,

Northeast California Moves From Patchy to Near Peak

Susanville (10/14/14) Joel Rathje

Susanville (10/14/14) Joel Rathje

Quite a bit of color developed in the Shasta Cascade this past week, with three of its eight counties now almost Near Peak.  The Shasta Cascade straddles the Southern Cascade and Northern Sierra mountains, which have shared foliage, though different wildlife.

The gorgeous photograph taken by Joel Rathje (above) shows the diversity of color now developing in the forests of northeastern California.  The Shasta Cascade’s show is more subtle and painterly with brushes of yellow bigleaf maple, rosey dogwood, burnt umber California buckeye, orange-yellow black oak, golden cottonwood, chartreuse wild cucumber, orange-red Indian rhubarb and burgundy Oregon grape.

Bizz Johnson Trail (10/19/14) Stan Bales

Bizz Johnson Trail (10/19/14) Stan Bales

Lassen County (Near Peak 50%-75%) Lassen County has begun to show vibrant yellows bigleaf maple and red dogwood. The Bizz Johnson trail is flanked with fall colors. GO NOW!

Greenville (10/14/14) Jeff Titcomb

Greenville (10/14/14) Jeff Titcomb

Plumas County (Near Peak 50%-75%) If you plan to see Plumas County at peak, don’t wait much longer. Plumas is near peak with vibrant red and yellow scattered throughout the county.  Quincy is at peak. See “Comments” for a guide to touring Plumas County. GO NOW!

Siskiyou County (Near Peak 50%-75%) With cooler weather descending into Northern California, Siskiyou County should also be at peak by Halloween.  The color is particularly impressive when set against the backdrop of snow-covered Mt. Shasta which received a few inches within the past week. GO NOW!

Anderson (10/19/14) Brittany Pozek

Anderson (10/19/14) Brittany Pozek

Shasta County (Patchy 10%-50%) Shasta County is seeing patches of red and orange throughout the county. Most trees are starting to change and, with cooler weather making its way in, they are expected to peak at the end of October. Most trees in the Anderson area are still green with patches of red and yellow.  Big changes are predicted in the next two weeks.

Aspen, Lassen County (10/14/14) Joel Rathje

Aspen, Lassen County (10/14/14) Joel Rathje

Trinity County (Patchy 10%-50%) Trinity County is almost at near peak and predicted to show in early November. The historic town of Weaverville on Hwy 299 is a favorite fall color destination, with yellow bigleaf maple and chartreuse wild cucumber along the Trinity River.

Tehama County (Patchy 10%-50%) Tehama should be at near peak by the end of the month.  River towns such as Cottonwood and Red Bluff are now having their riparian parks populated with reds and yellow oaks and willows.

Bidwell Park, Chico (10/19/14) Amanda Secrest

Bidwell Park, Chico (10/19/14) Amanda Secrest

Butte County (Patchy 10%-50%) The urban forests of Chico are almost near peak. Chico’s Bidwell Park, the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, walnut orchards along Hwy 99 and the foothill community of Paradise are prime locations to see peak around Halloween.

Modoc County (Patchy 10%-50%) Modoc County approaching near peak.  Locals are predicting it will peak in early November. Cooling temperatures have intensified early shows of vibrant yellow and red.

[weatherlayer country=”United States” city=”Redding”]

 

3 replies
  1. sharon says:

    Hi John,

    i’m off to Plumas tomorrow & am wondering if u have the top 4 or 5 areas / routes to recommend there for catching brilliant fall foliage? I usually stop for quite a while at most spots to admire the leaves so it’s not possible to see it all!

    Thanks!

    • John Poimiroo says:

      Sharon,

      There are two approaches: 1) drive to Truckee on I-80, then north on CA-89/CA-70 to Quincy. There will be spots of color along the road. Greenhorn Creek parallels the road. As you approach East Quincy, the La Porte Road is often cited as a location where good color is found. Follow the La Porte Road south to Nelson Creek where good color has been reported in past years. The Quincy-La Porte Road is also good, heading toward the town of La Porte. Color spotters report the best color in Plumas County is found off highway. That would require an SUV in some cases, an ATV in extreme cases (USFS service roads), but a normal car in most cases. Plumas County is laced with old roads that follow streams. That’s where you’ll find some of the county’s best color. Indian Creek, is one. Though, you’d need time to explore the backroads and if you don’t have it, continue on to Quincy. In the town of Quincy are many exotics: the famed Judge Thieler sugar maple (now past peak) and lovely trees around the Murray home. This is more like shooting in New England, where architecture and foliage combine, though the architecture here isn’t as old or as classic. Plumas County used to have an excellent visitor center whose proprietor, Suzi Brakken, would come out and wash the windshields of leaf peepers. The county defunded support to that organization, so try the Quincy Chamber of Commerce for local advice. Karen Moritz of Plumas County also recommended taking “the short trip (17) miles up to Bucks Lake – west of Quincy. Lots of aspen, dogwood and bigleaf maple just off the highway.” Beyond Quincy is Indian Valley and Greenville. There’s often lovely color along the streams leading into the valley. The trick is to know the streams at which there’ll be color (the Indian Valley Chamber in Greenville may have advice). Look for brilliant orange Indian Rhubarb along the edges of creeks. I haven’t found the area beyond Greenville and Indian Valley to be that productive, though there are black oak and bigleaf maple on the west shore of Lake Almanor. So, once you reach Greenville, you might want to turn back and head down CA-70 toward Paradise and Oroville. There is Indian Rhubarb at the top of Hwy 70 (Feather River Canyon) and some bigleaf maple, though the farther down you go, the color will diminish. Paradise and Oroville further down Hwy 70 are just starting. So, the lower you go down the canyon, the less you will see as most of the Shasta Cascade is patchy. 2) The second approach is basically the reverse of what I just described. Get to Hwy 70, then follow it up to Greenville. 3) For another trip or a longer stay, eastern Plumas County can have great color in late October at Antelope Lake, along Babcock Creek and in Squaw Valley (not the ski area). Hope that’s helpful.

Comments are closed.