California Fall Color

Dude, autumn happens here, too.

Gum and Mulberry trees, Lakeport (11/24/09)

Although autumn doesn’t end until December 21, Thanksgiving Day always seems to be the last day of the year in  which Californians are in an autumn state of mind.  After that, a blizzard of holiday sales make falling prices overwhelm falling leaves.

While there’s still lots of color to be enjoyed, most Californians shift their search from looking for fall color to searching for colorful Christmas lights and Christmas trees.

However, just because the holiday season is upon us does not mean that Mother Nature has given up her beautiful show of autumn color.  California’s urban landscape flickers with auburn, orange, crimson and yellow within its parks and along its boulevards.  Because California’s weather has been mostly mild and clear this fall, 2009 will be remembered as one of the best for beautiful and long-lasting displays of fall color.

This is the last planned California Fall Color report of the season.  Our thanks are expressed to the many color spotters across The Golden State who emailed photographs and reports.

Clear Lake, Lakeport (11/24/09)

75-100% — Lake County. Terre Logsdon reports that “While the harvest of pears, walnuts, and wine grapes has ended for the year, large swaths of color throughout the county remain to be enjoyed as the many oak varieties – black, blue, valley, and Oregon – are at 75% of peak and turning a muted gold to vibrant orange against a backdrop of evergreen pines. Sweet gums are a riot of color in the town of Lakeport, at their peak of color ranging from gold to deep burgundy. Flowering mulberries are nearing their peak ranging from canary yellow to bright green.

Dickens Christmas Market, Lakeport (stock photo)

An annual Dickens’ Christmas Market occurs Nov. 28 in Lakeport.  This annual Christmas event transforms Lakeport into an old English village, complete with costume-clad characters, food booths, and entertainment, as well as an all-day Christmas Market from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Lighted parade begins at 6 p.m. and Christmas tree lighting follows at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street. CLICK HERE for more about this event or call (707) 263-5092.

75-100% — Onyx. Color spotter Danna Stroud of Mammoth Lakes reports that lovely gold colors clusters of trees in the Southern Sierra along CA-178 west of CA-14 and east of Lake Isabella.  Danna oversees the Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau which will soon open one of the three new California Welcome Centers recently approved for designation by the California Travel & Tourism Commission.  The new Welcome Centers are located in Mammoth Lakes, El Dorado Hills and Vista and should open in early 2010.  When these state-sanctioned visitor information centers open, the number of California Welcome Centers will increase to 17.  California Welcome Centers bring together visitor information from across California and are great places to get maps and guidance on visiting California.

75-100% — San Francisco Bay Area. Color is at or past peak around San Francisco, providing lots of nostalgic autumn color in the Bay Area for the Thanksgiving Day weekend.  If you’re in The City this weekend, head to Yerba Buena Gardens and Golden Gate Park for the most diverse show of color.  Cindy Hu reports that russet and gold have “been supplanted by LEDs in many corners of The City.  Market Street is adorned with illuminated snowflakes and the palm trees in Union Square have been encircled with white lights.”  She recommends checking out these “bright spots:” Embarcadero Center, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Union Square, Huntington Park, Castro and 18th Streets, Union Street, Golden Gate Park, The Presidio and Fisherman’s Wharf.  CLICK HERE for more details.

Beautiful color may also be found down the Peninsula in Burlingame, Menlo-Atherton, Palo Alto and Los Altos; in the East Bay communities of Danville, Moraga and Walnut Creek; and in the north bay cities of San Rafael and Novato.

75-100% — Sacramento. This Central Valley city is known as being second only to Paris in the number of trees, per capita.  Sacramento has so many trees that special rules govern when and where you can park, so that leaves can be cleared during autumn.  The best displays of fall color are found downtown, surrounding the State Capitol, in the Fabulous Forties (avenues numbered in the 40s) and surrounding Land Park, south of US 50 and downtown.

Past Peak — Plumas County. Color spotter Suzi Brakken reports that the Plumas and Lassen National Forest offices are now selling Christmas tree cutting permits for $10.  All you need is a saw, dry boots and snow clothes. Keep in mind that snow is plentiful in the higher elevations, especially where the favorite Silvertips are found. The permits for Plumas National Forest are also available at many local businesses, including at the Plumas County Visitors Center at the Quincy airport, a half mile west of Quincy on CA-70.  Maps of approved cutting areas come with permits, which are on sale through Dec. 24.

On the Thanksgiving weekend, holiday light parades will be held in Chester and Taylorsville, and merchant open houses with refreshments and tree-lightings will be held in small towns throughout Plumas County this weekend and next. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Past Peak — Gold Country. Color has now descended below 1,000′ in the gold country with little left to change among the oaks and maples.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  See you next fall!

Holly's Hill Vineyard, El Dorado County (11/15/09)

75-100% — Newton and Snow Roads (2,000′). Black Oaks and bigleaf maple are fully orange and yellow from U.S. 50 south of Placerville on Newton Road to the Pleasant Valley, indicative of similar color to be found throughout the Sierra foothills.

We drove to Holly’s Hill Vineyards in the El Dorado AVA, to find the vineyards to be at peak with orange to red across the rolling hills, as these snaps from an iPhone attest.

75-100% — Southern California. Jimbo comments from Southern California that there’s still lots of color to be found in the mountains.  He writes, “The black oaks have turned around places like Crestline, Idyllwild and Palomar Mountain.”

Holly's Hill Vineyard, El Dorado County (11/15/09)

Thanks to readers, like Jimbo, I’m able to cover all of the state.  Do email me if you’ve got a report.  Photos are great.  Give me your full name and I’ll make sure you get credited.  These reports will continue through Thanksgiving Day.

Photo Credit: © 2009, John Poimiroo

Monitor Pass (10/23/09)

Monitor Pass (10/23/09)

Monitor Pass (10/23/09)

Monitor Pass (10/23/09)

Walker Canyon (10/23/09)

EASTERN SIERRA

30-50% — Antelope Valley (Walker, Coleville & Topaz 5000′ – 5300′). Mark Fesko of the Meadowcliff Resort reports that the cottonwoods in the Antelope Valley are turning from the lime green to yellows. Some at completely yellow while others are half & half.

50-75% — Monitor Pass (7000′ – 8300′). Mark’s run up to Monitor Pass, reported partial to full yellow aspen leading up to the summit at 8314′ which is now 75-100% of peak.  This is a good weekend to travel over Monitor Pass to  the Antelope Valley.

50-75% — Walker Canyon (5400′ – 6000′). Aspen, Cottonwoods and Willows are turning.  Mark says lots of yellows and some oranges are starting to pop!

Photo Credit: © 2009, Mark Fesko

Salmina Road (10/20/09)

An unusual switch has been happening in Lake County, where fall colors developed first at Clear Lake (el 1,600′) than in the higher terrains on Cobb Mountain (4,700′) reports Terre Logsdon.

75-100% — Forest Lake. At Forest Lake (el. 2,700′), the cottonwoods are a riot of gold, backgrounded by dogwoods and oaks.

75-100% — Salmina Rd. Terre says that Salmina Rd, off CA-175 near Loch Lomond at 2,500 feet where Salmina’s Resort was at the turn of the 19th century, the trees are at their prime color – oaks and cottonwoods are golden with the dogwoods casting a warmer glow.

Amber Knolls Vineyard (10/20/09)

15-30% — Red Hills. The vineyards in the Red Hills AVA, especially the red varietals, are turning yellow and orange, with hints of burgundy veining the leaves. Pear and walnut orchards in the Big Valley bordered by Hwy. 29, along Soda Bay Road, and in Upper Lake on CA-20 are continuing to show yellow and golden.  With Lake County weather predicted to be in the 40s at night and days in the 70s and 80s, there are continued prospects for good color.

Photography: © 2009, Lyle Madeson

Bigleaf Maple, Plumas County (10/17/09)

Photographs just sent from Plumas County show that fall is peaking across the Sierra, from Bishop in the Eastern Sierra, up through Mammoth and June Lakes, at Lake Tahoe to Plumas County at the northern end of the Sierra Nevada.

Bigleaf Maple, Plumas County (10/17/09)

75-100% — Plumas County.  Bigleaf Maple are glowing yellow in the forests and towns of Plumas County.

Eastern Sugar Maple, Quincy (10/17/09)

75-100% — Quincy.  Exotic and native trees are dazzlingly bright yellow, orange, pink and crimson.

Photo Credit: © 2009, Christie Brawley

Murray House, Quincy (10/17/09)