New Fall Color Spot: Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, made famous by The Four Preps in their song “26 miles,” is our newest fall color spot.
Color spotters Nick and Alena Barnhart spent this week on the “Island of romance,” reporting they saw areas of color all over the island. Nick says the color is at the end of peak with most of the remaining color to be seen in a variety of trees and shrubs, including palm trees, cottonwood, eucalyptus and various others he couldn’t identify.
Most of the color is found in the island’s “Wild Side” or interior, up canyons and often down to the beach. He suggested it’s possible to “spend days exploring different canyons and areas for fall color.” The palms were endlessly fascinating to him with some carrying orange fronds. And, of course, the island is populated with bison, deer, bald eagles and Santa Catalina Island Fox.
Local color spotter, Ron McNally, suggests November and December to be the best months at Santa Catalina for sunrises and sunsets, another colorful aspect of autumn.
Santa Catalina Island (Peak – 75-100%) – Palms, eucalyptus and cottonwood are at the end of peak, but still lovely. The combination of blue-green seas, fall color and gorgeous sunsets makes Santa Catalina one of California’s most romantic fall color destinations. GO NOW!
Giving Thanks and Looking Back at 2014
Autumn 2014 didn’t live up to its predictions.
Back in August, when leaves first began to turn, some forecast that California’s third year of drought would diminish the show of fall color.
Instead, as Jared Smith’s photograph of Lake Sabrina shows, it was spectacular.
Here’s how autumn shaped up:
- CaliforniaFallColor.com’s first “fall color report” was published on August 13, a week later than in 2013.
- Our first GO NOW! alert was reported on September 17, also a week later.
- Our first Peak was reported on Sept. 23, five days later than last year. That first peak coincided with the first day of autumn (Autumnal Equinox).
So, 2014 was not the earliest of shows, but it defied early critics and became remarkable for its long-lasting and breathtaking color. If the third year of record drought in California had any effect, it was to stress trees in specific and limited areas, resulting in drier leaves that dropped more quickly, but that was an exception.
The drought’s dry weather continued through autumn, meaning that California had mostly clear, sunny days and cold nights, with little wind or precipitation. Those were ideal conditions for development of great fall color.
Look back through our archives and you’ll see why CaliforniaFallColor.com claims California to have the longest-lasting, most diverse and most spectacular autumn in America. No other area of the country compares.
The photographs submitted by amateur and professional photographers support that claim. If you happen to like a particular photograph you’ve seen on this website, look for the photographer’s link at left or Google them. Many sell their photographs.
Today, although autumn continues until Dec. 21, CaliforniaFallColor.com pulls back its reporting. We stop sending weekly updates and photographs to California meteorologists, travel and outdoor writers, because we’ve learned, over the years, that even though autumn continues for several more weeks, public interest in autumn wanes after Thanksgiving Day.
Nevertheless, if you happen to see some beautiful fall color, send a photo to us at editor(at)californiafallcolor.com or post it on our FB page.
There is still a lot of beautiful fall color to be seen in San Francisco, down the San Francisco Peninsula, in the South and East Bay, in California’s vineyards, in the historic mining towns of the Gold Country, in the Central Valley, throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, and in the Deserts.
Fall color will continue to warm the landscape and our hearts well into December.
From Fall Color To Christmas Tree Permits
Thanksgiving Week marks two events in the national forests of northeast California, the end of fall color and the start of Christmas tree cutting.
Traveling to the north woods to cut a tree is a family adventure that for many is an annual tradition. Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Lassen National Forest are now issuing Christmas Tree cutting permits. Cost of a permit is $10 which allows one tree per household. CLICK HERE for further details.
Shasta Cascade color spotters report fall color being past peak across most of northeast California. Though, spots of hot color can be seen flickering along the edges of lakes (as reported earlier this week), on forest floors and in the urban forests of Redding, Red Bluff and Chico. Here’s the latest:
Shasta County (Past Peak) – A fraction of dogwood, oak and maple are still showing red and orange. YOU MISSED IT.
Butte County (Past Peak) – Autumn is hardly evident throughout most of Butte County, though Chico’s boulevards and the CSU Chico campus are still lovely with their landmark trees displaying vibrant red color. YOU MISSED IT.
Trinity County (Past Peak) – Trinity is past peak, with remnant oaks dressed in pale yellow leaves, spotted brown. YOU MISSED IT.
Siskiyou County (Past Peak) – A winter chill has descended on Siskiyou County which is now past peak. Lake Siskiyou is edged with fading yellow and orange. YOU MISSED IT.
Modoc County (Past Peak) – YOU MISSED IT.
Plumas County (Past Peak) – The first area of the Shasta Cascade to peak, Plumas County is also the last to carry significant color with oak and dogwood near Greenville and in the Indian Valley dressed in red, orange and fading yellow. YOU MISSED IT.
Tehama County (Past Peak) – Fall has flamed out in Tehama County, with its oaks carrying yellow and brown speckled leaves. YOU MISSED IT.
Lassen County (Past Peak) – YOU MISSED IT.
Peak of the Week: Joshua Tree National Park
Color spotter Eric Trumbauer posted this photo of Cottonwood Springs Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park on our FB page with the Monty Pythonesque comment, “something a bit different…” Eric wins accolades for posting this first-ever shot of fall color at Joshua Tree NP in California’s Mojave Desert.
Joshua Tree National Park (Peak 75-100%) – Cottonwood are peaking at Cottonwood Springs Oasis. GO NOW!
Yosemite Valley Short of Snow, Long on Color
Susan Taylor writes on our FB page that she had hoped for a dusting of snow on Yosemite Valley when she visited, yesterday. We’re glad she found a dusting of fall leaves, instead.
Reflections of Fall Color at Lake Siskiyou
Color spotter Cory Poole reports that there’s still a lot of color to be seen around the edge of Lake Shasta, though because the lake level has dropped so significantly, it isn’t reflected in the lake. However, travel north to see Mount Shasta and fall trees reflected in the still waters of Lake Siskiyou.
Sunlight Kisses the Alexander Valley
Alexander Valley (Peak 75-100%) – Color spotters Larry and Debbie Trettin posted on our Facebook page today that each November, they make a point of driving Geysers Rd, north of Healdsburg, to see the color before it disappears. As the skies were clearing today, they got this shot of the Alexander Valley freshly washed by rainfall and kissed by sunlight.GO NOW!
Could This Be The Best Year Ever For Fall Color?
Looking back at the brilliant photographs of this past autumn, one is struck by the beauty. It has been a glorious autumn and given California’s record drought, who would have thought it could be?
Color spotter Frank McDonough of the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens wonders whether the show is building to be their best, too.
He writes, “Color is still coming along nicely; our red maples just exploded and the Liquidambars are on track to look pretty good. If we don’t get a driving, leaf-stripping rain between now and Thanksgiving, it looks this week may be one of our best this year.” Here’s the proof in photos he took, yesterday.
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden (Near Peak 75-100%) – Red maple, liquidambar, sticks on fire, crepe myrtle, sweet gum, pin oak, persimmon and Japanese birch are full of color at the LA County Arboretum. GO NOW!
Rain Storms Push Shasta Cascade Past Peak
Color spotters from across the Shasta Cascade were reporting enduring spots of fall color until today. Then, a series of rain storms began passing through northern California. They have dampened and spotted the remaining color, pushing most areas of northeast California past peak.
Butte County (Peak to Past Peak) – When last reported, walnut groves along Hwy 99 were nearing peak. though the last of peak color on the CSU Chico campus, in Bidwell Park, downtown Chico and Paradise is being rained upon and is moving past peak. GO NOW!
Tehama County (Past Peak) – The Sacramento River, Red Bluff and Cottonwood have moved significantly to past peak this week with storms wetting remaining color. What little remains will probably be gone by this weekend. YOU MISSED IT.
Shasta County (Past Peak) – The last of the fall color in Shasta County flared this past week at Brandy Creek Fall in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, west of Redding, though as Jack Kirchert’s photo shows, it’s now well past peak. Landscape color is still developing in Anderson. YOU MISSED IT.
Trinity County (Past Peak) – Weaverville was the center of attention this week for Trinity County fall color spotters, with the Gold Rush era town framed by autumn color. YOU MISSED IT.
Modoc County (Peak to Past Peak) – Color has descended throughout the Modoc National Forest to its lowest elevations. GO NOW!
Siskiyou County (Past Peak) – Native foliage throughout Siskiyou County is now past peak, though color is reported at the Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens where exotic Japanese Maples, Eastern Redbud and Pacific Dogwood are reported to be still showing red, yellow and rose. YOU MISSED IT.
Plumas County (Past Peak) – The show is finally over in Plumas County, though a few spots of color are seen near Quincy and down the Feather River canyon. YOU MISSED IT.
Lassen County (Past Peak) – Peak color has gone though there’s a lovely mix of yellow and red color and bare branches still to be seen off Hwy 44E. YOU MISSED IT.
Survivor: San Bernardino Mountains
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.
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!