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North Coast Color

Vine maple, Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (10/22/19) Max Forster

The North Coast is peaking, from Del Norte County south to Mendocino County with bigleaf maple, vine maple and poison oak painting the redwood forests in yellow, gold and crimson.

North Coast color spotter Max Forster sends this beautifully detailed report of where to see the best of it:

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (75%-100%) GO NOW! – Bigleaf maple are at peak and most of the vine maple are quickly approaching peak, as well.  Many fine bigleaf maple can be seen from the roadside of Drury Parkway, particularly around the Big Tree area.  Though, you can find pockets of color along the entire 9 mile drive.  While the drive is great, visitors who are able to walk a few miles of the Prairie Creek Trail will be treated to the best show.  

Redwood National Park – Patchy to Peak (10-100%) GO NOW! – There’s considerable variance in the park between the Lost Man Creek vs. Redwood Creek.  Bigleaf maple along Lost Man Creek, specifically near Little Lost Man Creek, are at peak, with some are already past.  While most the bigleaf along the Redwood Creek Trail are just starting to turn.

Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park Near Peak to Peak (50%-100%) GO NOW! – Much of the bigleaf maple along Mill Creek are approaching or are at peak.  Poison oak is at peak.  Great examples of the creeping vine climbing up redwood trees can be found along the northern section of Howland Hill Road.  Other ground cover species are a bit further behind and will likely begin peaking next week.  JSRSP has a prolific amount of ground cover vegetation and there are large sections of the the forest can be found carpeted in gold when you time your visit right in the autumn.  Potential visitors should note that Howland Hill Road will be closed until Friday evening.

South Fork Smith River – Peak (75%-100%) GO NOW! – Pockets of golden bigleaf can be found along the entire 14 mile drive on South Fork Road from the town of Hiouchi to Big Flat Campground at the confluence of the South Fork Smith River and Hurdygurdy Creek.  Visitors can also find Dogwood approaching peak sprinkled throughout the forest the further east you travel along the South Fork Road and along French Hill Road.