Minnesota Fall Colors Nearly Done as DNR Map Shows St. Cloud Area Past Peak

(KNSI) – The fall color season is just about wrapped up in Minnesota.

The latest Fall Color Finder map from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, updated Thursday, shows nearly the entire state is now past peak, including the St. Cloud area, the Twin Cities and Rochester.

Only two small pockets of 75% to 100% color are left. One is along the Minnesota River valley southwest of the Twin Cities, roughly between New Ulm and the Mankato area. The other is in the far southwest corner of the state near the South Dakota border.

State park reports back that up. Of the more than 70 parks and recreation areas reporting, Fort Ridgely State Park near Fairfax and Split Rock Creek State Park near Jasper are the only ones where leaves are still at 75% to 100%. Every other park lists its leaves as past peak.

Up north, the season ended weeks ago. The North Shore, the Arrowhead and the Bemidji area have all been past peak since mid-October.

The DNR builds the map from weekly reports by state park and trail staff, who estimate color at their location. Those reports are then used to project color in surrounding areas.

See what the colors look like at state parks by clicking here.

___