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Nearing Peak Near Chico

Chinese Temple, Oroville (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

Biggs (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

Midway, Durham (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

Shasta Cascade color spotters Danie Schwartz and Cindy Lee Hoover are reporting signs of peak approaching throughout Butte County.

Oroville and Biggs (to Oroville’s west) are near peak with Chinese pistache throwing off increasingly iridescent color around the ancient burgundy walls of Oroville’s Chinese temple.

Maple, Sank Park, Oroville (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

Dogwood, Sank Park, Oroville (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

At Sank Park in downtown Oroville, maple, dogwood and more Chinese pistache are peaking.

West of Oroville, Biggs Pond is ringed with yellow, chartreuse and lime-colored brush. The Valley oak are carrying the first signs of orange and yellow color.

Traveling north from Oroville, the Midway between Durham and Chico continues to transition with some orange appearing among yellow and lime oak and pistache, though many leaves along this boulevard have dropped. Walnut orchards up and down CA-99 are coloring up.

Esplanade, Chico (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

Paradise Lake, Paradise (11/6/17) Cindy Lee Hoover

In Chico, the Esplanade, its famous boulevard, is overhanging with patchy Valley oak and Chinese pistache, though near peak color should arrive this weekend and peak continue to Thanksgiving Day.

Further north in Paradise, color has peaked. The last remaining black oak leaves hang proudly from trees around Paradise Lake.

Oroville – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Biggs – – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

Chico – Patchy (10-50%)

Paradise – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!