The ski hill is closed in September and the county is at its best. Hardwood forest runs unbroken across Gogebic County, and when it turns it turns all at once.
Timing
Late September into the first week of October is the usual window in the western Upper Peninsula. It is a week or so ahead of Lower Michigan, and it moves with the year — a cold September pulls it earlier.
The Black River Scenic Byway
Fifteen miles north from Bessemer to Lake Superior, through hardwood the whole way, with a sequence of waterfalls strung along it. It is the single best drive in the county and it takes an afternoon. The waterfalls are here.
Get above the trees
The ridgelines around the resort give you the view the roads cannot — colour running to the horizon in every direction. The mountain webcams are a decent way to check how far along the turn is before you drive up.
Where to stay
Autumn is the easiest booking of the year here. A one-bedroom unit with a kitchen, a short drive from the byway, and no crowds anywhere. More on fall in the area.
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