Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Scenic drive · Michigan
This 7.4-mile loop inside Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, built by lumberman Pierce Stocking in 1967, climbs through beech-maple forest to twelve overlooks, including a platform 450 feet above Lake Michigan. Dune views and fall color combine here like nowhere else on the coast.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 9–October 13
Color builds from October 1 · mostly bare by October 31
Sampled at Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive’s own coordinates and elevation (310 m) rather than a regional average.
47 weather points cover Michigan, and the model needs no correction to land on 2 published peak dates from smokymountains.com and almanac.com. This year's weather has the peak running 5 days earlier than a normal year. How the forecast works
When to go to Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
The color window runs about 19 days, holding until around October 20. That is about 2 days later than Michigan as a whole. The elevation is 1,017 ft, which pulls the turn earlier.
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Michigan, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Frequently asked
- When does Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 9–October 13 (best estimate October 11). Color starts around October 1 and is mostly bare by October 31.
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