Shasta Cascade Erupting With Color

Dunsmuir (stock photo)

Dunsmuir (stock photo)

Dunsmuir (stock photo)

Dunsmuir (stock photo)

The Shasta Cascade region of northeast California is erupting with color as reported by the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association.  Here’s the latest:

10-15% — McArthur-Burney Falls State Park (3,000′). Mostly orange and yellow with a sprinking of red among the predominant evergreen forest.

0-15% — Shasta Lake Ranger District (900′). Colors are just beginning to change with yellow dominating.  Exotic liquidambar and chinese pistache at the USFS offices should turn orange and red in the next two weeks.

15-30% — Weaverville Ranger District (2,500′). Native oaks are changing in the forest with different shades of yellow, orange and brown… not much red.

0-15% — Lower Trinity Ranger District (Willow Creek – 4,000′). The leaves are turning at 4,000′, visible from the lookout.  You’ll see oranges from the oaks, bits of yellow from bigleaf maple and bright red from the poison oak.

75-100% — Fall River (3,000′). The oaks are ablaze with color, showing shades of orange, red and yellow, especially along roads.

50-75% — Surprise Field (5,000′). Over the past three weeks, this area has shown off and on, exhibiting colors ranging from light yellow to deep red, which can be seen just about anywhere in the area.  The Surprise Field area is expected to peak within a week to a week and a half.

75-100% — Eagle Lake BLM Field Office (5,000′). There is a beautiful array of orange, yellow and red just about anywhere you look, as the forests appear to have reached peak.  Aspen and bigleaf maple are at peak.

75-100% — Plumas County (3,000′). There’s been an explosion of color in the past week with yellow, orange, red and colors in between, like pinks and purples.  The bigleaf maple, cottonwood, aspen, oaks and even the dogwoods are glowing… a beautiful sight to behold.

75-100% to Past Peak — Lassen Volcanic National Park (5,600′ – 10,500′). Lassen VNP is at peak to past peak, depending upon elevation.  The Devastated Area, Hat Creek and areas of aspen between 5,000 and 6500′ are where it’s best.

30-50% — Hay Fork (2,300′). Hay Fork has had a disappointing show this year, compared to the previous year.

75-100% — Mt. Shasta (3,500′). Now’s the time to head to Mt. Shasta.  The color is beautiful and won’t last much longer.

30-50% — Oroville (1,000′). Just beginning to see color change in the Sierra foothills near Oroville.

0-15% — Red Bluff (300′). Still early.  Look to the river bank foliage along the Sacramento River for the best color and photographs.