“I hope I can be the autumn leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift.” – Dodinsky
When it comes to fall color tours, Traverse City draws tourists from far and wide for the winery tours and shopping. We’ve always preferred camping and collecting stamps on the TC Ale Trail brewery tour. The Ale Trail tagline: Two Trails Diverged. And I – I Took The One With Great Beer.
After about seven years, we finally acquired our last stamp and picked up our souvenir Silipint glass last fall. Good thing since I’ve given up craft beer! The employee at The Filling Station couldn’t believe we held onto our original passports that long. Mission accomplished!
Color tours: Wine region puts on a show
But back to fall color tours. We’ve visited Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula since we first started dating. In fact, it’s the first trip we took together. We don’t make it there every year, but we have our favorite stops when we do. Read my first two color tour installments for other favorite fall drives: Michigan fall drives: Muskegon to Ludington color tours and Michigan fall drives: Manistee to Leelanau color tour.
Another one of our favorite color tours is out to the end of Old Mission Peninsula or north around Torch Lake to Bellaire, home of Short’s Brewing. The 20-mile drive to the end of Old Mission Peninsula takes you past orchards and vineyards. It’s less developed with homemade farm and Petoskey stone stands along the road.
The drive to Bellaire is equally scenic. You can drive up U.S. 31 and turn east on Highway 88 at Eastport or take M-72 out of Acme. This route takes you through Alden on the south end of Torch Lake. Really, you can go either way and make a loop back to Traverse City – or turn on a country road and let the colorful trees guide the way.
Camping at Timber Ridge
Like Frankfort, we started making trips to Traverse City’s Timber Ridge Resort a decade ago. We always enjoy staying in the campground’s dog-friendly cabins. It was easy to book a cabin when people were still reeling from the recession. Word eventually got out. Now it’s hard to reserve a spot during the fall due to regular fall festivals and events at the campground.
Petoskey, Tunnel of Trees color tours
From Traverse City or Bellaire, you can continue north on U.S. 31 or take country roads to Charlevoix and Petoskey. People flock to this region of the state during the fall. Petoskey promotes five color tours in this area. If you’re looking for a full lakeside resort experience, you can’t go wrong with Inn at Bay Harbor. Read my blog Inn at Bay Harbor offers quintessential northern Michigan escape.
This area also attracts serious cyclists and road riders. The Little Traverse Wheelway runs 26 miles from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. Diehard long-distance riders can continue north on M-119 through the Tunnel of Trees. Be prepared for challenging terrain and lots of cars. No thanks – I’ll stick to the car!
One year, we devoted the whole day to driving north to Petoskey and the Tunnel of Trees. This 20-mile color tour drive between Harbor Springs and Cross Village is a destination in itself. Personally, I find it a little too busy, making it hard to relax and enjoy the scenery. You’ll hit traffic backups on busy fall weekends. The tight and winding road can be hard to navigate, especially with people pulling off to try and take photos.
Traverse City State Park, TART trail access
Last year, I lucked out and found an open campsite at Traverse City State Park, just two miles from downtown with access to the TART Trails system. It was a warm and rain-free weekend, so we opted for tent camping. And we wanted to explore the city on our bicycles.
The TART trail is a fun way to tour Traverse City or the surrounding region, especially if you want to make some brewery or winery stops along the way. The TART network connects several multi-use trails in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.
Color tours in the city
We opted to take the route around Boardman Lake, which you can connect to near The Filling Station and Hull Park. We rode it to the end and then turned around. When you cross over the Boardman River bridge, you can turn left and head for Right Brain Brewery. We also stopped at Silver Spruce Brewing, then rode downtown and grabbed a coffee until we could be seated for dinner at The Filling Station.
We normally skip the downtown rat race. The bike ride along Boardman Lake was scenic and we didn’t pass many people. I highly recommend bringing your bicycles and taking advantage of the trail network. You can ride the TART trails right into downtown, along the West Bay, and out to Suttons Bay if you want.
Old Mission color tour never disappoints
We still made it a point to drive out to Old Mission Peninsula the next day and stop at one of our favorite places – Jolly Pumpkin, a cozy brewery that adjoins an allegedly haunted mansion. I’ve always preferred Old Mission to Leelanau Peninsula, maybe because it’s smaller, less developed, and separates the bays.
The Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail includes ten wineries, and you can drive all the way to the tip to hike or visit Mission Point Lighthouse. The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail has three mini-loops and 25 wineries and tasting rooms. If you like wine, the weekend will fly by! You can visit both peninsulas over two days, but do some pre-research and plan out your stops. It’s definitely hard to cover it all, which is why you have to come back.
Jolly Pumpkin and haunted lore
During the fall, Jolly Pumpkin and the mansion overlooking West Bay is a popular stop for its haunted lore. Known as Bowers Harbor Inn, the historic mansion home has gained notoriety for being haunted by the ghost of its original owner, Genevieve Stickney.
A distraught and depressed Genevieve reportedly hung herself in the home’s elevator. According to local lore, her husband, Chicago millionaire J.W. Stickney, had an affair with a nurse he hired to care for Genevieve. He left his money to the mistress and the inn to Genevieve. We always make a point to visit the second floor bathrooms and walk by the elevator.
There is a wall with various news articles detailing the history and hauntings. It’s hard to know the truth. Various news stories offer different accounts. Many people have reported unexplained and odd happenings inside the home. The home’s haunting appeared on an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” and has been highlighted in several books on ghost stories. Outside, with a drink in hand, you can explore the vineyards, play yard games, and walk around the property.
Mission Table back story
In the summer, the property that includes Mission Table hosts many weddings and receptions. Mission Table is currently closed for regular dinner service but holds private events in the mansion. When I visited Mission Table in June 2019 for a Michigan BLUE Dining Destination article Changing Times, it was dreary and pouring down rain.
But a bride, determined to get married outside, stuck with the plan and said “I do” in the rain. Some of her relatives watched from indoors. Others stood under umbrellas and grabbed patio umbrellas to shield the wedding party from the elements.
General Manager Jim DeMarsh stayed cool and made time for me despite two weddings that day. He took me on a tour of the property, including through the kitchen to show me the home’s original foundation, and to see the brewing operations. Executive Chef Paul Olson walked in with a wet coat, a backpack, and an unpretentious air. Later, I saw him sweeping the stairs!
After the wedding chaos subsided, I sat in the main dining room by myself absorbing the atmosphere and wondering about Genevieve Stickney and her antics. Olson and DeMarsh both described some very real unexplained encounters – signs that her spirit is alive and well.
Leaf lesson: Let things go
Of course, I didn’t have space to include these details in the Dining Destination piece. But it reminded me why it’s always better to visit a place in person when you can. And we never tire of returning to the property – or the region – when the leaves start to fall.
It also makes you wonder about Genevieve, and if it is her ghost, why her spirit decided to stay in her home. Did she harbor anger? Resentment? Could she not let go?
There seems to be a lesson in every fall, which leads me to end with one of my favorite fall quotes: “The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go.” – Unknown
Marla R. Miller is an award-winning journalist, travel writer, and content marketing writer who lives in Norton Shores. Please “like” or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
