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Santa’s Village Unwraps Autumn Presents

Aspen, Sky Park at Santa’s Village (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Red maple, Skyforest (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Santa’s Village has been unwrapping a new identity. The venerable children’s attraction has become Sky Park, a place of adventures in nature.

Part of that transformation has been the addition of seasonal autumn color. Aspen and maple have been planted throughout the park’s fantasy village, and though the trees are young, they promise a show of fall color that will improve each autumn.

The Christmastide theme park in Skyforest near Lake Arrowhead (CA-18) still has its gingerbread houses, ice/roller rink, excursion train and gift shops, but now also a glacier-like climbing wall, roar-down-the mountain bike trail and thrill rides.

It’s a mix of updated 1955 nostalgia with 2017 soft adventure.

Santa’s Village, Skyforest (5,174′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Jenks Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Red maple, Green Valley Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Alena Nicholas writes that she focused on the upper part of the San Bernardino Mountains, from Green Valley Lake to Big Bear, to Jenks Lake.

“All had wonderful color, with aspen, maple, and some cottonwood trees. They are at peak, to maybe a bit past, while the black oak are still developing.” Alena wrote.

“Still, great amounts of color still remain to turn across the upper mountain range. Big Bear had a lot of color around the lake, and in town,” but it was so busy with people up for the weekend that Alena was unable to maneuver around to take images.

At Jenks lake, “people were out enjoying their weekend boating and fishing along the shore,” providing for an enhanced experience with all the bigleaf maple (yellow), cottonwood (golden), aspen (yellow), black oak (orange) and exotics (orange and red) dressed in their finest.

Alena enjoyed a similar panorama at Green Valley Lake (between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear) and at a slightly higher elevation than Jenks.

At Lake Arrowhead, Robin and Chris Gago found dogwood Peaking along trails, with black oak Just Starting.

Jenks Lake (6,739′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Green Valley Lake (7,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Lake Arrowhead (5,174′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Green Valley Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Jenks Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Jenks Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Green Valley Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Green Valley Lake (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Santa’s Village (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Santa’s Village (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

Santa’s Village (10/7/17) Alena Nicholas

 

 

 

 

 

Dogwood, Lake Arrowhead (10/8/17) Chris Gago

Black oak (10/8/17) Lake Arrowhead

Dogwood, Lake Arrowhead (10/8/17) Chris Gago

Dogwood, Lake Arrowhead (10/8/17) Chris Gago

Dogwood, Lake Arrowhead (10/8/17) Chris Gago

Dogwood, Lake Arrowhead (10/8/17) Chris Gago