Black oak, Clear Creek Trestle, Plumas County (11/4/16) Dennis Hayes
Railfans consider the Keddie Wye to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Western Pacific Railroad World.
It is a railroad junction in the form of a “wye” on the Union Pacific Railroad in Plumas County at the town of Keddie. The wye joins the east-west Feather River Route with a branch line (the “Inside Gateway”) north to Bieber. What makes the wye so attractive is that locomotives and their trains traveling across it provide photogenic subjects for train spotters.
Though, at this time of year, orange-colored peaking black oak in the forest near the wye are just as attractive to color spotters, as Dennis Hayes demonstrates in his vibrant photograph of the Clear Creek trestle taken on Hwy 70/89 over Spanish Creek, about 1/3-mile northeast of the Keddie Wye.
Keddie Wye, Plumas County – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill (11/5/16) Tracy Zhou
Uvas Canyon, near Morgan Hill in the southern Santa Cruz Mountains, is a cool, refreshing forested getaway for residents of Silicon Valley (Santa Clara Valley).
It is a Santa Clara County Park with 7.2 miles of hiking trails including a one-mile waterfall loop that travels along Swanson Creek past several waterfalls and cascades.
At peak, bigleaf maple provide bright yellow contrast to emerald mosses that grow upon boulders in the creek.
Color spotter Tracy Zhou visited on Saturday, to find the maples nearly past peak, though still colorful.
The forest trail is carpeted with buff-colored spent leaves.
Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
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Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill (11/5/16) Tracy Zhou
Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill (11/5/16) Tracy Zhou
Southern California color spotter Frank McDonough discovered a treasure of fall color in Sierra Madre this past week, where boulevard trees were glittering with auburn, crimson, orange, yellow and lime.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2016-11-02 22:21:052016-11-02 22:21:05First Report: A Treasure in Sierra Madre
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (10/30/16) Susan Taylor
Black oak, Sugarloaf Ridge SP, Kenwood (10/29/16) John Natelli
Black oak, Sugarloaf Ridge SP, Kenwood (10/29/16) John Natelli
Bigleaf maple, Sugarloaf Ridge SP, Kenwood (10/29/16) John Natelli
Bigleaf maple, Sugarloaf Ridge SP, Kenwood (10/29/16) John Natelli
California toyon, Sugarloaf Ridge SP, Kenwood (10/29/16) John Natelli
California toyon, Sugarloaf Ridge SP, Kenwood (10/29/16) John Natelli
John Natelli and Susan Taylor visited Sugarloaf Ridge State Park near Kenwood this past weekend and found bigleaf maple, black oak and California toyon peaking.
No doubt this past weekend’s storm knocked some leaves from trees, though our experience is that most leaves – particularly those just beginning to turn – will remain.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (600′ – 2,729′), Kenwood – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Sardine Lake, Sierra Buttes, Downieville (10/19/16) Philip Reedy
Lavezzola Creek, Downieville (10/19/16) Philip Reedy
Yuba National Forest, Downieville (10/19/16) Philip Reedy
So few photographers and color spotters travel CA-49 to its northern terminus, that until today, CaliforniaFallColor.com had never gotten a report from Downieville.
Color spotter Philip Reedy corrected that omission with a first report of yellow bigleaf maple and rust and gold willows appearing at points along the northern Gold Country highway.
Phil noted that while the color is still Patchy, nice color can be found in the Yuba National forest beside Lavezzola Creeks, north of Downieville and at Sardine Lake.
Downieville (CA-49) (2,966′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Lavezzola Creek, Downieville (10/19/16) Philip Reedy
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (10/16/16) Jim Van Matre
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (10/16/16) Jim Van Matre
Color spotter Jim Van Matre posts a First Report from Cuyamaca Rancho State Park in San Diego County, where black oak and shrubs are a mix of chartreuse and red.
With high winds predicted this week, he’s concerned that the color won’t survive for long.
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This is one of the longest reports California Fall Color has ever published. It is so, because of many detailed reports received.
Unbeknownst to us, our inbox crashed along with the server, causing reports sent to us last week to arrive today. So, please bear with this long post, as it’s full of great photos and important guidance for the week ahead.
NORTHERN SIERRA
The upper areas of the Hope Valley are past peak, though as seen in Andrew Zheng’s photo (above) of the cabin near the junction of CA-88 and CA-89, a mix of developing lime to fully peaked trees can be seen side-by-side with stripped trees.
Hope Valley – Peak to Past Peak YOU ALMOST MISSED IT!
EASTERN SIERRA
Glacier Lodge (10/5/16) Clayton Peoples
First Report: Longtime contributor, Clayton Peoples sent news of “an oft-overlooked gem,” Glacier Lodge which is west of Big Pine in the southern Eastern Sierra, off US 395. He visited the previous weekend and found some nice patchy color in the lower elevations and near peak higher up, with more color appearing this week. He promises to return.
Tip of the Day: a number of canyons lead up into the Eastern Sierra from US 395. These are often lightly visited and full of color. No, they don’t have the big stands of aspen found in Bishop Creek or at June Lake, but they’re beautiful, nonetheless. And, for So. Calif. color spotters they’re a lot closer to reach.
Glacier Lodge, Big Pine – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Surveyor’s Meadow (10/6/16) Robert Provin
Sabrina Approach (10/9/16) Abhi Bhaskaran
Sabrina Approach (10/9/16) Julie Kirby
Sabrina Approach (10/6/16) Robert Provin
Mist Falls, Bishop Creek Canyon (10/6/16) Michael Caffey
Convict Lake, Mono County (10/6/16) Michael Caffey
Bishop Creek is past peak at its upper reaches, though peak color can still be found (conditions permitting) at mid and lower elevations.
Then, there are exceptions like the Sabrina Approach, photographed by Abhi Bhaskaran, Robert Provin and Julie Kirby.
Following is a video from Bishop showing what the canyon looked like this past weekend.
Bishop Creek Canyon – Upper Elevations – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
Bishop Creek Canyon – Mid Elevations – Near Peak and Peak GO NOW!
Bishop Creek Canyon – Low Elevations – Patchy (10-50%)
Pine Creek Road (10/8/16) Gigi deJong
Pine Creek (10/8/16) Gigi deJong
Millpond County Park, Inyo County (10/8/16) Gigi deJong
Gigi deJong toured Round Valley, northwest of Bishop in the Eastern Sierra on Friday and found the cottonwood just turning yellow.
Though, there are “some lovely stand in picturesque spots,” with rabbitbrush in full irridescent yellow bloom, complementing the trees perfectly.
Counterpoints include bull rushes along the creeks, an occasional apple tree and “old structures that have lovely patina.”
Farm animals and the Sierra Nevada provide ornamentation that complements the scene and makes it classically a California Fall Color diorama.
She recommends exploring Pine Creek Rd., Round Valley Rd., Horton Creek Campground and Millpond County Park (Inyo County).
Round Valley, Inyo County (northwest of Bishop) – Patchy (10-50%), though well worth a trip.
Color spotter Anthony DeChiaro hiked to the Hilton Lakes on Oct. 6 to find the area denuded of leaves. He admitted he didn’t spend a lot of time searching for color around the lake, but that’s about what we would have expected, considering that the lakes are from 9,800′ to 11,000′ in elevation, and everything abover 9,000′ was reported as past peak the day Anthony headed up to the Hilton Lakes.
Hilton Lakes – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
Robinson Creek Trail to Barney Lake (10/9/16) Leor Pantilat
Robinson Creek Trail(10/9/16) Leor Pantilat
Robinson Creek Trail (10/9/16) Leor Pantilat
Robinson Creek Trail (10/9/16) Leor Pantilat
Leor Pantilat traveled to Mono County yesterday to capture these images on an iPhone.
He reports that the “Robinson Creek Trail to Barney Lake is at peak and dazzling with mountainsides full of yellow, orange and red contrasting with the rugged peaks surrounding the scene.
“After the short stretch in the pine forest near Twin Lakes, the trail emerges into meadows and the aspen at peak color is virtually unabated for 4 miles all the way to Barney Lake and beyond.
“I was at the same spot at the same time last year and the aspen show is substantially better this year with much less brown rot.
“Leaves were flying off the trees with every breeze so this is definitely a GO NOW! situation.”
He continues, “Strong winds are forecast as early as Thursday will likely end the show.”
Robinson Creek Trail to Barney Lake, Mono County – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
June Lake Loop (10/9/16) Julie Kirby
June Lake should peak this weekend, with color lasting another week. So, even if the winds strip some trees, enough color should remain along the June Lake Loop to keep it beautiful.
June Lake Loop – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Sonora Pass (10/7/16) Dave Olden
Sonora Pass and Leavitt Meadow are now wearing orange as if they were rooting for the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. When Dave Olden crossed the pass on Oct. 7, it was just beginning its peak.
Sonora Pass (10/9/16) Leor Pantilat
Then, Leor Pantilat happened by on Sunday and found it had donned Giant colors. That’s how fast it peaks. Again, this color might not last out the week.
Sonora Pass – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
CENTRAL COAST
Fremont cottonwood, Rose Valley Road, Ojai (10/6/16) Kevin Rose
First Report: Traveling north from Ojai along SR33, color spotter Kevin Rose found a stand of Fremont cottonwood, brushed by refreshing mountain breezes off Rose Valley Road.
The trees were showing patchy color at coordinates 34.5595382 – 119.1654414 along Sespe Creek.
Nearby, several backpackers were gearing up to hike Lion Canyon. Kevin did some of the same hike and declares it hike-worthy! Turn right off CA-33 on Rose Valley Rd. and follow the parking lot to its bitter end.
This is a nice walk for Central Coast color spotters and earns title as HIKE OF THE WEEK. “Totally worth it!” wrote Rose who followed Rose Valley Road.
Rose Valley Road, Los Padres National Forest, Ojai – Patchy (10-50%)
Poison Oak, Humboldt Redwoods State Park (10/10/16) Max Forster
NORTH COAST
Prairie Creek RSP (10/10/16) Max Forster
Lost Man Creek, Redwood National Park (10/10/16) Max Forster
Jedediah Smith RSP (10/10/16) Max Forster
North Coast color spotter Max Forster happened upon the historically significant Luna tree while looking for color in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
This is the tree that Julia “Butterfly” Hill sat in for two years in protest of logging within the area.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park – Patchy (10-50%). Bigleaf maple and poison oak along the Avenue of the Giants have another week until peak yellow and crimson, though examples can be seen when rays of sun light the redwood forest. Look for the poison oak creeping up the trunks of the skyscraper redwoods along Mattole Road.
Redwood National & State Parks – (75%-100%) GO NOW!. Most of the bigleaf maple are putting on their best show of the season. Trees along Mill Creek (Jedediah Smith State Park) and Little Lost Man Creek (Redwood National Park) have turned particularly impressive over the last few days.
Black oak were at all stages of change in Ventura County’s Los Padres National Forest this past weekend, where Naresh Satyan captured these images.
He found a stand of black oaks along the Thorn Point trail at 5000′-5500′ in the Sespe Wilderness on Saturday. The stand is patchy and Naresh was unsure whether they’d change at once or in waves.
He recommends the 3.46 mi. hike to the Thorn Point fire lookout when it is not hot, as it gains 2,632 ft in elevation. There’s a good dirt road to drive to the trailhead, though it has a couple of spots where high clearance helps (one in his party made it in a Prius). They found lots of bear scat and, of course, it’s rattlesnake country.
The Thorn Point trail is 20 mi. southwest of Frazier Park, 90 mi north of Los Angeles.
The U.S. Forest Service describes Los Padres National Forest as “one of the most botanically diverse National Forests in the United States.” The Sespe Wilderness includes the Sespe Condor Sanctuary within its boundary.
Hat Creek Meadow, Lassen Volcanic National Park (9/25/16) Shanda Ochs
Hat Creek Meadow, Lassen Volcanic National Park (9/25/16) Shanda Ochs
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park (9/24/16) Shanda Ochs
Mountain Alder, Lassen Volcanic National Park (9/24/16) Shanda Ochs
Lassen Volcanic National Park color spotter Shanda Ochs recommends visiting Hat Creek meadow, where grasses and willows carpet it with “beautiful rusty orange, gold and yellow foliage.”
Meadow grasses provide an early show that doesn’t last long. Shanda believes the display at Hat Creek will wane, as leaves turn with approaching colder temperatures.
At Manzanita Lake, near the northwest entrance to Lassen Volcanic, lime-colored willow, alder and cottonwood ring the lake.
Hat Creek Meadow, Lassen Volcanic National Park (6,500′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park (5,900′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
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