This 20-Mile Scenic Highway in Michigan Is Called the ‘Tunnel of Trees’—and It’s Spectacular in the Fall

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Growing up with household ties to Michigan, I realized early on that you simply don’t should battle the chaotic crowds of New England to witness a world-class fall.

When the heavy summer time humidity lastly breaks, the finest seasonal drive in the nation is ready proper alongside the steep bluffs of Lake Michigan.

Fall is my favourite season in the U.S.

There’s magic in grabbing a heavy flannel, throwing my digital camera gear in the truck, and heading north. The air will get sharp, the lakes flip a deep blue, and the complete shoreline explodes with colour.

The M-119—identified universally as the “Tunnel of Trees”—is a legendary 20-mile stretch of two-lane asphalt that fully transforms by the second week of October. It is the final Midwest autumn escape, delivering uninterrupted colour, historic coastal hamlets, and world-class consolation meals with out the East Coast price ticket.

The Route: 20 Miles of Uninterrupted Color

The magic of M-119 is that it forces you to decelerate and really experience the landscape. You can’t velocity by way of this route, and also you wouldn’t wish to anyway.

• The Starting Line: The official scenic route begins proper at the edge of Harbor Springs, an extremely charming, upscale coastal city full of sailboats and historic Victorian summer time properties.
• The Geography: The freeway snakes its manner northwest alongside the shoreline towards Cross Village. It is famously slim—there’s zero shoulder, no middle line, and over 130 sharp, winding curves.
• The Canopy Effect: Because the old-growth oaks, maples, and birches develop immediately on the edge of the asphalt, their huge branches attain throughout the street and bodily interlock. The daylight dapples by way of the shiny orange leaves, making a glowing, kaleidoscopic impact inside your automobile.
• The Lake Views: Through the breaks in the heavy timber on the western aspect of the street, you get staggering, elevated views trying immediately down the steep bluffs into the crashing, crystal-clear waves of Lake Michigan.

The Stops: Cider, Pot Pies, and History

Driving the Tunnel of Trees is just half the expertise. The route is dotted with iconic, hidden-gem stops that seize the precise essence of a Midwest autumn.

• Pond Hill Farm: Located just some miles north of Harbor Springs, this sprawling working farm is obligatory. You can seize a pint of their very own craft beer or onerous cider, stroll by way of the huge pumpkin patches, and hike the terraced winery trails immediately behind the huge purple barn.
• Good Hart General Store: About midway up the tunnel, you’ll hit the tiny, historic hamlet of Good Hart. The centerpiece is the genuine Twenties basic retailer, which capabilities as a publish workplace, bakery, and deli. You should cease and seize one of their world-famous, made-from-scratch rooster pot pies and a bag of native smoked whitefish unfold.
• The Scenic Turnouts: The state has carved out a couple of small, unpaved pull-offs alongside the cliffside. You can lower the engine, step out into the freezing, crisp air, and take heed to the lake winds ripping by way of the hardwood cover.

The Destination: Legs Inn at Cross Village

The scenic route formally ends in Cross Village, however the journey culminates at one of the most eccentric, wildly beloved eating places in Michigan.

• The Architecture: Legs Inn is a large, historic stone-and-timber lodge constructed totally by hand in the Twenties by a Polish immigrant. The exterior is famously lined with upside-down cast-iron range legs, giving the constructing its identify.
• The Feast: The kitchen serves extremely genuine, heavy Polish consolation meals. After driving by way of the crisp autumn air, sitting down to an enormous plate of scorching potato pierogies, slow-cooked hunter’s stew (bigos), and grilled smoked sausage is a non secular expertise.
• The Vibe: The inside is darkish, cozy, and coated in weird, intricate wooden carvings and classic taxidermy. If you’re fortunate sufficient to catch a heat afternoon, their expansive outside beer backyard sits proper on the edge of the bluff, providing panoramic views of the lake and the distant Beaver Island archipelago.

Essential Logistics For Your Drive

Because this route is now not a whole secret, you could be strategic about when and the way you deal with it for the absolute best expertise.

• The Timing: The peak foliage window often falls between the first and third weeks of October, although it shifts every year barely relying on rain and in a single day frosts.
• The Traffic Hack: Weekends in October can flip the slim freeway right into a slow-moving parade of RVs and bikes. If you need the street to your self, drive it on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning proper after the solar comes up.
• Where to Basecamp: Petoskey and Harbor Springs make good launchpads. They provide unimaginable boutique accommodations, high-end eating, and their very own spectacular views over Little Traverse Bay.

Tip From The Editor (me): Drive the route from North to South (Cross Village all the way down to Harbor Springs) moderately than the conventional South to North. Because Lake Michigan sits to the west, driving southbound places your automobile in the right-hand lane, preserving you closest to the steep bluffs and providing you with a totally unobstructed view of the water by way of the bushes.

You don’t must fly into Boston and battle hundreds of different vacationers to get a world-class autumn expertise. By pointing your compass towards northern Michigan, you get a pristine, dramatic shoreline exploding with colour. Are you mapping out a cease at Pond Hill Farm, or driving straight to Cross Village for a plate of pierogies?

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Tyler Fox

Tyler is our Managing Editor and Writer. After spending years studying, writing, and obsessing over journey (whereas taking journeys as typically as attainable of course!), he goals to offer readers the finest and most balanced expertise attainable when exploring the website.