The downward march of fall color in California was made apparent by driving U.S. 50 from El Dorado Hills to South Lake Tahoe on Saturday. This route, once part of America’s first transcontinental highway- the Lincoln Highway, shows the change of color by elevation from the early turn of non-native trees in suburbia to the yellow glow of bigleaf maple (the first to change), to dogwood, black oak and aspen.
50 – 75% – U.S. 50 – The western slope of the Lincoln Highway between 3,000 and 4,000 feet in elevation is dressed in bright yellow bigleaf maple with pockets of color seen along the American River. Further up the canyon (5,000′) dogwood are pink and green, and black oaks are beautifully tinged with orange leaves in time for Halloween.
75 – 100% – South Lake Tahoe – A brilliant stand of yellow aspen is seen at 7,000 ft in elevation on the Lake Tahoe side of Echo Summit. Yellow bigleaf maple, orange willows and rust ferns dress the edges of forests and meadows at South Lake Tahoe.
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