Lutsen Mountains
Viewpoint · Minnesota
The Midwest's largest ski area turns its lifts over to leaf-peepers each fall, with the Summit Express Gondola climbing about 1,000 feet up Moose Mountain for panoramic views over Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Range. Rides run daily through mid-October, then weekends into early November.
Don’t miss
Peak: September 26–September 30
Color builds from September 17 · mostly bare by October 18
Sampled at Lutsen Mountains’s own coordinates and elevation (209 m) rather than a regional average.
48 weather points cover Minnesota, and the model shifts their answer 9 days earlier, which is what it takes to match 2 published peak dates from smokymountains.com. Minnesota is running 4 days earlier than its own average this year. How the forecast works
When to go to Lutsen Mountains
The color window runs about 20 days, holding until around October 7. That is about 1 day earlier than Minnesota as a whole.
Lutsen Mountains on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Minnesota, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Frequently asked
- When does Lutsen Mountains peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for September 26–September 30 (best estimate September 28). Color starts around September 17 and is mostly bare by October 18.
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