As a Duluth marketing agency, our team knows a thing or two about taking fall photos. The North Shore has been ranked as one of the best places to go for anyone who loves fall. In today’s blog, we want to help those who love fall and are looking for an amazing spot to do some photography. Our main focus will be the North Shore, but we will scatter in our favorite spots around Minnesota. These places are all locations that we use when our clients ask us to do photoshoots for their clothing and products but work perfectly for normal fall photoshoots as well. So without further ado, here is our list of the best spots in Minnesota for a fall photo shoot.
#1 Bean & Bear Lake Trail
6 Miles Round Trip | Silver Bay, Minnesota
This is by far our favorite fall location. This 6-mile hike encompasses the Minnesota North Shore and winds and weaves through forests, creeks, and bluffy hills. This is definitely a day hike so make sure to pack some food and have a picnic once you get to the end of Bean & Bear Lookout. The breathtaking views are showered with golds and browns as far as the eye can see. If you’re extra adventurous bring a swimsuit to swim in Bear lake after your hike for a nice cooldown.
#2 Whitewater State Park
2.6 Mile Round Trip | Plainview, Minnesota
Knestled in the bluff land of south-eastern Minnesota is one of the most picturesque state parks in all of Minnesota. The whitewater state park has nestling trails, tall lookouts, and bridges galore allowing for some fantastic senior photos, family shots, or couple pictures. With a range of deciduous trees, the colors offer a wide selection of browns, reds, oranges, and golds. After your hike make sure to pop over to a local winery called Whitewater Wines. They offer a great selection of wines created right in southeastern Minnesota.
#3 Minneopa Falls Trail
0.6 Miles Roundtrip | Mankato, Minnesota
The shortest on this list, but possibly one of the most beautiful. The Minneopa Falls is an easy hike that brings hikers to one of Minnesota’s best waterfalls. The Minneopa falls offer hikers a great backdrop for photos without a ton of work to get there so it is perfect for little kids and families. Being that this is the shortest hike it is also one of the most frequented so be aware that you won’t be the only ones there to take pictures. If you are looking for a more secluded hike the Minneopa State Park Loop is the one for you. this longer 4.8-mile hike is way less traveled and brings hikers close and personal with Minnesota’s largest bison herd.
#4 Silver Creek Trail, Jay Cooke
3.4 Miles Roundtrip | Carlton, Minnesota
Jay Cooke State Park. Silver Creek Trail is a 3.4 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Carlton, Minnesota that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. This trail offers bridges, scenic lookouts, and a bending river for great photo opportunities. With popping colors it is a sight to be seen and will be just the location for any of your fall photoshoots.
#5 Split Rock Trail (Pebble Beach)
1.0 Mile Roundtrip | Split Rock State Park, Minnesota
Nestled right before one of the most iconic structures in Minnesota is our next fall photo shoot spot. The Pebble Beach trail offers amazing backdrops including the iconic Splitrock lighthouse, thousands of colorful trees, and lake superior. With a unique rocky terrain, you can’t find it anywhere else. We could rave about this spot all day and it is one of our favorite spots to do our fall photoshoots. Again don’t forget your swimming trunks for a quick post-shoot dip in the lake!
#6 Ely’s Peak
1.7 Miles Roundtrip | Duluth, Minnesota
What can we say, we LOVE Duluth hiking. The 6th hike on our list is another go-to spot for us when we are doing fall photoshoots. Ely’s peak is a moderate hike that winds you through tunnels, forests, and lands you on top of one of the best views in all of Minnesota. We recommend going during the sunset timeframe to maximize your photo opportunities. This area is definitely best for product photography especially outdoor-based equipment
#7 Lebanon Hills Loop
5.3 Miles Roundtrip | Eagan, Minnesota
Lebanon Hills Regional Park is the largest park in the Dakota County park system. Containing almost 2,000 acres, the park offers miles of trails and many lakes for year-round outdoor sports, recreation, and environmental education. With exploding colors, lake views, and much more this location is perfect for any fall photos.
Want to learn more about how Finden does their photoshoots? check out our previous blog on the best photoshoot locations in Duluth, Minnesota. Finden Marketing is Duluth, Minnesota’s leading Gen Z & Millennial marketing agency. We offer a wide range of services, including PR, Branding, Content Creation, Paid Media, Graphic Design, and Web Development. With over 30 projects in the bag, Finden Marketing is becoming a staple marketing agency in Duluth, Minnesota. To learn more about Finden Marketing, check us out here, or visit us at our office in Duluth, Minnesota.
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