Color spotter Philip Reedy took another 12-hour color trip with his friend John last Thursday from Davis up I-80, to highway 89 and then on down highway 49. The duo found the colors to be fantastic.
“We headed up I-80 from Davis in order to be in the mountains at sunrise,” Reedy said. “Our first stop was at Emigrant Gap where the colors are peaking right now. Basically, they are at peak from Emigrant Gap to Truckee, from Truckee on to Sierraville, and on down highway 49 all the way to Downieville. The colors were especially nice along highway 89.”
The best locations, according to Reedy, are the Little Truckee River along Independence Lake Road, the meadow about a mile south of Cold Creek Campground and the campground itself.
Another beautiful spot is the meadow across from Bassett’s Station on highway 49, which has peak color and a view of the Sierra Buttes.
“The big leaf maples are looking great from Bassett’s all the way to Downieville,” he said. “In the afternoon when the sun is off of the Yuba River canyon, the colors of the darmera, maples, and other deciduous trees are striking against the river and rocks along the south bank.”
This entire route is at peak or close to it, so definitely add this to your go to places for the upcoming week.
