North Coast – Page 9 – California Fall Color

Traveling Sonoma’s Dry Creek Road

Westside Rd., Sonoma (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

West Dry Creek Rd., Sonoma County (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

Quiver Vineyard, West Dry Creek Rd., Sonoma County (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

West Dry Creek Rd., Sonoma County (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

Westside Rd., Sonoma (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

West Dry Creek Rd., Sonoma (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

Dry Creek Road, Sonoma (10/23/16) Darrell Sano

We’ve enjoyed the drive Darrell Sano took on Sunday, along Dry Creek Rd. in Sonoma County.

At this time of year, the pastoral scene is accented with yellow, orange and red. As Darrell writes, “It’s a beautiful drive, as the road narrows to sometimes a single, winding road, void of limo’s and heavy traffic.

“The morning air was crisp and cool, and although the grapes have been harvested for the year, I saw pickers harvesting the other fruit–beautiful olives–that becomes olive oil.

“Wine Country is different from the Sierra, there are still vistas of pure green vines, but turn a corner and then a wash of brilliant red comes into view, that then transitions to a past peak field of brown-ochre.

Gloria Ferrer vineyards (10/23/16) Raymond Pangilinan

“West Dry Creek offered the perfect fall drive at a very slow pace, and although there are still fields yet to turn, I would recommend to go now. With the rain storms heading our way, don’t take a chance, get up to wine country and enjoy the views.”

Couldn’t have said it better.

Dry Creek Road, Sonoma County – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!

October 23, 2016/by John Poimiroo

Napa County Nears Peak by Vineyard

Lower Chiles Valley (10/20/16) Marc Hoshovsky

Wooden Valley Winery, Suisun Valley (10/20/16) Marc Hoshovsky

Chimney Rock Winery, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley (10/20/16) Marc Hoshovsky

Redcap Vineyards, Angwin (10/20/16) Marc Hoshovsky

Lower Chiles Valley, Napa County (10/20/16) Marc Hoshovsky

South of Rudd Winery, Yountville (10/20/16) Marc Hoshovsky

Marc Hoshovski wondered why he hadn’t seen photos of fall color in the vineyards yet posted on this site.

We were wondering the same and hoping to get them from photographers and spotters before the best color peaked.

Marc’s shots show that the vineyards are prepped to peak successively over the next three weeks. That gives photographers and spotters plenty of time to head to the wine country and see magical color.

If you explore wine country backroads, be aware that the vines don’t all turn at the same time. The show develops by individual vineyard. As, autumn color matures by grape variety.

Napa County Vineyards (sea level to 2000’)Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Vineyards in Napa Valley and higher valleys to the east are turning yellow and red. There’s still a lot of green leaves to be seen, indicating they will continue to improve over the next two weeks. Higher elevations (1000-2000’) are showing more red than the floor of Napa Valley. Drive east on Howell Mountain Road (near St Helena) to Pope Valley and Chiles Valley for these colors.

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October 21, 2016/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, North Coast

Bigleaf Maple Near Peak on the Upper North Coast

Big Trees, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (10/3/16) Max Forster

Bigleaf maple are near peak among the coastal redwoods (sequoia sempervirens) of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park along the upper Redwood Highway, reports color spotter Max Forster.

Big Trees, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (10/3/16) Max Forster

Leaning Maple, Corkscrew Creek, Redwood Highway (10/3/16) Max Forster

Lost Man Creek, Redwood Highway (10/3/16) Max Forster

Bigleaf Maple, Redwood Highway (10/34/16) Max Forster

He writes, “While we may not see the uniform display of color seen last year, most bigleaf maple are near peak throughout the redwood forest.

“Northern Humboldt County isn’t thought of as being a fall foliage destination, though this is one of the finest times of the year for photography in the forest.

“Mostly green scenes can now be punched up with flourishes of yellow from the bigleaf and vine maples. The summer crowds have left the national and state parks, leaving many trails practically empty.”

Bigleaf maple is one of a few showy autumn plants along the North Coast, the others being western poison oak (crimson), vine maple (yellow), black cottonwood (gold) and red alder (yellow).

Forster continued, “This is rutting season and Roosevelt elk are very active, as the bulls contest for the harems. Keep an eye out for signage along trails where the bulls have been seen, recently.

“You don’t have to venture far from your car, as some of the best color can be seen from Drury Parkway or the road to the Lost Man Creek picnic area.”

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park & Redwood National Park – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!

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October 4, 2016/2 Comments/by John Poimiroo

First Report, North Coast

First Report: Sonoma Valley Oak Woodlands Brighten

Sonoma Valley Regional Park, Glen Ellen (9/25/16) John Natelli

John Natelli visited Sonoma Valley Regional Park and found valley and black oaks, bigleaf maple and white ash about 40% there.

Oak woodlands are often difficult to categorize, because oak leaves turn and fall over so lengthy a period.

Sonoma Valley Regional Park (253′) – Patchy (10-50%)

September 26, 2016/by John Poimiroo

North Coast

Fall Arrives Along The Bohemian Highway

Harvest Along the Bohemian Highway, Sonoma County (9/5/16) Darrell Sano

What a wonderful state. What other place has a road called The Bohemian Highway?

Harvest Along the Bohemian Highway, Sonoma County (9/5/16) Darrell Sano

Mays Canyon, Guerneville (9/5/16) Darrell Sano

Harvest Along the Bohemian Highway, Sonoma County (9/5/16) Darrell Sano

Darrell Sano spent his Labor Day exploring Sonoma County, returning with these shots of color developing along the Bohemian Highway (CA-116), where vineyard workers are busy, seven days a week, bringing in the harvest.

Despite its overall Patchy rating, GO NOW! or you’ll soon miss seeing grapes on the vines. Plus, Darrell advises that “the light is turning amazing now, fall is here!”

Patchy (10-50%) – Bohemian Highway (CA-116)

September 8, 2016/by John Poimiroo

Eastern Sierra, North Coast, San Francisco Bay Area

Catching Up: Virginia Lakes, Santa Rosa, Piedmont

Piedmont (9/2/16) Darrell Sano

Holiday weekends always seem to delay posting observations. That’s the case with these reports, submitted with apologies for their maturity.

Virginia Lakes Rd. (9/7/16) Carolyn Webb

Quaking Aspen and Rabbitbrush, Virginia Lakes Rd. (8/27/16) Carolyn Webb

Carolyn Webb reported from the Virginia Lakes Resort last week that color has been appearing increasingly along the Virginia Lakes Rd.

Above is a photo received on 9/8/17 to compare how the color has developed in the past 12 days. Since she took the original shot of quaking aspen (at left), more yellow has emerged and the rabbitbrush remain at full peak bloom.

Early Color (8/31/16) Anirudh Natekar

Flowering Plum, Santa Rosa (8/31/16) Anirudh Natekar

Anirudh Natekar contributed shots of color found in Santa Rosa. Though, we assess it to be normal summer color. Some ornamental trees, like purple leaf plum, Japanese maple, American persimmon and Norway maple, provide beautiful maroon, purple and deep red color in summer. Even liquidambar can do so.

Though, the red or purple color is not the result of autumn. It’s just the tree’s normal color. Still, they do provide bloody good contrast to the greenness of summer.

Piedmont (9/2/16) Darrell Sano

Piedmont (9/2/16) Darrell Soto

Darrell Sano took an 8-mile “town walk” this past week from the BART station at Lake Merritt in Oakland up windy hilly roads through Piedmont.

The day was clear and sunny day, he reported, “a departure from the overcast ‘June Gloom’ that has plagued the Bay Area most of July and August, with below average temperatures and a thick marine fog blanketing the sky. Darrell got a number of lovely images of what’s happening among the landscaped and native color of the East Bay, backlit with late summer light. Darrell exudes, “There is nothing like fall light!… backlit fall colors simply glow vividly.”

September 6, 2016/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, North Coast, San Francisco Bay Area

Natural Christmas Ornaments

American beautyberry, Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Seeing Darrell Sano’s photos of natural Christmas ornaments hanging from branches, I concluded they’re better looking than the artificial ones I’d just taken out of storage.

Yesterday, Darrell took a Black, er… Orange Friday road trip through Sonoma along Highway 12 and shares these images from his visit to Quarryhill Botanical Garden in Glen Ellen.

He reports that while Sonoma County’s vines are now well past peak (many had no leaves at all, most were brown or muddy yellow in color), he found an exuberant explosion of color at Quarryhill.

Loads of colorful berries and fruit provided added vibrance and form, in addition to harlequin-painted leaves.

“In the sunny, chilly morning, I was so happy to experience this beautiful garden (instead of a mall!),” he writes of his Orange Friday outing, and recommends Quarryhill Botanical Garden as “definitely a place to return to in springtime.”

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

Inspired by his Quarryhill visit, Darrell remembered Sandy Steinman’s report about the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley and headed there, today.

He reports, “I was amazed by the color. I felt this was possibly my last “gasp” at seeing the wonderment of fall color for the year. But you never know, California has so much to offer and discover.”

We agree, Darrell. To use your words, it is, “An amazing place.”

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Glen Ellen

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Vineyard, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

November 28, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Gold Country, North Coast

Orange Friday

Sutter St., Folsom (11/25/15) John Poimiroo

While shoppers are lined up at big box stores looking for deals on Black Friday, color spotters are out finding fall color on this Orange Friday.

I found it along historic Folsom’s Sutter Street where ginkgo biloba are painted yellow, orange and green.

Santhakumar VA found it at Far Niente Winery in Oakville where ginkgos are heavy with gold and orange leaves and vines are ruby, orange and gold.

Santha had visited the Napa Valley last week. He reports that while leaves are falling, there are so many on the vines and trees, that the show still goes on.

Similarly, Jennifer Mellone sends photos taken of the Bennett Valley and Dry Creek wine regions of Sonoma County where vines are boldly colored and birds are feasting in the vineyards.

Color spotter Anirudh Natikar shares these images of the landscaped color to be seen along Paseo Santa Cruz, near Valley Avenue in Pleasanton, where hot orange, deep red, and fluorescent yellow mix with green.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – All elevations below 1,000′

Dry Creek region, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Jennifer Mellone

Bennett Valley region, Sonoma County (11/28/15) Jennifer Mellone

Far Niente Winery, Oakville (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Napa Valley (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natekar

November 27, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, North Coast

Napa Valley: Perfectly Paired for Thanksgiving Day

Napa Valley (11/22/15) Darrell Sano

The Napa Valley is perfectly paired to provide beautiful fall color through Thanksgiving Day (conditions permitting). And, where do fall color photographers head on the weekend before Thanksgiving, when Tioga Pass is closed (and even if it weren’t, the color was gone from the Eastern Sierra weeks ago)? They head to wine country.

Napa Valley (11/22/15) Darrell Sano

Darrell Sano did just that and sends back this collection of beautiful photographs taken this morning of the Napa Valley at peak. He got up early to catch the morning light warming the vines as balloons floated across the valley in the crisp and still November air. Then, he followed the color, finding brilliant yellows and reds in the vineyards.

Oakville, Napa (11/21/15) Santha Kumar V A

Color spotter Santha Kumar V A was similarly satisfied after visiting Oakville, yesterday. He writes that it is “bursting golden.’ Santha tasted the golden color of a boulevard of ginkgo biloba trees beside rows of peaking yellow vines, in an image he calls, “Two Sides.”

During this season, indeed the Napa Valley has two sides: its full fall color and its full-flavored wines.

Color spotters Susan Taylor and Jas E Miner also found wine country to their taste, capturing vines and boulevards full of peak color in Napa and Sonoma counties.

All this makes wine country a best bet for fall color getaways over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Napa Valley

Napa Valley (11/14/15) Susan Taylor

Slusser Barn, Sonoma County (11/11/15) Susan Taylor

Vineyards, St. Helena, Napa County (11/20/15) Jas E. Miner

November 22, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, North Coast

Humboldt County – Now Peaking Tree By Tree

Avenue of the Giants (11/16/15) Max Forster

Max Forster reports from Humboldt County that, “It’s hard to really give a blanket rating of Peak/Past Peak for the area. It’s more about individual trees or small areas than wide swaths of color. Some spots are past, while others are just getting into peak.”

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Humboldt Redwoods State Park – While some of the big leaf maple have petered out, others that have been surviving outside of full sun are peaking now. Avenue of Giants is still a worthwhile drive.

Maple at the extreme southern and northern ends of Humboldt Redwoods State Park are looking nice. For the south, by the Bolling Grove to Myer’s Flat. For the north, specifically by the Drury-Chaney Grove in Pepperwood and the unnamed trail by Elinor Road are peak.

Mad River (11/16/15) Max Forster

Vine maple, Pacific Coast Trail (11/16/15) Max Forster

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park – Roosevelt Elk bulls are still actively rutting, battling rivals and gathering their harems. They have been seen daily by Big Lagoon and the little red schoolhouse. Similar to Humboldt Redwoods, bigleaf maple that have been growing without direct sunlight are really going off now. The big maple by the visitor center is at peak.

Vine maple is also finally peaking, turning brilliant yellow like their big leaf neighbors. Some parts of the trails are like walking through a sea of yellow.

Specific spots are along Drury Parkway by the Big Tree for the big leaf maple. For the vine maple, the Prairie Creek Trail is your best bet. A very brilliant vine maple grove can also be seen roadside on Drury Parkway by the Brown Creek Trail.

Avenue of the Giants, Drury Chaney (11/16/15) Max Forster

Drury Parkway (11/16/15) Max Forster

November 18, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Traveling Sonoma’s Dry Creek Road

Napa County Nears Peak by Vineyard

Bigleaf Maple Near Peak on the Upper North Coast

First Report: Sonoma Valley Oak Woodlands Brighten

Fall Arrives Along The Bohemian Highway

Catching Up: Virginia Lakes, Santa Rosa, Piedmont

Natural Christmas Ornaments

Orange Friday

Napa Valley: Perfectly Paired for Thanksgiving Day

Humboldt County – Now Peaking Tree By Tree

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