Yosemite National Park is open and colorful again. Black oak in Yosemite Valley are approaching peak. A color spotter posted a photo of a particularly beautiful landmark tree in Ahwahnee Meadow that is putting on a show of orange and black, with Half Dome rising above in the distance.
GO NOW! 50-75% – Yosemite Valley – Approaching peak among the black oak, which should continue to show color for a week or two, conditions permitting.
Eastern Redbud, LA County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens (10/22/13) Frank MdDonough
We were comparing notes with Frank McDonough of the LA County Arboretum and Botanical Garden this past week who suggests that a cooler than usual summer may be contributing to a late start for fall color in LA County’s urban forests, as plants were confused by cooling, then warming weather. Frank says science is still imprecise as to the triggering mechanisms for fall color, with light, temperature and water influencing change. He opined that the same environmental conditions that contributed to a late show at the arboretum’s elevation, may have also contributed to an earlier one in the High Sierra’s climate zone. For us color watchers, however, it adds variety and interest.
Grape vine and Freeman’s maples, LA County Arboretum (10/22/13) Frank McDonough
Eastern redbud, LA County Arboretum (10/22/13) Frank McDonough
Shagbark hickory, LA County Arboretum (10/22/13) Frank McDonough
30 – 50% – LA County Arboretum and Garden – Expect spots of brilliant color to continue to show through November and into early December. Seen in these photos, the LA County Arboretum is exhibiting color change among varied exotic species, such as: Shagbark Hickory (carya ovata) putting on a rosey show, Eastern Redbud (cercis canadensis) full or orange in the arboretum’s Kallam Garden and Grape Vine and Freeman’s maples showing hot red near the Herb Garden.
Alvarado Road, Salinas Valley (10/23/13) John Poimiroo
The old Spanish highway from San Diego to San Francisco (U.S. 101) is called the El Camino Real (the king’s highway) and near King City in the Salinas Valley, oaks and cottonwood along the Salinas River are dressed regally.
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Salinas Valley – Oaks and black cottonwood along the Salinas River are backlit yellow-green to orange on a morning drive south through the Salinas Valley. Stop in King City and just south of it for the best show.
Jeff Titcomb provides these videos of the brilliant color to be seen near Greenville on the way to the Round Valley (Plumas County).
[embedplusvideo height=”400″ width=”600″ editlink=”http://bit.ly/1a5Ojv3″ standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/lR5WMCjPRYs?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=lR5WMCjPRYs&width=600&height=400&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=¬es=” id=”ep5369″ /]
[embedplusvideo height=”400″ width=”600″ editlink=”http://bit.ly/1a5MVbX” standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/JXHdYgV5uO4?fs=1&hd=1″ vars=”ytid=JXHdYgV5uO4&width=600&height=400&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=¬es=” id=”ep3978″ /]
Aspen, Mammoth Lakes Basin (10/22/13) Susan Morning
Edina Ingram reports, “the weather in Mammoth Lakes remains gorgeous. With daytime temperatures in the mid 60s: crisp air, bright blue skies and a forest of yellow, now is a perfect time for sightseeing, hiking or mountain biking.” The Mammoth Lakes area is in full peak at lower elevations and past peak at higher elevations.
Aspen, Mammoth Lakes (10/22/13) Susan Morning
GO NOW! 75-100% – Mammoth Lakes (7,500′) – Fall color is peaking at Mammoth Creek, and Convict Lake, just south of Mammoth. The trail around Convict Lake, ten minutes south of Mammoth Lakes, remains beautiful. The aspen grove at the backside is fully vibrant. In Mammoth Lakes Basin, hike the trail ascending from the Twin Lakes parking lot to spots of great color.
Past Peak – Above 8,000 feet – Fall color is just past peak. This includes upper regions of the Lakes Basin in Mammoth Lakes and the Devils Postpile National Monument (closes Oct. 31).
Lake Tahoe, East Shore (10/21/13) DK
DK from Glenbrook on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe pitches us these shots of the east shore still glowing at Lake Tahoe.
Glenbrook, Lake Tahoe (10/21/13) DK
Tahoe City (10/19/13) Linnea Wahamaki
Donner Summit (10/18/13) Linnea Wahamaki
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Lake Tahoe – Cottonwood and aspen are still dressed in gold along the shore of the lake, though each day more leaves flutter to the forest floor. Linnea Wahamaki sends these snaps of Tahoe City and Donner Summit.
Black Oak, Mt. Laguna, Eastern San Diego County (10/19/13) Charlene Burge
Color spotter Charlene Burge reports she was happy to discover “Southern California has lots of natural fall color” when she moved there, two years ago. Mount Laguna in eastern San Diego County is “flush with fall color as California Black Oaks are close to peaking, with exposed trees in full color, and understory trees, in many cases, still in the lemon-lime stage. Many areas along the northern part of the S1–Sunrise Highway–were burned during the Rim fire, but from about Laguna Campground, south, there’s plenty of blazing oaks. This area is roughly between Julian and Pine Valley, along the S1 north of Highway 8. The highway 8 corridor east of the S1 has big cottonwoods.
Black Oaks, Mt. Laguna, Eastern San Diego County (10/19/13) Charlene Burge
Mt Laguna Observatory and Black Oak (10/19/13) Charlene Burge
Highway 8, Eastern San Diego County (10/19/13) Charlene Burge
GO NOW! 50 – 75% – Mt. Laguna – Oak and cottonwood are putting on a colorful show in eastern San Diego County near the Mt. Laguna Observatory (operated by San Diego State University) in eastern San Diego County.
Shootin’ the curl along Hwy 89 in Plumas County (10/20/13) Richard McCutcheon
Color spotter Richard McCutcheon was riding beneath a crest of fall color along Hwy 89 in Plumas County. He says driving through the overarching canopy of beautiful fall color in the Northern Sierra is like shootin’ the curl of a big break off the California coast.
Oaks, Hwy 89, Plumas County (10/20/13) Richard McCutcheon
Oaks, Indian Valley (10/22/13) Richard McCutcheon
Taylorsville (10/22/13) Richard McCutcheon
75 – 100% – Hwy 89 – Plumas County – It’s full peak and glorious along California State Route 89 through Plumas County and into the Shasta Cascade. Looking down on the Indian Valley from 7,000′, groves of oaks add orange color to the landscape. McCutcheon describes it as, “just about as pretty as you will ever see it,” and he should know as he’s certainly the most observant and reliable spotter along this route.
Freeman’s maple, LA County Arboretum (10/17/13) Frank McDonough
Chinese pistache, LA County Arboretum (10/17/13) Frank McDonough
Color spotter Frank McDonough always sends great shots of what’s turning at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. While it appears the San Bernardino Mountains are at peak or a little bit past peak (We welcome reports from So. Cal.), the LA County Arboretum is warming up. These shots tell it all:
15 – 30% – LA County Arboretum – Always a sure bet for long-lasting fall color, the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia has begun to warm up. Trees that show early, such as exotic Chinese pistache are now turning. A tupelo tree provides a botanical frame to a bench in the arboretum and a Freeman’s apple is on fire at its crest.
Tupelo tree, LA County Arboretum (10/17/13) Frank McDonough
June Lake (10/12/13) Alicia Vennos
Mono County has come into magnificence with reports from color spotter Alicia Vennos of areas of this Eastern Sierra County that we haven’t seen previously. This is most definitely the weekend to head to the East Side. Now that the federal shutdown has ended, Yosemite National Park has reopened (Tioga Pass remained open throughout the shutdown). So, this is likely the last, best weekend to head across the Sierra through Yosemite (Hwy 120 – The Tioga Road).
McGee Creek Canyon (10/16/13) Ethan James
McGee Creek Canyon (10/16/13) Ethan James
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – McGee Creek Canyon – Alicia reports that “There is a real mix of color right now at McGee — some trees are past peak, some are perfect, and others are still tiptoeing towards lime green and yellow. The campground area is the richest in color, right now, but the hiking trail has some gorgeous gold and orange, too.
Convict Lake (10/16/13) Convict Lake Resort
Silver Lake (10/12/13) Alicia Vennos
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Convict Lake – The entire canyon is at peak. There are lots of spectacular colors to be seen on the ride to the lake, including intense yellow, brilliant orange and, recently, traces of burnt Sienna. This is about the last weekend to see full color at Convict Lake, as large sections along the upper creek above the lake are dropping their leaves. If you’re going, take advantage of these deals and offers:
Double Eagle Resort & Spa, June Lake Loop (10/13/13) Ralph Lockhart
June Lake (10/14/13) Rachel Jackson
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – June Lake – 100% – Alicia reports that “It is pretty much perfection right now around everyone’s favorite “loop”, a.k.a. Hwy. 158″ We’ll add, that if you can get away, this is the prime weekend to see the June Lake Loop in all its glory. We’ll probably be reporting past week, next week. Ralph Lockhart at the Double Eagle Resort and Spa reports the entire north end of the June Lake Loop is “Exploding, right now.”
Therese LaChance Ely paints fall color at Parker Lake (10/12/13) Alicia Vennos
Parker Lake (10/12/13) Alicia Vennos
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Parker Lake – 100% – This small, but majestic lake, attracts many young families, a few anglers, photographers and – this past weekend – even award-winning artist, Therese LaChance Ely, well-known for her “Sierra-scapes.”
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Lundy Lake – We’re amazed that Lundy has been so spectacular for so long. This could be the last weekend to see it at peak. Alicia describes it as “at peak and glorious, especially along Lundy Lake Road.” The popular hiking trail at the end of the dirt road, past Lundy Lake Resort, is past peak with just a few bright trees left.
Little Walker Lake (10/14/13) Alicia Vennos
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Little Walker Lake – Little Walker is a beautiful, lesser-known lake in dramatic Bloody Canyon, just north of the June Lake Loop. Directions: At the north end of Hwy. 158, take Parker Lake Road and then the first right, following the signs. The trail starts high with a lovely view down to the lake.