First Report: Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

First Report, San Diego County

California sycamore, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (8/21/16) Sweetshade Lane
California sycamore, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (8/21/16) Sweetshade Lane

Color spotter Sweetshade Lane tweeted seeing subtle color at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve in San Diego, thereby scoring the first “First Report” of the season.

California sycamore, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (8/21/16) Sweetshade Lane
California sycamore, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (8/21/16) Sweetshade Lane
Frémont cottonwood, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (8/21/16) Sweetshade Lane
Frémont cottonwood, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (8/21/16) Sweetshade Lane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The preserve covers some 4,000 acres in the Peñasquitos (meaning little cliffs) and Lopez canyons of San Diego. It is an area with stark beauty and prehistoric cultural sites that date back over 7,000 years.

Los Peñasquitos Canyon was part of the first Mexican land grant in San Diego County. Tours of the historic Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos Adobe are available to school groups and the public.

The canyon is renowned as a nature preserve containing geologic formations, over 500 plant species including several landmark trees and 175 birds, as well as many reptiles, amphibians and mammals.

Los Peñasquitos Canyon’s Frémont cottonwood have begun revealing golden leaves, while the twisted limbs of California sycamore are laden with equally twisted chartreuse and rose-colored leaves, providing sculptural detail to the scene.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

 

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California Fall Color

CaliforniaFallColor.com is a seasonal news site that reports on autumn’s show throughout California. The site is written, edited and published by Lara Kaylor, a travel and outdoor journalist based in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

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