Fall color events to enjoy are numerous

The Autumnal equinox this past week ushered in fall and colors are already turning in northern Wisconsin. People looking for opportunities to take in the colors will have multiple opportunities beginning this weekend and running through early November.

Fall festivals kick off Saturday, Sept. 28 at Copper Falls with arts and crafts, apple cider pressing, pumpkin carving and more. The Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit is hosting fall color bike rides on the John Muir Trails. Roche-a-Cri will have hayrides and s'mores by the campfire.

Hayrides are one of the popular events at the MacKenzie Center Fall Festival which this year is Oct. 5. Photo credit: DNR

Also on Sept. 28, Lakeshore State Park is holding SturgeonFest with River Edge Nature Center, where for a small fee, families can sponsor and hand release a small sturgeon into Lake Michigan. In addition, Governor Thompson State Park is holding a fall festival Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28-29.

Throughout October and into November there will be multiple opportunities for color hikes as well as night hikes along trails lit by jack-o-lanterns or other luminaries. The weekend of Oct. 12-13, Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center is holding an Archaeological Festival with a buck skinners encampment, atlatl throwing, fire-starting, artifacts, a drum circle, speakers, vendors and more.

The MacKenzie Center will hold its Fall Festival on Oct. 5 with chances for visitors to participate in many activities including archery, compass skills, geocaching, wildlife tours, fire building, hiking, a hay bale maze, gunny sack races, face painting, scarecrow making, hayrides and much more. The center is currently in need of additional volunteers for the festival. Anyone interested in helping should send an email to [email protected].

Several parks also offer Halloween-themed events with costumed revelers and visits from "non-scary" costumed wild creatures.

Events at state parks are generally free, but vehicles entering most park and forest properties are required to have a current Wisconsin State Parks daily or annual admission sticker.

For a complete listing of events, search the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website for "Get Outdoors."

Saturday, Oct. 5

Kohler Andrae State Park - Fall Torch-lit Hike and Campfire in the Park

MacKenzie Center - Fall Festival

Wyalusing State Park - Fall Candlelight Hike

Sunday, Oct. 6