Although it came as absolutely no surprise to anyone the least bit familiar with the region, the Upper Peninsula recently received outstanding — and colorful — recognition when USA TODAY published its annual 10 Best Destinations for Fall Foliage Readers’ Choice Awards.

The U.P. was in the top position, besting better-known locations including places such as Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and Door County, Wisconsin, which placed second, third and fourth, respectively.

“Just about the entire Upper Peninsula puts on a display of fall color that peaks during the last two weeks of September and the first week of October,” the award listing reads. Other locations and their places on the top 10 list include, 5. North Conway & the White Mountains, New Hampshire; 6. Fayetteville & the Ozark Mountain Region, Arkansas; 7. The Berkshires, Massachusetts; 8. The Catskills, New York; 9. Black Hills & Badlands, South Dakota; 10. Taos, New Mexico,

Now, though, many sites in the U.P. are at or near peak. Vacation planner Pure Michigan warned foliage-lovers in recent days that they shouldn’t wait much longer before visiting the eastern U.P., as the Sault Ste. Marie area was almost past its prime.

This is a nice award to win, one that will, in all likelihood, generate tourist traffic for the region, going forward. And that’s a good thing for all concerned.