The top 6 scents of fall Up North, plus how to find them (and even take some home with you).
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I love this time of year Up North. The angle of the sunlight, the changing colors, the bluebird skies and overflowing farmstands. But oh, friends, the smell. That crunch of leaves underfoot on a good hike, then cozying up with a coffee and a treat? The greatest vibe of the year.
And here’s a nerd fact as to why those smells give us so many feels. Scent is the only one of the five senses to bypass the thalamus, which means it can enter our brains and attach straight to memories and feelings without pesky cerebral processing and interpretation, making it a powerful way to evoke a mood.
Here are my picks for the top NoMi fall fragrances, plus 6 great ways to take them home with you.
1. APPLES
Crisp, clean, slightly sweet—the scent of apples evokes youthful vitality and triggers memories of picnics, apple picking, cozy comfort foods and celebrations.
Get some: Of course we’ll hit local farm stands to stock up—Michigan is the second-largest apple-growing state in the country. Fuji, Gala and Northern Spy varieties will last for months in cool storage. Can’t get fresh-picked? Benjamin Twiggs has a cherry-apple butter that’s bright and tart.
2. PETRICHOR
It’s defined as a pleasant, earthy scent that accompanies the first rain after a long dry spell. With the dry fall we’ve had, the coming autumn rains will smell extra sweet.
Get some: Old Mission Peninsula’s Pelizzari Natural Area is a mix of dry open fields and upland forest perfect for an easy afternoon stroll. Palmer Woods Forest Reserve in Maple City is a leaf-lovers dream, or hop on the North Country Trail in St. Ignace which wanders through the Hiawatha National Forest. Benzie County’s Lower Woodcock Lake Nature Preserve, pictured above, is especially pretty in fall, too.
3. PUMPKIN
The ubiquitous pumpkin spice is everywhere, but finding the actual rich, buttery essence of just pumpkin calls to mind time in the pumpkin patch or carving at the kitchen table.
Get some: American Spoon Foods’ Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce, with hints of smoky peppers and apple cider, adds crazy depth and sweetness to root veggies or a big pot of chili. And Traverse City’s playful Evil Queen candles has an homage to the great gourds with their “Hollow Inside” scent, sporting notes of pumpkin, buttercream and cinnamon.
Photo by Dave Weidner
4. LAKE BREEZE
Even after summer beach days are long gone, the wind picks up the scent of the waves in an unmistakable Northern Michigan sensory blast.
Get some: Great Lakes Bath & Body works makes a deliciously fresh collection called “Beach Night”—try the lotion.
5. BARNYARD
A mix of old barnwood, fresh hay, leather and sweet earthy animal smells calls to mind country roads and farm visits.
Get some: A bottle of Malbec can often have hints of leather and barnyard beneath the blackberry/vanilla overtones. Old Mission Peninsula’s Chateau Chantal produces a reserve Malbec.
6. CINNAMON
The heat in a hot chai, the star player of pumpkin spice, the ride-or-die companion to apples everywhere, cinnamon gives off a reassuring, warming scent that lowers stress and anxiety.
Get some: For 80 years, the cinnamon bread recipe at The Dutch Oven in Alanson has had fans lining up to grab a (giant, 22-ounce) loaf before they sell out for the day. If smaller portions are your thing (and really, are they?) check out the cinnamon rolls at Tillie’s Tafel, made from a 100-year-old family recipe. If you can’t stop by, order both online.
Read Next: The Delish List! 60+ Tasty Northern Michigan Bites to Try Now
Photo by Sarah Peschel