Palisade Head
North Shore, Minnesota · 791 ft
Typical peak
Sep 25 – Oct 3
low confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces NE (43°)
A 200-foot rhyolite cliff drops straight into Lake Superior, and the view northeast runs down the shoreline to Shovel Point with birch and aspen packed on the headlands between. First light hits the cliff faces directly and separates the rock from the water.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Take the steep paved spur off MN-61 about a mile northeast of the Silver Bay turnoff and drive 0.7 mile to the clifftop lot; the overlook is a few steps from the car.
What turns here
- paper birch
- quaking aspen
- sugar maple
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 29Typical color progression for Palisade Head. No change from Aug 22 to Sep 8. First color from Sep 8 to Sep 17. Approaching peak from Sep 17 to Sep 25. Peak from Sep 25 to Oct 3. Past peak from Oct 3 to Oct 13. Bare from Oct 13 to Oct 27.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 8.
This season so far
First frost
None yet
No night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
56°F / 42°F
Average daily high and low.
Modeled weather for these coordinates from the Open-Meteo historical archive, Aug 1 – Oct 31; not a station record. Reported peak is the median date of approved peak-color reports.
Plan the light
Palisade Head on September 29, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:30 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 93° | 7:00 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 41 min of low, warm light | 7:41 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:55 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 41 min before sunset | 6:08 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 267° | 6:49 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:19 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 11h 48m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sunrise: side-lit
Side light. Best for texture and depth across a ridge, and the safest bet for contrast.
Sunset: front-lit
Sun behind you. Flat, even light — accurate color, little drama. Good for wide valley scenes, weak for single trees.
Classic composition faces NE (43°).
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.
Nearby locations
Within 100 miles in a straight line; road distances can be longer.