Downieville Does Not Disappoint

Color spotter Philip Reedy headed to Downieville on Oct. 27 with his buddy John to check out the colors in the area. The duo spent their time on the North Fork of the Yuba and Lavezzola Creek, all within three miles of town. 

“I’ve been reporting on that location every year since 2017,” Reedy explains. “On my first visit exactly six years ago to the day the colors were absolutely amazing. While they are really nice every year, I’ve never seen such a spectacular display again.  While not quite up to that level this year, the colors are still gorgeous and well worth the drive. As I noted in my Siskiyou report Friday, the Indian Rhubarb is lagging a bit this year, but there is still a lot that has turned a bright yellow.”

 

Phil and John began at their favorite spot just a couple of miles east of Downieville. The canyon is steep there, so by early afternoon the river is in shade which is perfect for photographing rushing water and color, according to Reedy.

“The big leaf maples are looking spectacular right now and will probably remain so for another week,” he says. “And with luck, the remaining green rhubarb will show their fall colors by then.”

 

The next stop was Lavezzola Creek, a few miles northeast of Downieville. This area is beautiful any time of the year, but especially in late October. In some parts of the creek a lot of the rhubarb has already turned bright yellow, while 50 yards downstream it is still completely green. So there should be more to come there as well, Reedy says.