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The view from Detroit Mountain becomes more colorful each day as the trees in northern Minnesota begin their transition into the fall and winter months.
According to latest Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fall color map Released September 30, the northern parts of Becker County are between 75-100% peak color, while the southern parts of the county and almost all of Otter Tail County are between 50-75%.
Minnesota Fall Colors Map, September 30, 2021. (MN DNR)
The typical lace color for the area occurs between late September and early October, according to the agency’s website.
MN DNR’s website also explains the chemical components that create the dazzling blaze of color.
Carotenoids are responsible for the yellow and orange colors that show up when chlorophyll is broken down. Additionally, the website advises that if a leaf has been exposed to more direct sunlight than leaves that grow in the shade, the leaf color appears more vivid.
Anthocyanins are the creators of the red and purple color changes. Many of these colors are determined by the acidity of the cell sap in the leaves. When a leaf has a higher acidity, the leaf will turn redder. When the leaf has a higher alkaline pH, the leaf will appear more purple or even bluer.
The leaves are approaching the highest fall color on the summit of Detroit Mountain in Detroit Lakes on September 30, 2021. (Michael Achterling / Detroit Lakes Tribune)
To see some of the area’s most colorful landscapes, be sure to visit:
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