This May Be The Ideal Weekend To Take In Fall Colors
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Saturday should be a perfect day to take in the fall colors while Minnesotans still can. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says that major portions of the state are at peak or very close to it.
Whether it's a birds eye view or a dog's eye view, the beauty of the season is hard to miss.
Naturalist Linda Radimecky of Afton State Park showed us the best way to spot the sparklers.
"Look for sunny spots. Because usually the more sun there is, the more vibrant the color is," she said. "We are seeing color. At Afton, it's not vivid color but it's still there," she said.
She says peak came late and the leaves are falling fast.
"Now is a good the time to come out and see leaves. Today is really windy -- it's gonna be windy for the next couple days, so if leaves are ready to fall off, that's just gonna push them along," she said.
The temperatures are certainly not going to hurt, either. Highs Friday and Saturday will be in the mid 60s across most of the state, which is about 10 degrees warmer than average this time of year. Some communities in the southwest could even hit 70 degrees.
WCCO director of meteorology said that Saturday will actually be a #Top10WxDay.
The McKinney family from Hugo is seizing the opportunity thanks to MEA break and the allure of a canine.
"When you have teenagers and they can bring their dog with, that's the highlight of going with as a family -- if you can bring the family dog -- so that's why we're here," Nicole McKinney said.
Even though the colors are sporadic, at the moment they are still picturesque.
"If it freezes, if we have a good freeze, they'll just freeze and fall off green," Radimecky said. "You never really know what's coming, but the leaves are beautiful right now."
Friday night, the DNR is hosting a candle-lit walk through the fallen leaves at Brown's Creek State Trail from 6 to 9 p.m.
If you're looking for the perfect place to spot red, orange and gold leaves, click here.
