San Bernardino Mountain color spotter Alena Nicholas sends these shots of Lake Gregory as it nears peak. It, and nearby Lake Arrowhead, should be beautiful this weekend.
Lake Gregory is the closest major San Bernardino mountain resort to the Los Angeles basin. Exotic and native trees surround the lake, providing a colorful mix of yellow, crimson, purple and orange.
A 2.5-mile trail loops the lake, providing for a scenic walk or run. This hike is short and easy.
Rowboats, electric motor boats and kayaks can be rented near swim beach, to see the color from the water.
CLICK HERE for more information about visiting Lake Gregory.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2015-11-06 08:26:122015-11-06 08:42:47Hike of the Week: Lake Gregory Lookin' Good
Southern California color spotter Alena Nicholas returned home to the San Bernardino Mountains to find the forest near peak along Rim of the World and Arrowbear Lake.
Alena promises to send more photos of Lake Arrowhead and Lake Gregory in coming days, though these already have us wishing we were there this evening to capture that sunset.
Mt. Laguna, San Diego County (11/1/15) Dylan Ren
Mt. Laguna, San Diego County (11/1/15) Dylan Ren
Elsewhere in Southern California, Dylan Ren photographed black oak peaking on Mt. Laguna in San Diego County.
Mt. Laguna is one of the best areas in So. Cal. to photograph black oak. A side benefit of driving the Sunrise Highway to Mt. Laguna is that an end destination is the mountain community of Julian, famous for its pies.
Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Rim of the World
Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Arrowbear Lake
Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Mt. Laguna, San Diego County
Aspen Grove, San Bernardino National Forest (10/12/13) Lisa Wilkerson-Willis
A grove of California Aspen near Big Bear in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, listed as one of only two naturally-occurring aspen groves in Southern California, will recover from this past year’s Summer’s Lake fire in a couple of years, according to a report in Big Bear Today.
The article quotes Steve Alarid of the USDA Forest Service who predicts that, “Aspens are going to dominate this area for the next 50 year,” because the entire forest was incinerated.
Alarid was quoted as saying that both pine and aspen have coexisted in Southern California since the Ice Age, “in deep canyons where cooler air settles…” and where there are, “…creeks flowing nearby.”
For the aspen, however, “shade” was their biggest enemy, but now that the surrounding pine forest was consumed, the aspen whose root system is intact will flourish.
Already, juvenile aspen stems are seen sticking up out of the charcoal forest floor at “Aspen Grove,” and that color will begin to reemerge in two years,”their green presence in the Moon-like landscape is a welcome reminder that popular Aspen Grove, closed for the next year or so after the inferno, will be back,” Alarid said.
Willows are also recovering quickly. Big Bear Today reported that some willow shoots, “are six feet high already.”
Alena Nicholas spent the weekend exploring the San Bernardino Mountains for fall color and finding it at Green Valley Lake and Big Bear.
Green Valley Lake (10/10/15) Alena Nicholas
Green Valley Lake (10/10/15) Alena Nicholas
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 Lake (10/10/15) Alena Nicholas
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.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2015-10-12 22:54:112015-10-22 17:03:05Aspen and Maple Peak in San Bernardino Mtns
Alena Nicholas titles these views near sunset at Lake Arrowhead, “Of Things Yet To Come.”
Lake Arrowhead (10/6/15) Alena Nicholas
As, there is just a bit of color change to be seen in the San Bernardino Mountains. However, following the storm seen moving across the mountains, colder nights are expected and Alena anticipates change, “sooner than later.”
To those who were anxious for an update on Southern California color, the storms prevented any worthy report, due to the low level of color to be seen down south.
Alena reports that she plans to tour Big Bear and Green Valley Lakes this weekend. And notes, “I was surprised to see one very dedicated water skier out on the lake, this evening, who had the water almost all to himself!”
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2015-10-06 23:14:262015-10-06 23:16:42Of Things Yet To Come
Until this past weekend, fall color in the San Bernardino Mountains has survived a lack of Santa Anas, though winds are predicted to begin rising this week. Nicholas and Alena Barnhart toured the SB Mountains’ major fall color viewing locations: Big Bear Lake, Lake Arrowhead, Grass Valley Lake, Lake Gregory and Silverwood Lake to bring back this update.
Silverwood Lake (11/16/14) Alena Barnhart
Big Bear (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
Big Bear (11/16/14) Alena Barnhart
Silverwood Lake (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
Grass Valley Lake (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
Grass Valley Lake (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
Lake Gregory (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
Lake Gregory (11/16/14) Nicholas Barnhart
San Bernardino Mountains (Peak to Past Peak) – Nick reports, “Silverwood Lake is one of the SB Mountains largest lakes, located on the backside of the mountains heading towards the desert (Apple Valley/Victorville). So, most people miss it when they head up to Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear and even fewer photographers spend time there. It has a Mountain/Desert look to it, and offers Fishing/Boating, Camping, Hiking, Bicycling, Waterskiing, and has places around to eat.
“Since it’s the lowest Lake in the mountains, Silverwood Lake usually stays warmer/drier longer-lasting fall color than the other SB Mountain lakes.” Silverwood Lake was peaking this past weekend though, like other SB Mountain fall color spots, is susceptible to wind.
Nick confirms that autumn is “winding down” at the SB Mountains’ other lakes: Big Bear, Arrowhead, Grass Valley (not to be confused with Northern California’s Grass Valley) and Gregory, though spots of fall color remain. and the sunsets… well, they’re Southern California worthy. GO NOW!
US Post Office, Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough
Duck Pond, Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough
Abbey of St. Andrews, Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough
Cottonwood, Valyermo (11/16/14) Frank McDonough
Valyermo (Peak 75-100%) – Usually, we find Frank McDonough reporting from the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, but this past weekend he traveled to Valyermo, a tiny community in the San Gabriel mountains. He writes, “I was amazed at the intensity of the Fall color. It’s easily 70-80% there.”
Valyermo has not been reported previously on California Fall Color. Kudos to Frank who joins only two other color spotters, this autumn, who provided reports and photos of areas not previously seen on CaliforniaFallColor.com.
Frank notes that the Valyermo area’s location on the east slope of the San Gabriel Mountains is “spared the coastal influence that could make it too mild for good color change, plus the days are sunny and the nights are quite cold for an extended period of time compared to Southern California’s coastal areas.” Of note there is the Abbey of St. Andrews and the “iconic Valyermo post office.” GO NOW!
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-11-17 14:51:302014-11-19 22:30:04Peak of the Week: Valyermo
Lake Hemet Campgrounds (11/7/14) Jonathan Patterson
Color spotters Tim Colvin and Jonathan Patterson sent these photos of Southern California’s Lakes Gregory and Hemet, which are now both peaking.
Lake Gregory (11/7/14) Tim Colvin
Lake Gregory (Peak 75-100%) – This is one of the last resort areas of the San Bernardino Mountains to peak; color should remain good through the coming week. GO NOW!
Lake Hemet Campgrounds (11/7/14) Jonathan Patterson
Lake Hemet Campgrounds (11/7/14) Jonathan Patterson
Lake Hemet (Peak 75-100%) – Large cottonwood provide a golden canopy to the campgrounds at Lake Hemet in the San Jacinto Mountains, providing for a colorful place to camp while out color spotting. Weather permitting, peak should last for two weeks. GO NOW!
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-11-09 22:29:132014-11-09 22:41:16Lake Gregory and Lake Hemet Peak
Modern Hiker correspondent, hiker and color spotter Scott Turner spent yesterday afternoon at Mt. Laguna in eastern San Diego County and provides these compelling images of the effect of drought on trees that live at the edge of a desert.
Black Oak (10/27/14) Scott Turner
Black Oak (10/27/14) Scott Turner
Mt. Laguna (10/27/14) Scott Turner
Black oak there, which would normally be a vivid mix of green, lime, yellow, orange, gold and buff are, sadly, a dull beige. Scott said the effect of drought on the forests of Mt. Laguna are palpable. Some trees appear to have lost the majority of their leaves, though what remains is still partially green.
Scott found it hard to assess the change, because so much has dropped, though he classifies Mt. Laguna as near peak, but nothing like the vibrant show seen last autumn. He notes that the oaks were hit hard by bark beetles with a lot of them dying.
Scott plans to hike and photograph Mt. Palomar on Friday. On his last trip, he noted that the oaks there appeared to be healthier, but then they live at an elevation that is 1,000′ lower. That likely means Palomar’s peak is two weeks away.
On a separate Southern California note, I met with Jonathan Patterson of Lake Hemet yesterday. Jonathan said the color is beginning to look beautiful around the lake. He was reluctant to classify it as near peak, though from other reports made directly to me by John Koeberer who’d been there this weekend, the San Jacinto Mountains are a definite GO NOW! Jonathan said Idyllwild has been peaking for a week. Our recommendation is head up to the San Jacintos, camp at Lake Hemet in the middle of the color and take side trips to Idyllwild and Mountain Center. If you get great photos of the San Jacintos, email them to us and we’ll post.
Mt. Laguna (Near Peak – 50 – 75%) – Drought and bark beetles have damaged the trees. The color is not the brilliance it had last autumn. Do a rain dance for Eastern San Diego County.
Idyllwild (Peak – 75 – 100%) – Beautiful color in and around Idyllwild is nearly past peak. GO NOW!
Lake Hemet (Near Peak – 50 – 75%) – Camp beside the lake surrounded by intense fall color. Very few people and developing color that should be good for the next couple of weeks (weather permitting). Just say no to Santa Anas! GO NOW!
Volunteers cleaned up Lake Gregory’s shoreline this past weekend (10/19/14) Michelle Fox
We received a comment from Cindy, a color spotter, that she was disappointed with the color to be seen at Lake Gregory this past weekend, reporting that it didn’t match the rest of the San Bernardino Mountain’s peak billing.
So, we investigated, communicating with Michelle Fox at Lake Gregory who provides these photos. A group of local volunteers were at the lake doing a volunteer, end-of-summer, shore cleanup when Michelle photographed the scene. Bravo to all those who volunteered their Sunday to keep Lake Gregory pristine.
Michelle agrees that the color will continue to develop (weather permitting), whereas other areas of the San Bernardino mountains have been shown as peaking, perhaps because Lake Gregory is one of the lower elevations in the mountains. Still, it’s a beautiful place with delicate color.
Lake Gregory (Patchy – 10 – 50%) – Oaks and other deciduous trees surrounding the lake have been slowly developing their color since first reported on Oct. 5. Unlike higher elevations in the San Bernardino Mountains, Lake Gregory has not neared peak and will continue to develop color in coming weeks.
Lake Hemet (Just Starting – 0 – 10%) – A report from Lake Hemet states that little color has yet developed in the San Jacinto Mountains. On the basis of that report, we’ve downgraded the San Jacintos and ranges to the south, to Just Starting. Reports and photos from the San Jacintos, Mt. Laguna, Julian and Mt. Palomar are appreciated.
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.png00John Poimiroohttp://www.californiafallcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/logo-1.pngJohn Poimiroo2014-10-20 14:34:252014-10-20 15:45:04Lake Gregory Cleans Up Good
