Aspen and Maple Peak in San Bernardino Mtns

Alena Nicholas spent the weekend exploring the San Bernardino Mountains for fall color and finding it at Green Valley Lake and Big Bear.

Most of the beautiful green, yellow and red color is provided by aspen and maple.

Green Valley Lake is often overlooked, though she writes, it’s “a wonderful, quiet, little lake enjoyed mainly by local mountain residents.”

Big Bear is Southern California’s most-visited mountain destination, though it is often overlooked in autumn. That’s a shame, as October days are among the most beautiful to be enjoyed in the San Bernardino Mountains. Alena found many anglers, hikers and mountain bikers enjoying autumn weather.

The maple and aspen color should hold for another week or two, then the oaks will turn orange, just in time for Halloween.

Peak GO NOW! (75-100%) – Green Valley Lake – Aspen and maple are peaking, though what few black oak are there have a way to go.

Near Peak GO NOW! (50-75%) Big Bear Lake – Color can be found along the lake, its roads and trails and in town.

Patchy (10-50%) – Lake Arrowhead and Lake Gregory – Still on the low end of the scale, these mountain lakes will approach peak in two weeks.