Tunnel of Trees (M-119)
Tunnel of Trees Heritage Route, Michigan · 699 ft
Twenty miles of one-lane blacktop with no shoulder and maple limbs closing overhead, Lake Michigan flashing through the trees on the west side. Flat light keeps the canopy saturated instead of blowing out the gaps.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Typical peak
Sep 30 – Oct 8
A few weeks out. Expect this to move by several days.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Pick up M-119 north of Harbor Springs and drive 20 miles to Cross Village; the Good Hart General Store lot at roughly the midpoint is the only reliable place to park and shoot on foot.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- american beech
- red maple
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 4Typical color progression for Tunnel of Trees (M-119). No change from Aug 27 to Sep 13. First color from Sep 13 to Sep 22. Approaching peak from Sep 22 to Sep 30. Peak from Sep 30 to Oct 8. Past peak from Oct 8 to Oct 18. Bare from Oct 18 to Nov 1.
Tunnel of Trees (M-119) is typically at first color on this date.
Light at peak
Tunnel of Trees (M-119) on October 4, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:12 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 95° | 7:42 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 40 min of low, warm light | 8:21 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:29 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 40 min before sunset | 6:36 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 264° | 7:15 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:45 PM |
Times in America/Detroit · day length 11h 34m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.
Location pages name the light directly.
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.