Photos: North Shore ablaze in color

Moose Mountain
Fall colors engulf the hills behind Moose Mountain near Lutsen.
Derek Montgomery / For MPR News

The last week of September saw the hills over Lake Superior near Tofte and Lutsen explode into color. What was green just a week before became a sea of red, yellow and orange. Like a magnet, the colors attracted thousands of visitors from all over to the countless trails, including those around Oberg Mountain, Leveaux Mountain and Moose Mountain.

Staff at Lutsen Mountain expected wait times on the famous gondola rides to approach two hours as people flocked to one of the best and most accessible observation points for fall color. Despite the summer temperatures, the forest's transition was a sign that fall was here.

Related: Fall sneaks into the prairie at Blue Mounds State Park

A fall color map, which is maintained and updated by the state's Department of Natural Resources, is an excellent resource for leaf peepers with travel plans. Go now!

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