New Fall Color Spot: Santa Catalina Island

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!