Fall Color to Colorful Events
Spots of fall color can still be found and enjoyed in and near Mammoth Lakes, though the energy there has shifted from enjoying autumn adventures to colorful events happening from late-October to mid-November, leading up to the reopening of Mammoth Mountain and the start of winter sports.
Nevertheless, Mammoth Lakes color spotter Josh Wray had to get in one more photo of how he and his buds enjoy autumn, with the preceding shot of hiking at Convict Lake, just south of Mammoth Lakes. Don’t you just want to be there? I sure do.
Fall color still rings the lake trail and picnic areas, though the stands running up the mountainside no longer carry color.
Josh anticipates that next week will be the last for a fall color report from Mammoth Lakes. Though, it’s evident from this list of upcoming happenings that the fun never stops there.
Oct – 21/22 – Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour Festival
Oct. 22 – Outside on The Eastside Fall Symphony Concert
Oct. 28/29/30 – Morrison’s Bonus Fishing Derby Weekend
Oct. 28 – Halloween Party & Haunted Roller Rink
Oct. 29 – Wine Dinner at Jimmy’s Taverna
Nov. 5 – The Felici Trio presents “A Winning Ticket”
Nov. 10 – Opening Day – Mammoth Mountain
Convict Lake – Peak (75-10%) GO NOW! – The color has mostly fallen around the lake, though color near the campground and in spots along the trail remains at peak. This is the last week of peak color, there.
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Coffee Creek Starts to Perk
Color spotter Ruth Hartman reports that Coffee Creek in the Shasta Cascade is nearing peak with lush bigleaf maple draping back country roads with bright yellow color.
She said this past week’s rain “made all the maples turn bright yellow all at once… Dogwood are all different colors from red and green, pink, faded pink and still green.”
Jeri Rangel sent these images of dogwood and bigleaf maple peaking. Other foliage still to peak include chartreuse climbing cucumber and orange black oak.
To get to Coffee Creek, from Redding, take CA-299 west to CA-3, then north. Along the way, you’ll pass Trinity Lake, the Trinity Alps.
In the Trinity Alps — “One of the rarest and most beautiful trees on the continent, though not deciduous, is Brewer’s weeping spruce, picea breweriana, with its dark green boughs hanging in abstract, Seussian forms.”
This western side of the vast Shasta Cascade region is wild, beautiful and so lightly traveled that few photographers or leaf peepers get there.
We wrote last year, “The drive to Coffee Creek is along narrow roads that are flanked with bigleaf maple that dance and sway, littering the road with a carpet of spent leaves that swirl up in spirals as you pass.”
Ruth Hartman’s Coffee Creek dude ranch is best known for its stable of horses. There are miles of trails to ride on 367 acres of ranch property and the Trinity Wilderness area.
Coffee Creek – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Napa County Nears Peak by Vineyard
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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First Report: Downieville
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%)
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Greenville… No Longer Green
Greenville in the Northern Sierra of Plumas County is hardly living up to its name any longer, as fall color is accenting the town with auburn, crimson, pink, hot orange, umber, yellow, buff and lime splashes.
There are so many bright colors to be seen that, for the next three weeks, we propose that Greenville be renamed, “Crayolaville.”
Color spotter Jeff Luke Titcomb traveled Plumas County’s byways to return with these images of what’s happening up north.
He found dogwood, bigleaf maple and black oak providing the predominant colors and reports, “The valley is dropping leaves but the canyon roads are beautiful and holding strong.
“Oaks and dogwoods still have time for color change, the big leaf maples are at full color now.”
Give Greenville three weeks of awesome color.
Greenville, Plumas County – Near Peak (50-100%) GO NOW!
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A Fluttering Memory
Three weeks ago, Vince Piercy captured this scene in the Hope Valley. It will be beautiful there and in Mono County this weekend, though with a few less leaves a fluttering.
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Alpine Abounds
Fall color remains so striking in Alpine County’s Hope Valley that even bluebirds are staying around to do some leaf peepin.
Color spotter Clayton Peoples reported, “with delight,” that color still abounds despite the recent storm.
He drove along Carson Pass (CA-88) and found all kinds of color left on aspen in the Hope Valley, seeing lime, yellow, orange and red, with orange being the predominant color.
He wrote, “There are places at the higher elevations of the pass where the leaves were stripped by the wind, but overall it is still “Peak.”
He says it’s certainly not ‘Past Peak,’ yet.”
Hope Valley is Clayton’s pick as “Peak of the Week” given the added beauty provided by the dusting of snow on surrounding peaks, but then a lot of the same can be seen in other peaking areas of the Eastern Sierra, including June Lake.
Hope Valley – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
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Fall Color Survives in Mono County – GO NOW!
To all those photographers, color spotters and leaf peepers who were concerned about how this past weekend’s strong winds, rain and snow affected the High Sierra, rest easy and GO NOW!
Mono County color spotter Jeff Simpson reports that the storm and major wind event that occurred over the weekend has past, leaving the mountain peaks shining with snow, and providing for spectacular fall photo opportunities.
Ideal conditions for fall color are now to be found on the east side, with warm days and cold nights. These conditions are predicted to persist until next week.
All areas above 8,500′ in the Eastern Sierra are now mostly past peak, though there’s way, way lots of color left to be enjoyed along the June Lake Loop, Walker Canyon, Twin Lakes and Lundy Lake. So, “GO NOW,” Jeff exclaims.
Photo tip: Fallen leaves that wash up beside creeks and on rocks accent the scene. So, even though many leaves have fallen, good photographs remain to be taken. Shoot big waterfalls with a fast shutter speed, small waterfalls with a slow shutter speed and with camera mounted on a tripod.
These areas were affected by the storm, but still have groves of fantastic color: Conway Summit, Convict Lake, Summers Meadow, McGee Creek and Rock Creek.
As of posting this report, Tioga Pass, Sonora Pass and Monitor Pass were closed. However, road conditions change. CLICK HERE for the latest in California road road conditions and pass openings/closures. Simpson reports:
WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ
- Monitor Pass – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Lobdell Lake – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Walker Canyon – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – The banks of the West Walker River are lined with gold! Plan your viewing for mid-day as the shadows will be out early in the morning and late afternoon.
- Towns of Walker & Coleville – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! Lots of great color in Antelope Valley. The cottonwood around Topaz Lane should be spectacular this weekend.
- Sonora Pass – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES
- Twin Lakes – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Still plenty of excellent color around both lakes and through Robinson Creek. Make sure to take the dirt round around Lower Twin Lakes for the best fall color experience.
- Virginia Lakes – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Conway Summit – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – A lot of leaves were blown off during the storm but around 35% of the leaves still remain. It’s a fantastic photo opp with the snowy mountains in the background.
Green Creek – Past Peak - Summers Meadow – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Still a few groves handing on with brilliant color with some sections being past peak.
LEE VINING
- Tioga Pass & Lee Vining Canyon – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Lee Vining Canyon has amazing color in all the campground down to US 395. Anything above Lee Vining Canyon is past peak with Tioga Pass currently closed.
- Lundy Lake & Canyon – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Brilliant oranges and reds along the campground and in the creek down to US 395. Anything Lundy Lake and into Lundy Canyon is past peak.
OLD BENTON
- Sagehen Meadows – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
JUNE LAKE LOOP
- June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Groves of brilliant yellow, gold and red in some locations while others are past peak. Fantastic color around Gull Lake and in between Grant and Silver Lake.
- Parker Lake -Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Little Walker Lake -Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
MAMMOTH LAKES
- Devil’s Postpile National Monument – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Mammoth Lakes Basin – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Mammoth Creek Rd. – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Snowcreek Golf Course – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
CONVICT LAKE / LAUREL CANYON / ROCK CREEK / McGEE CREEK
- Laurel Canyon – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Convict Lake – Past Peak YOU MISSED IT!
- Rock Creek – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Pockets of bright color can still be found.
- McGee Creek – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Pockets of bright color can still be found.
CROWLEY / TOM’S PLACE
- Crowley – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
- Tom’s Place – – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Bold yellow aspen surround the community, though much has fallen.
Bridgeport to Coleville Show Nears End
From Bridgeport north to Coleville along US 395 and the eastern border of California, this autumn’s show of fall color is coming to a close, as the last of that area’s colorful show will last but another week, reports Tim Fesko of Meadowcliff Resort.
Stands of golden cottonwood and occasional aspen, can be seen huddling together along the edges of the highway, beside the Walker River and in northern California’s Antelope Valley.
US 395, Bridgeport to Coleville – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Camanche Colorizes Calaveras County
… and Amador and San Joaquin counties, too, because Lake Camanche sits astride all three counties.
South of Ione and east of Lodi, Lake Camanche – managed by East Bay Municipal Utilities District – is famous for fishing (record largemouth bass inhabit its waters), camping, boating, horseback riding and picnicking. Though in autumn, it earns kudos for its native and exotic trees that cast their reflections in its still waters.
Lake Camanche color spotter Terry Willard sent these photos of color emerging there, today. Surrounding Lake Camanche is California’s vast Central Valley. It is one of last large areas in the state to peak.
To Lake Camanche’s south is Stockton (University of the Pacific) and Modesto (American Graffiti); to its east is Lodi and its many vineyards and tasting rooms; to its west is the Gold Country with autumn color filling more vineyards and historic 1850s towns; and to its north are Sacramento with its urban forest of towering chartreuse-colored London Plane trees (sycamore) and miles upon miles of walnut orchards along CA-99.
The color at Lake Camanche should peak in two to three weeks, in time with peaks in these other locations, making Lake Camanche a central and inexpensive place to base when exploring autumn scenes throughout the region.
Lake Camanche – Patchy (10-50%)