Amador County Looks/Tastes Delicious
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Amador County – Color spotter Dotty Molt forwards these lovely photos taken in the vineyards of Amador County and reports that thanks to Robin Bray of Bray Vineyards, Dotty was allowed to “wander in and around beautiful multi-colored vines.” She adds, “The colors are at peak, and if you’re headed that way, try to get there soon as the weather is changing. And make sure you stop in for a tasting. Yum!”
Hwy 50 Magical At Day’s End
GO NOW! -75-100% – U.S. 50 (Lincoln Highway) – Color spotter Kimberly Kofala reports she drove U.S. 50 yesterday and “the corridor from Placerville to just below Strawberry was gorgeous with golden oaks, grasses and bushes. The banks of the American River are showing beautifully now. If you are returning in the late afternoon, around 4:30, be sure to stop in at the Strawberry Market turn arou’nd and watch the alpenglow of Lovers Leap behind Strawberry Lodge – you will think you are in Yosemite for a moment!”
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – El Dorado Hills / Folsom – The Sierra foothills communities of El Dorado Hills and Folsom were beautifully colored this past weekend, with a variety of exotic trees dressed in brilliant yellow, red, orange and Sienna. Threatened rain and wind will likely strip some trees by week’s end.
Redwood Nat’l & State Parks – Final Weekend of Peak
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Redwood National & State Parks – Color spotter Grant Roden says that if you don’t get to Redwood National & State Parks in Humboldt County this weekend, you’ll miss the last of its fall display. And, with rain predicted next week, it’ will surely be gone by next weekend. A few bigleaf maple and red alders are still carrying color, but losing leaves each day, as seen above. Though, he notes that once the leaves have fallen, the forest views open up, making it easier to see the coastal redwoods and wildlife within the forest. He recommends Miners Ridge and James Irvine Loop at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park as having the best remaining display of fall color.
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Oregon Oaks – The Oregon Oak is most spectacular when, according to Oaks of California (Pavlik, Muick, Johnson and Popper, Cachuma Press), “days become shorter and cold northern air masses return to the Pacific Coast.” The book continues, “rust-colored canopies of Oregon oak appear dappled against evergreen hillsides of the inner North Coast and Klamath Ranges.”
The Oregon Oak is one of five deciduous species of oak trees in California. It, along with the low-growing, spreading Engelmann Oak (found near Santa Barbara in a few remnant groves of ancient trees that grew prolifically across the southwest, millennia ago) is viewed only if you make the effort to travel out of the way to see it.
The three most common deciduous oaks in California are the massive Valley Oak which populates the central valley, magnificent Black Oak in the mountains (Yosemite) and prolific Blue Oak which populate the foothills and lower elevations.
California’s evergreen species are the Coast Live Oak, Interior Live Oak, Canyon Oak and Island Oak (found only at Channel Islands National Park).
It Hasta be Shasta
Grace Smith reports from the vast Shasta Cascade region of northeast California that fall color is at full peak across most of the region.
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Trinity County – The show has been beautiful throughout Trinity County for the past two weeks and probably only has one more week before being past peak. Weaverville is a painter’s palette of pastel pink, yellow and orange liquidambar, yellow bigleaf maple, rosey dogwood, and golden mountain ash. To see the best last spurts of color in the county, take C A-299 to Weaverville, then drive north on CA-3 to Trinity Lake.
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Shasta County – Shasta County is at peak. Oaks are yellowish to amber with some brown. While there’s still a lot of color to develop, half of the county’s deciduous trees have peaked. Maples are at peak and have bright red and orange with some yellow left, though many of their leaves have fallen. Though there are still many trees with leaves still to turn, rainy weather is on its way and will likely take many of the turned leaves, early next week. That will reduce the show, thereafter. Top places to see fall colors include: The Sacramento River Trail, McConnell Arboretum, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Shasta Lake, the Battle Creek Wildlife Area near Coleman Fish Hatchery, and the Anderson River Park. On Sat., Nov. 9, the Second Wintu Audubon Saturday Bird Walk will leave from Turtle Bay Exploration Park. For more information, visit Redding.com/events/
GO NOW! 50 – 75% – Tehama County – Tehama County is very close to reaching its peak. The cooler weather has arrived, bringing in some winds and knocking quite a few of the leaves off the trees. Bigleaf maples are bright red and orange, and are almost at peak. Oaks are slowly reaching peak with deep amber to brown. Riparian areas along the Sacramento River in and around Red Bluff have the best fall color. Thousands of migratory birds are foraging in fallow fields, marshes and refuges near I-5 and the Sacramento River.
GO NOW! 50 – 75% – Butte County – The shift in autumn color will move to Butte County in the coming week, with woodlands now approaching peak. Butte should peak within the next two weeks, providing lovely color leading up to Thanksgiving Day. There is still a lot of lime among the trees, though increasing splashes of yellow and red. Go to Bidwell Park, Chico State University, the Hwy 32 Corridor, the Hwy 99 Corridor, Esplanade Ave, Manzanita Ave., and Mangrove Ave to see fall colors in and around Chico.
Past Peak – Plumas County – You Missed It.
Past Peak – Siskiyou County
Past Peak – Modoc County
Yosemite Valley at Peak
Color spotters visiting Yosemite Valley have been reporting black oaks at peak, with cottonwoods, bigleaf maple and dogwoods slightly past peak.
The reflections of bright yellow and orange in the near-still Merced River (seen posted on the national park’s Facebook page) have been lovely. Fern spring has been cluttered with fallen bigleaf maple leaves as autumn peaks in the national park.
The National Park Service posted in late October that “Bears eat as many as 10,000 to 20,000 calories every day at this time of year as they fatten up for hibernation. Acorns are probably the best food source right now, but a bear would have to eat several hundred if not a few thousand acorns every day to meet this requirement. Luckily, black oaks are producing lots of acorns this year.” The NPS advises that because oaks are attracting bears, deer and other animals in search of acorns, please be mindful of the speed limit (35 mph in the park) and be observant while driving on park roads.
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Yosemite Valley (5,000′) – This is likely the last weekend to see fall color at peak in Yosemite Valley, as a storm will arrive on Monday.
Exotic Species Color Up in LA & Orange Counties
California Fall Color has observed over the years that species change color according to their own internal clock. That’s certainly occurring at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens in Arcadia, where Frank McDonough reports the color change there “has been sporadic and uneven.”
The most reliable species, Ginkgo biloba and Liquidambar, “have yet to reach full color.”
Color spotter Son H. Nguyen posted the following montage on Facebook and commented, “Liquidambar is amazing in Orange County right now. I’ve never seen them this beautiful before. I’ve only seen them mostly turn yellow. But this year, there are many different hue from orange, yellow, red, deep red and even pink.”
Though, McDonough cautions that Liquidambars “have been under attack” from a combination of a new pest, the Polyphagous shot hole borer, and a new disease to Southern California, Bacterial Leaf Scorch, “that may eliminate them from the Southern California landscape.”
Liquidambar have one of the more dramatic displays of flame orange, yellow and red and are a favorite of landscapers. Sadly, due to pests and diseases, Frank opins that “this may be one of the last years to see them turn color, here.” Until that happens, head to Southern California’s arboretums for the best in So. Cal.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – LA County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens – Crepe myrtle are at peak; tulip tree are 30 – 50% of peak near the tram stop; Japanese birch are magnificent near the turtle pond; California wild grape near the tule pond are now yellow and will soon be brilliant red.
GO NOW! – 75 – 100% – Los Angeles County – Exotic Sweet Gum (liquidambar) are at peak in gardens and along streets throughout Los Angeles County. Pests and disease are afflicting the trees, however, which may not survive another year. So, go now to enjoy their display of varied color.
Breezy Beginnings
Following a calm weekend, the first full week in November begins with breezy conditions as fall color continues to descend through the Sierra foothills to California’s urban forests. This red oak is typical of the change happening at 1,000′ in elevation, with red, orange, yellow and Sienna mixed with lime and unchanged green.
GO NOW! 50 – 75% – Sierra Foothills – Lower elevations of the Sierra foothills are approaching peak, with lots of exotic trees already peaking.
Shasta Cascade – Peaking Everywhere
With this past week’s storm stripping many trees above 5,000′ in elevation, California’s Fall Color has moved down to mid and lower elevations.
GO NOW – 75 – 100% – Trinity County – Bordering on being past peak, Trinity County is at full peak along CA-299 near Weaverville with bigleaf maple, dogwood, mountain ash and exotic Chinese pistache coloring up this fascinating lumber and gold rush era town. While there, be sure to include a visit to the Josh House Chinese temple, which is one of the most amazing and beautiful historic structures in the state. Weaverville was, historically, a site of the Tong Wars, though locals quickly settled the dispute and established a climate of acceptance and welcome that continues today.
Past Peak – Plumas County – Snow has fallen to the 4,600′ elevation, taking most of the leaves with it. There is still color to be seen in the Greenville area with dogwood, bigleaf maple, and oak all at or just beyond peak. The combination of the last of autumn’s fall color beside a dusting of fresh white snow, makes for great viewing.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Tehama County – It has taken a while, though Tehama County is finally approaching peak. As we have seen so far this year, there’s lots of red and orange appearing with bigleaf maple and various species of California oaks exhibiting amber and Sienna.
GO NOW – 50 – 75% – Shasta County – Shasta County is just below peak this week. The oaks are halfway there, with a lovely mix of green, yellow to amber color with some burnt Sienna and brown. California bigleaf maples are at full peak with bright red, orange and still some yellow. There has been a noticeable change to far northern California’s weather pattern with days now considerably cooler. Local color spotter Grace Smith advises to go now, as all areas of Shasta County should peak within the week. Top places to see the color are along the 16-mile Sacramento River Trail (a National Recreation Trail), McConnell Arboretum and Gardens at Turtle Bay, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Shasta Lake, and Anderson River Park where the NovemBeer Festival will occur on Nov. 2. CLICK HERE for more about it.
GO NOW! – 50 – 75% – Butte County – Chico is a conundrum. While many trees have not yet turned, others are shedding their leaves. This occurs because of the wide variety of trees to be seen in this, one of California’s cities of trees. Species tend to turn around the same time and because Chico has so many exotic species along its boulevards and on the campus of Chico State, at Bidwell Park, in its orchards and in surrounding wild areas, the change occurs over a longer period. Many trees are still showing lime green, though others are bright yellow, orange and red, such as the exotic Chinese pistache, pictured here.
Top places to see the color include Bidwell Park, Chico State University, the Hwy 32 Corridor, the Hwy 99 Corridor, Esplanade Ave, Manzanita Ave., and Mangrove Ave. For fascinating side trips, visit an 800-year-old gothic monastery chapter house rebuilt at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, roughly 10 miles north of Chico in Vina, and in Chico: Orient and Flume Art Glass where glass blowers create art, numerous quality art galleries and Sierra Nevada Brewery known for its excellent tour and restaurant.
Temecula/Mt. Laguna/Lake Hemet – Vintage Color
Color spotter Brian Reilly took these beautiful images at Thornton Winery on the Rancho California Road in Temecula. This Southern California wine growing region is showing about 50% color.
30 – 50% – Temecula Wine Country – The vineyards are getting close to peaking and considering the color now visible, we’d have no problem suggesting you GO NOW!, though we expect the color to continue to develop for the next couple of weeks.
San Diego County
So. Calif. color spotter Son H Nguyen reports, “There is not much in Julian, right now,” aside from exotic “Chinese pistache starting to turn in town. There is not much on Pine Hill and it”s around 30-50%. However, Mt. Laguna is blazing, right now. So many black oak trees, the whole area is near peak.”
30 – 50% – Julian – Best at Pine Hill.
GO NOW! 75 – 100% – Mt. Laguna – Full peak at oak woodlands on Mt. Laguna in eastern San Diego County.
GO NOW! 50 – 75% – San Jacinto Mountains – Color spotter Anissa Granados from Lake Hemet Campgrounds sends this photo of cottonwood approaching peak at Lake Hemet. Anissa says the trees ringing the lake and campgrounds provide a lovely setting to be surrounded by fall color.
Nothing Gold Can Stay
In “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” poet Robert Frost wrote of the paradoxes in life, which seem all the more poignant and apropos as Mammoth Lakes submits its last fall color report of the season. Here’s what Frost wrote…
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.— Robert Frost
Color spotter Edina Ingram reports that the Mammoth Lakes area is largely past peak for fall color. Here’s the latest report from and around Mammoth Lakes:
Past Peak – Mammoth Lakes (7,500′ and below) – Bits of bright color still provide warm contrast to the icy chill of approaching winter along the McGee Creek Trail, 8 minutes south of Mammoth Lakes, though Mammoth Lakes is now ready for the return of skiers and riders on Nov. 7.
Past Peak – (Above 8,000′) – With just a week left before it reopens, Mammoth Mountain is promoting Early Booking Slopeside Specials.