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Black Friday Colors Up in Berkeley

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

Sandy Steinman spent his Black Friday searching for fall color and found the best deal of the day at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden where color was peaking.

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanic Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanic Garden (11/28/14) Sandy Steinman

Berkeley (Peak 75-100%) – UC Berkeley Botanic Garden is full of peak color. GO NOW!

Giving Thanks – California Fall Color

On Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks to all who contributed photos and reports and look back at highlights of autumn 2014 through this video prepared by Ron Tyler.

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In 2014, over 75 individuals contributed reports and photographs.  They include: LA Leaf Peeper, Alicia Vennos, Jon Klusmire, Robin Roberts, Katrina Lounsberry, Laura Thompson, Candace Gregory, Kimberly Kofala, Susan Taylor, Steve Wolfe, Alena Nichols, Casey Schreiner, Jared Smith, Valerie Nellor, Kevin Lennox, Susan Morning, Frank McDonough, Mike Nellor, Jeff Titcomb, Suzanne Jensen, Scott Turner, Alena Barnhart, Nicholas Barnhart, Kathy Thieu, Walter Gabler, Sharon Chew, Janek U, Yin You, Chuck Viebrock, Lee Foster, Elizabeth Erdelyi, Keith Lake, Joel Rathje, Stan Bales, Brittany Pozek, Barbara Pozek, Amanda Secrest, Greg Newbry, Darryl Chew, Ashley Mayer, Sharon Tan, Michelle Fox, Tim Colvin, Arya Degenhardt, Lara Kaylor, Bruce Williams, Jamie Lau, Suzi Brakken, Kevin Mallory, Karen Kleven, Kelly Lam, Ashley Hollgarth, Susan Holt, Crys Black, Jonathan Jahr, Jan Davies, Lorissa Soriano, Mariusz Jeglinski, Kevin Cooper, Lisa May, Gabriel Leete, Patty Brissenden, Joe Pollini, John Brissenden, Eric Trumbauer, Cory Poole, Larry Trettin, Jack Kirchert, Anson Davalos, Sandy Steinman, Nicole Coburn, Barbara Matthews, Ben Carlson, Jill Dinsmore, Laurie Baker, Jonathan Patterson, Marc Hoshovsky, Terry Willard, Julie Nelson, Dan Riley, Ron McNally, Max Forster and Ron Tyler.

Should we have overlooked your contributions, please know it wasn’t intentional; we apologize for having overlooked you and are indebted to every color spotter for their efforts, talents, attentiveness and generosity in reporting what they witnessed.

Special thanks are extended to Inyo County Tourism, Mono County Tourism, Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Redding Convention & Visitors Bureau, Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, and The California Parks Company for underwriting California Fall Color. Thanks are also expressed to the many reporters and media who carried our reports and gave attention to what we have shown about California’s fall color.

This list of thank yous is incomplete without mentioning Joan, my wife, who has humored my recording of color percentages, species and elevations, pointed out particularly beautiful color, driven the car and pulled it over to the shoulder at my whim so that I could jump out to photograph a particularly beautiful location.

Of course, our deepest thanks go to the many tens of thousands of people who have followed and contributed to this site, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.  You are, after all, the reason we do this.

So, until next autumn, keep looking for California’s Fall Color.

California (Peak 75-100%) – In our hearts, California is always peaking. GO NOW!

Hike of the Week: Garden to Sky

Avalon Harbor (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Avalon Harbor (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Nick and Alena Barnhart’s report from Santa Catalina Island inspired us to recommend the Garden to Sky trail on Catalina Island for our Fall Color Hike of the Week.

Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Avalon Bay (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Avalon Bay (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Catalina Color (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Catalina Color (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

West Side Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

West Side Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

This is an ideal trail for anyone with “only a little bit of time to explore the trails of Catalina,” states the Catalina Island Conservancy.

The Garden to Sky Hike starts at the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden (admission required to the garden).  From there, the Memorial Road “leads to the Divide Road, the first leg of the hike.  It travels along a comfortable incline that leads to a spectacular views on both sides of the Island.”

Before beginning the hike, all hikers must obtain a hiking permit from the Conservancy Explore store in Avalon, at the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, Nature Center at Avalon Canyon, Airport in the Sky, Two Harbor Enterprises or online at the Catalina Island Conservancy website (see link below).

Hiking permits are required by the Catalina Island Conservancy for each hike into Catalina’s wildlands. They help locate hikers in the event of an emergency.

CLICK HERE to obtain a permit and for more information on Catalina Island hiking trails.

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New Fall Color Spot: Santa Catalina Island

Avalon, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Avalon, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

West Side, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

West Side, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

West Side, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Ron McNally

West Side, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Ron McNally

Santa Catalina Island Fox (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Santa Catalina Island Fox (11/24/14) Alena Barnhart

Santa Catalina Island, made famous by The Four Preps in their song “26 miles,” is our newest fall color spot.

Color spotters Nick and Alena Barnhart spent this week on the “Island of romance,” reporting they saw areas of color all over the island. Nick says the color is at the end of peak with most of the remaining color to be seen in a variety of trees and shrubs, including palm trees, cottonwood, eucalyptus and various others he couldn’t identify.

Most of the color is found in the island’s “Wild Side” or interior, up canyons and often down to the beach.  He suggested it’s possible to “spend days exploring different canyons and areas for fall color.”  The palms were endlessly fascinating to him with some carrying orange fronds. And, of course, the island is populated with bison, deer, bald eagles and Santa Catalina Island Fox.

Local color spotter, Ron McNally, suggests November and December to be the best months at Santa Catalina for sunrises and sunsets, another colorful aspect of autumn.

Santa Catalina Island (Peak – 75-100%) – Palms, eucalyptus and cottonwood are at the end of peak, but still lovely.  The combination of blue-green seas, fall color and gorgeous sunsets makes Santa Catalina one of California’s most romantic fall color destinations. GO NOW!

Palm, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Palm, Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

 Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Santa Catalina Island (11/24/14) Nicholas Barnhart

 

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Giving Thanks and Looking Back at 2014

Remembering Lake Sabrina at Peak (10/1/14) Jared Smith

Remembering Lake Sabrina at Peak (10/1/14) Jared Smith

June Lake (9/28/14) Nicholas Barnhart

June Lake (9/28/14) Nicholas Barnhart

North Lake Road (10/1/14) Jared Smith

North Lake Road (10/1/14) Jared Smith

Lundy Canyon (9/28/14) Alicia Vennos

Lundy Canyon (9/28/14) Alicia Vennos

Aspen, Kirkwood Lake Rd (10/5/14) John Poimiroo

Aspen, Kirkwood Lake Rd (10/5/14) John Poimiroo

Fremont Cottonwood (10/5/14) Nick Barnhart

Fremont Cottonwood (10/5/14) Nick Barnhart

Conway Summit (10/11/14) Susan Holt

Conway Summit (10/11/14) Susan Holt

Aspendell (10/16/14) Steve Wolfe.

Aspendell (10/16/14) Steve Wolfe.

40th Ave., Sacramento (10/25/14) John Poimiroo

40th Ave., Sacramento (10/25/14) John Poimiroo

The Redwood Highway (10/26/14) Walter Gabler

The Redwood Highway (10/26/14) Walter Gabler

Methodist Church, Quincy (10/28/14) Mike Nellor

Methodist Church, Quincy (10/28/14) Mike Nellor

Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mt Shasta (11/4/14) Cory Poole

Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mt Shasta (11/4/14) Cory Poole

Napa Valley (11/6/14) Marc Hoshovsky

Napa Valley (11/6/14) Marc Hoshovsky

Bigleaf maple (11/11/14) Alena Barnhart

Bigleaf maple (11/11/14) Alena Barnhart

Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough

Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough

Lake Silverwood (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Lake Silverwood (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart

Cook's Meadow, Yosemite NP (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Cook’s Meadow, Yosemite NP (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Autumn 2014 didn’t live up to its predictions.

Back in August, when leaves first began to turn, some forecast that California’s third year of drought would diminish the show of fall color.

Instead, as Jared Smith’s photograph of Lake Sabrina shows, it was spectacular.

Here’s how autumn shaped up:

  • CaliforniaFallColor.com’s first “fall color report” was published on August 13, a week later than in 2013.
  • Our first GO NOW! alert was reported on September 17, also a week later.
  • Our first Peak was reported on Sept. 23, five days later than last year.  That first peak coincided with the first day of autumn (Autumnal Equinox).

So, 2014 was not the earliest of shows, but it defied early critics and became remarkable for its long-lasting and breathtaking color.  If the third year of record drought in California had any effect, it was to stress trees in specific and limited areas, resulting in drier leaves that dropped more quickly, but that was an exception.

The drought’s dry weather continued through autumn, meaning that California had mostly clear, sunny days and cold nights, with little wind or precipitation.  Those were ideal conditions for development of great fall color.

Look back through our archives and you’ll see why CaliforniaFallColor.com claims California to have the longest-lasting, most diverse and most spectacular autumn in America. No other area of the country compares.

The photographs submitted by amateur and professional photographers support that claim.  If you happen to like a particular photograph you’ve seen on this website, look for the photographer’s link at left or Google them.  Many sell their photographs.

Today, although autumn continues until Dec. 21, CaliforniaFallColor.com pulls back its reporting. We stop sending weekly updates and photographs to California meteorologists, travel and outdoor writers, because we’ve learned, over the years, that even though autumn continues for several more weeks, public interest in autumn wanes after Thanksgiving Day.

Nevertheless, if you happen to see some beautiful fall color, send a photo to us at editor(at)californiafallcolor.com or post it on our FB page.

There is still a lot of beautiful fall color to be seen in San Francisco, down the San Francisco Peninsula, in the South and East Bay, in California’s vineyards, in the historic mining towns of the Gold Country, in the Central Valley, throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, and in the Deserts.

Fall color will continue to warm the landscape and our hearts well into December.

 

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From Fall Color To Christmas Tree Permits

Red Maple (11/24/14) Jill Dinsmore

Red Maple, Shasta County (11/24/14) Jill Dinsmore

Thanksgiving Week marks two events in the national forests of northeast California, the end of fall color and the start of Christmas tree cutting.

Traveling to the north woods to cut a tree is a family adventure that for many is an annual tradition. Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Lassen National Forest are now issuing Christmas Tree cutting permits.  Cost of a permit is $10 which allows one tree per household.  CLICK HERE for further details.

Exotic color, Redding (11/24/14) Barbara Pozek

Exotic color, Redding (11/24/14) Barbara Pozek

Scarlet Maple, CSU Chico (11/21/14) Barbara Pozek

Scarlet Maple, CSU Chico (11/21/14) Barbara Pozek

Black Oak, Trinity Lake  (11/14/14) Julie Nelson

Black Oak, Trinity Lake (11/14/14) Julie Nelson

Mushroom, Trinity County (11/14/14) Julie Nelson

Mushroom, Trinity County (11/14/14) Julie Nelson

Shasta Cascade color spotters report fall color being past peak across most of northeast California.  Though, spots of hot color can be seen flickering along the edges of lakes (as reported earlier this week), on forest floors and in the urban forests of Redding, Red Bluff and Chico.  Here’s the latest:

Shasta County (Past Peak) – A fraction of dogwood, oak and maple are still showing red and orange. YOU MISSED IT.

Butte County (Past Peak) – Autumn is hardly evident throughout most of Butte County, though Chico’s boulevards and the CSU Chico campus are still lovely with their landmark trees displaying vibrant red color.  YOU MISSED IT.

Trinity County (Past Peak) – Trinity is past peak, with remnant oaks dressed in pale yellow leaves, spotted brown. YOU MISSED IT.

Siskiyou County (Past Peak) – A winter chill has descended on Siskiyou County which is now past peak.  Lake Siskiyou is edged with fading yellow and orange. YOU MISSED IT.

Modoc County (Past Peak) – YOU MISSED IT.

Plumas County (Past Peak) – The first area of the Shasta Cascade to peak, Plumas County is also the last to carry significant color with oak and dogwood near Greenville and in the Indian Valley dressed in red, orange and fading yellow. YOU MISSED IT.

Tehama County (Past Peak) – Fall has flamed out in Tehama County, with its oaks carrying yellow and brown speckled leaves. YOU MISSED IT.

Lassen County (Past Peak) – YOU MISSED IT.

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Peak of the Week: Joshua Tree National Park

Cottonwood Springs Oasis, Joshua Tree NP (11/23/14) Eric Trumbauer

Cottonwood Springs Oasis, Joshua Tree NP (11/23/14) Eric Trumbauer

Color spotter Eric Trumbauer posted this photo of Cottonwood Springs Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park on our FB page with the Monty Pythonesque comment, “something a bit different…”  Eric wins accolades for posting this first-ever shot of fall color at Joshua Tree NP in California’s Mojave Desert.

Joshua Tree National Park (Peak 75-100%) – Cottonwood are peaking at Cottonwood Springs Oasis.  GO NOW!

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Yosemite Valley Short of Snow, Long on Color

Upper Yosemite Fall (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Upper Yosemite Fall (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Sentinel Rock, Yosemite NP (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Sentinel Rock, Yosemite NP (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Cook's Meadow (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Cook’s Meadow (11/23/14) Susan Taylor

Susan Taylor writes on our FB page that she had hoped for a dusting of snow on Yosemite Valley when she visited, yesterday.  We’re glad she found a dusting of fall leaves, instead.

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Reflections of Fall Color at Lake Siskiyou

Lake Siskiyou and Mt. Shasta (11/23/14) Cory Poole

Lake Siskiyou and Mt. Shasta (11/23/14) Cory Poole

Color spotter Cory Poole reports that there’s still a lot of color to be seen around the edge of Lake Shasta, though because the lake level has dropped so significantly, it isn’t reflected in the lake.  However, travel north to see Mount Shasta and fall trees reflected in the still waters of Lake Siskiyou.

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Sunlight Kisses the Alexander Valley

Alexander Valley (11/22/14) Larry Trettin

Alexander Valley (11/22/14) Larry Trettin

Alexander Valley (Peak 75-100%) – Color spotters Larry and Debbie Trettin posted on our Facebook page today that each November, they make a point of driving Geysers Rd, north of Healdsburg, to see the color before it disappears.  As the skies were clearing today, they got this shot of the Alexander Valley freshly washed by rainfall and kissed by sunlight.GO NOW!