Surprisingly to me, there already are hints of fall colors here — prior to September! This post features pictures of these early signs of season change.
The conditions here in late August are nearly perfect — crisp days with nearly no bugs.
Sugar Maple — August 22
Viburnum; Guelder-rose — August 28
Amur Maple — August 29
American Hazelnut — August 31
Beaked 
American 
Nuts 
The top row of images shows hazelnuts of the American and Beaked Hazelnut with their green-to-brown wrappings (called involucres) and a group of the nuts with involucres peeled away. Sites to guide you on foraging and preparing wild hazelnuts are available here and here. The bush in the lower image that is just starting to turn color is an American hazelnut.
Black Cherry — August 31
Paper Birch — August 31
North MN Outdoors 