
- The Pumpkin Patch Festival in Egg Harbor.
- Jack-o-Lantern Days leading up to Halloween in Fish Creek.
Rural Roads Around Minocqua
Bearskin Trail, Minocqua. Photo: Amy Bayer
North Central Wisconsin is where many people have lake homes. But, if you own a camper or RV, you can take home with you wherever you go. That includes the state-certified Rustic Roads around Minocqua where you’re bound to encounter wildlife as you drive by the area’s various sparkling lakes. Visit Minocqua.org to find places to park your camper or RV.
Take a ride to Minocqua and try what local tourism officials call “Colorama Tours.” Then, on your way back home, stop to soak in the surroundings on Rib Mountain near Wausau. The Granite Peak Ski Area offers fall chairlift rides on Saturdays and Sundays through mid-October.
Wildcat Mountain
Wildcat Mountain State Park. Courtesy: Wisconsin DNR
Wisconsin-based travel bloggers, Andy and Becki, have high praise for the scenery at this destination. Wildcat Mountain State Park along the Kickapoo River comes in at No. 2 on the couple’s list of 10 Best Places for Fall Colors in Wisconsin.
The park got its name because many bobcats once populated the area.
“Nowadays there are fewer bobcats around, but they are still there, and you can hear coyotes howling at night, and even timber wolves and mountain lions are making a comeback in the region.”
Wisconsin Dells will be along this road trip if you’re heading from Green Bay or the Fox Valley. So, schedule a little time to do some touristy stuff and maybe pick up some of that famous fudge.
Rustic Route 86 in Waukesha
We’ve all heard of the famous Route 66, but if it’s Wisconsin scenery you’re looking for, Rustic Route 86 is where you can “get your kicks.”
This is a somewhat narrow, seven-mile stretch of road, so be prepared. You’ll be rewarded with views of the woods and open prairie as you wind through the southern portion of the Kettle Morraine State Forest.
The best thing about the leaves you’ll see on any of these Wisconsin road trips is you won’t have to rake them up and drag them to the curb.
If you want to start exploring the state of Wisconsin as well as the rest of America, why wait? No matter what season of life you’re in, the Member Advisors at Unison Credit Union are ready to help you start living the life you truly want.
Our RV and vehicle loans feature competitive rates, and you can use them to help you purchase an RV or camper in time to enjoy autumn in Wisconsin. Good times, new experiences, and exciting adventures are waiting for you out on the road. Stop in at one of our convenient locations in North Kaukauna, South Kaukauna, Wrightstown, Little Chute, Grand Chute, or De Pere, today.
More Ways to Plan Your Road Trip
Keep track of the peak fall colors in Wisconsin using these online resources: