Fall Color Tours on the Au Sable River
Beginning September 15th and through October 15th, take a scenic Fall Color Tour aboard one of Oscoda’s top attractions, the Au Sable River Queen. For more than fifty years, this unique paddlewheel riverboat, the only one of its kind in northern Michigan, has introduced visitors to the beauty of Oscoda and its picturesque Au Sable River. Expertly narrated by Captain Roger, its captain for more than eighteen years, Oscoda’s paddleboat is one of the best ways to see the region’s vibrant fall foliage and just one of the many ways you can learn about Oscoda’s outstanding natural beauty and heritage.
Rated as one of the most scenic rivers in the United States, as well as one of the best trout fishing locations in the world, the Au Sable River is also one of the most historic. In the pre-Columbian era, the river was a major thoroughfare for Native Americans, providing a nearly uninterrupted route from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. In the 19th and 20th centuries, logging operations throughout the region’s forests used the 138-mile sinuous river to carry newly hewn logs to the saw mills on Lake Huron. Today, the Au Sable River, French for “at the sand” or “River of Sand”, is known for its undeveloped sandy shorelines and forests of pine, which are habitats for the endangered Kirtland’s warbler, as well as the majestic bald eagle. Alongside the river is a National Scenic Byway, River Road, stretching 23 miles from the Huron National Forest to historic Oscoda.
The long-lived legacy of the Au Sable River, along with its reputation as a cultural, recreational, and natural treasure, has made it a prime destination for decades, particularly when it displays its lively autumn hues. For more information on the Au Sable River Queen, the paddleboat monarch of this ancient waterway, visit Michigan’s website. Reservations are required and two-hour tour fares are $15 per adult. For more about the "River of Sand," visit Michigan's Department of Natural Resources website.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. ― John Muir
