GO NOW! – 30 – 50% – Big Bear – Color spotter Dan McKernan reports the color at Big Bear Lake has jumped dramatically this week to near 50%. We alerted in our last posting that Big Bear has this tendency and even though it hasn’t yet reached 50%, we’re issuing a Go Now! Alert for the San Bernardino Mountains.
Big Bear Photo Contest – Another reason to head to the San Bernardinos is Big Bear Lake’s photo contest. Entry is easy. Just post a photo of Big Bear’s fall colors on select social media and your shot could get published in 400,000 visitor guides, distributed in more than 3,600 locations throughout Southern California, Nevada and Arizona and at BigBear.com.
Photos of Big Bear’s fall foliage must be posted with the hash tag, #FallForBigBear, on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook between Oct. 4, and Nov. 1, 2013. The winner will be selected on Nov. 4.
Bear Lake has some of the most spectacular displays of fall foliage to be seen in Southern California. This happens because of the San Bernardino Mountain’s ideal conditions for generating bright color: evening temperatures in the 30s and 40s and sunny, warm days, creating intense gold, crimson, amber and yellow on Big Bear’s cottonwood, aspen and oaks.
This year’s peak can be seen in the next two weeks at: Big Bear Village, Mill Creek Road, The Pine Knot Trail, Grout Bay Trail, Castle Rock Trail and the Aspen Grove, a picture-perfect grove of quaking aspen. Directions to these locations are found at BigBear.com.
Any word as to whether we can access the Aspen Grove during the shutdown? I know they require passes but can’t recall if there was a gate anywhere.
US Forest Service has just RE-OPENED 1N02 (Coon Creek Rd.), the main road to Aspen Grove. So this week Aspen Grove is expected to peak get out to Big Bear to capture stunning shots at this favorite Southern California fall colors area.
US Forest Service has also RE-OPENED all US Forest Service Roads in the Big Bear region, so there are ample opportunities to find great places to see the fall colors.
Thanks,
Dan