Fall Color Report – Page 118 – California Fall Color

Humboldt County – Now Peaking Tree By Tree

Avenue of the Giants (11/16/15) Max Forster

Max Forster reports from Humboldt County that, “It’s hard to really give a blanket rating of Peak/Past Peak for the area. It’s more about individual trees or small areas than wide swaths of color. Some spots are past, while others are just getting into peak.”

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Humboldt Redwoods State Park – While some of the big leaf maple have petered out, others that have been surviving outside of full sun are peaking now. Avenue of Giants is still a worthwhile drive.

Maple at the extreme southern and northern ends of Humboldt Redwoods State Park are looking nice. For the south, by the Bolling Grove to Myer’s Flat. For the north, specifically by the Drury-Chaney Grove in Pepperwood and the unnamed trail by Elinor Road are peak.

Mad River (11/16/15) Max Forster

Vine maple, Pacific Coast Trail (11/16/15) Max Forster

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park – Roosevelt Elk bulls are still actively rutting, battling rivals and gathering their harems. They have been seen daily by Big Lagoon and the little red schoolhouse. Similar to Humboldt Redwoods, bigleaf maple that have been growing without direct sunlight are really going off now. The big maple by the visitor center is at peak.

Vine maple is also finally peaking, turning brilliant yellow like their big leaf neighbors. Some parts of the trails are like walking through a sea of yellow.

Specific spots are along Drury Parkway by the Big Tree for the big leaf maple. For the vine maple, the Prairie Creek Trail is your best bet. A very brilliant vine maple grove can also be seen roadside on Drury Parkway by the Brown Creek Trail.

Avenue of the Giants, Drury Chaney (11/16/15) Max Forster

Drury Parkway (11/16/15) Max Forster

November 18, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Mendocino Wine Country Ages Nicely

Vineyard, south of Ukiah (11/16/15) Walter Gabler

Russian River near Ukiah (11/16/15) Walter Gabler

Vineyard, south of Ukiah (11/16/15) Walter Gabler

Agricultural fields, south of Ukiah (11/16/15) Walter Gabler

Mendocino County color spotter Walter Gabler reports that vineyards between Hopland and Ukiah along U.S. 101 have developed into a blend of green, yellow, orange and burgundy.

He writes, “The cold snap we had last week really put us into fall. The colors are now popping between Ukiah and Hopland.”

Heading south from Ukiah on U.S. 101, Simaine Cellars, Rivino Winery, Nelson Family Vineyards, Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery, Saracina Vineyards and Campovida Winery are developing color by grape variety. Some vines are bright yellow, others are deep red and still others have yet to change.

Nearby, fields and forests along the Russian River are being gilded with fall color.

Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Redwood Highway (Hopland north to Ukiah)

November 17, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Gold Country

Ride a Bike to Fall Color in Folsom

Frémont Cottonwood and Valley oak leaves, Mormon Island Wetlands State Park (11/16/15) John Poimiroo

Mormon Island Wetlands State Park (11/16/15) John Poimiroo

Folsom, Calif. has 34 miles of bike and pedestrian trails, many of which pass through and near urban forests and natural wetlands that are now peaking with fall color.

At Mormon Island Wetlands State Park, within the city limits, a golden crest shades the forest floor which is littered with golden Frémont cottonwood and valley oak leaves.

Or, roll your bike along any of Folsom’s separated bike trails that pass ponds, creeks and woodlands alive with color. Folsom’s city streets are also full of bright yellow and red landscaped trees.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Folsom

November 16, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Shasta Cascade

Redding Pops Along Its Accessible Trails

Cottonwood, Redding (11/15/15) Cory Poole

Sacramento River, Redding (11/15/15) Cory Poole

Cottonwood, Redding (11/15/15) Cory Poole

Exotic Flowering Pear, Redding (11/15/15) Cory Poole

Exotic Liquidambar, Redding (11/15/15) Cory Poole

Shasta Cascade color spotter Cory Poole’s fall color reporting has been limited by a leg injury for much of this autumn, but that didn’t stop him from getting out this weekend.

He acquired an all-terrain knee scooter so that he could get back to photographing fall color and sends these captures of today’s outing along the Sacramento River and in downtown Redding.

Now, that’s dedication!

Cory reports much of Redding is peaking, with the cottonwoods and willows beside the Sacramento River as good as they get.

Most importantly, he said he was “… happy to say the fact that there are lots and lots of accessible trails in Redding is really nice!”

They don’t call Redding the Trails Capital of California, without reason.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Redding.

November 15, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, San Diego County

Southern California Goes Big

Rim of the World (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Weekend reports from color spotters show fall color going big across Southern California.

Lake Gregory Waterslides (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Alena Nicholas sent pictures from Rim of the World, Lake Gregory, Seely Creek, Green Valley and Deep Creek in the San Bernardino Mountains with deep orange color within forests of black oak.

Seely Creek (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Even a few dogwood, that have been sheltered from the weather, are still carrying rose and lime confetti.

Lone Pine Cnyn, Wrightwood (11/14/15) Frank McDonough

Frank McDonough sends back this shot of Lone Pine Canyon near Wrightwood, spiking hot, and at his home base in Arcadia, hickory and maple are alive with color at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden.

Jim Beaux took his annual trip to Mt. Palomar in San Diego County on Saturday, Nov. 14 and reported black oaks and bracken fern as being past peak.

A small grove of dogwood on the lower end of the Chimney Flats trail were Near Peak.

Mt. Palomar (11/14/15) Jim Beaux

Jim blames the poor color on the drought and windstorms that have blown thru the area over the last couple of weeks.

He’s seen similar dryness at Dogwood Campground near Lake Arrowhead.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – San Bernardino Mountains (Lake Gregory, Rim of the World, Seely Creek, Green Valley, Deep Creek)

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Wrightwood

Past Peak YOU MISSED IT! – Mt. Palomar

Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Deep Creek (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Green Valley (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Seely Creek (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Rim of the World (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Seely Creek (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Black oak, Seely Creek (11/14/15) Alena Nicholas

Shagbark Hickory, LA County Arboretum (11/14/15) Frank McDonough

Freeman’s Maple, LA County Arboretum (11/14/15) Frank McDonough

LA County Arboretum (11/14/15) Frank McDonough

November 15, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Gold Country

Dutch Flat: Quite The Opposite

Squire Canyon, Dutch Flat (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

Main Street, Dutch Flat (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

General Store and Post Office, Dutch Flat (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

Community Center, Dutch Flat (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

Secord Aly, Dutch Flat (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

Squire Canyon, Dutch Flat (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

Black oak, Drum Forebay Rd. (11/13/15) John Poimiroo

Traveling west on I-80 from Truckee to Auburn, we saw the full range of past peak to peak color, today.

Above 6,000′, trees are stripped of color. No surprise; the High Sierra is Past Peak.

However, at 5,700′ and below, black oak are peaking with full peak at Dutch Flat (3,144′).

Over the years, I have driven past Dutch Flat a couple hundred times, but never exited. Today, in search of fall color, I exited and Dutch Flat is anything but flat when it comes to its color and charm.

This historic gold rush era town has loads of character, with mid-19th century wooden buildings and homes sitting atop wooded hills and nestled in verdant hollows.

Dutch Flat was settled in 1851 by German immigrants and soon was called Dutchman’s Flat, Dutch Charley’s Flat and Charley’s Flat during the years it was one of California’s richest gold mining towns.

Along Dutch Flat’s historic main street, there’s a post office, country store, gold rush era hotel, museum and timeless small town atmosphere.

On a regular timetable, trains rumble pass, blaring their horns, as they climb over the Sierra Nevada, reminding visitors that Dutch Pass sits beside the original route of the transcontinental railroad. The town is populated by 160 friendly souls who freely wave to all who pass.

Dutch Flat was full of fall color. This stretch of I-80 is peaking from Drum Forebay Rd. west, past Dutch Flat and Colfax to Auburn. Golden cottonwood, orange-yellow black oak and crimson exotics are backlit brilliantly by afternoon sunlight. There seems to be no obvious vantage point from which to overlook the forest, though hillsides painted with orange black oak and dark green pine are evident along I-80.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Sierra Foothills (5,500′ to 2,000′)

November 13, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Inland Empire

Big Bear: Icy Hot

Big Bear Ski Resorts (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear Lake is icy hot with snow and fall color juxtaposed.

The fall color to be seen at Big Bear is worth bundling up and heading to Big Bear. As, a beautiful mix of fully peaking black oak and some lingering cottonwood provide swaths of bright color painted across the San Bernardino Mountains.

Southern California color spotter Alena Nicholas was out and about capturing the color and reports that Arctic Circle, between Big Bear Lake and the front side of the mountain, is at peak.

Elsewhere nearby, Arrowbear Lake is nearing Past Peak with its oak still showing color, but probably only for another week.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Ski Resorts (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear Ski Areas (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

Arctic Circle, Big Bear (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear Lake (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

Cottonwood, Big Bear Lake (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

Arrowbear Lake (11/11/15) Alena Nicholas

November 12, 2015/1 Comment/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Los Angeles County

Thanksgiving Bellweather: LA County Arboretum

LA County Arboretum (11/10/15) Frank McDonough

A sure sign that Thanksgiving Day is approaching is when Frank McDonough of the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens in Arcadia starts sending photos of the arboretum’s grounds.

Looks like I better go order a turkey.

Frank reports it’s still early, though fall color is about 20% there, with developing reds and yellows.

The arboretum is a bellweather of approaching color in Southern California’s gardens and urban forests, and a great place for an autumn stroll.

From the looks of the garden, it’s colorful now, though will be close to perfect near Thanksgiving Day and beyond.

That means there’ll be lots of autumn color in the southland to add autumn color and mood to Thanksgiving Day festivities.

Patchy (10-50%) – Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens

November 11, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Shasta Cascade

Holy Trinity!

Weaverville (11/10/15) Jeri Rangel

Trinity County color spotter Jeri Rangel sent us back to church to ask for forgiveness for announcing, earlier this week,that Trinity County was almost past peak.

Mea culpa! As is evident in Jeri’s pictures, Weaverville is Peaking, with gorgeous color along CA-299.

Founded in 1850 during the California Gold Rush, Weaverville is the county seat and a fascinating town to visit.

Weaverville’s Joss House whose official name is “The Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds,” is a remarkable Taoist temple and California’s best-preserved example of a gold rush era Chinese place of worship, with its beautiful interior and intricately carved altar.

Weaverville (11/10/15) Jeri Rangel

An unusual aspect of this 19th century town is its exterior circular staircases, so built to avoid higher property taxes assessed for interior stairs during the 1800s. They add quirky charm to this fascinating town.

Weaverville is prime to visit and peaking. GO NOW!

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Weaverville

November 10, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Fall Color Report, Gold Country

A Walk in the Garden

Eastern redbud, El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

Gardens are often full of nice autumn color. So, you may not need to drive very far to find it.

I took a 15 minute stroll through my garden this morning and captured these handheld images of autumn color in my yard.

Eastern redbud, Cercis canadensis, is a favorite garden tree of mine (not to be confused with western dogwood – a shrub). This tree is decorated with pink-lavender blossoms in springtime and yellow and lime heart-shaped leaves in autumn.

Western dogwood, El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

Chinese pistache, El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

Pacific dogwood, Cornus nuttallii, carry cream-colored bracts in springtime. Their flowers are yellow-green pod clusters that turn into bright red “drupes” in autumn. Dogwood leaves turn from kelly green to shades of maroon, rose, pink and gold during fall.

Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis, and American sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua are the most popular fall color trees planted in California gardens, because of their irridescent rainbow colors. Pistache is particularly fluorescent with brilliant yellow, lime, orange, red and auburn filling its branches for nearly a month of color. It is most dramatic when planted in clusters.

The strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, carries bright yellow, orange and red pods in autumn.

Japanese maple, El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

Cut-leaf weeping birch, El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

Potted vine, El Dorado Hills (11/10/15) John Poimiroo

There are many subspecies of Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. A deep red variety in my garden has bright red seed pods that spin and fly away when they drop from the tree.

Cut-leaf weeping birch, Betula pendula Dalecarlica, have a delicately golden leaf that flutters and dangles.

A variety of climbing vines provide lovely color, texture and graphic form.

Even if you live in an apartment and don’t have a garden, nearby parks, botanic gardens and neighborhood gardens will be full of fall color upon closer look.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – El Dorado Hills (Sierra foothills suburb)

November 10, 2015/by John Poimiroo

Humboldt County – Now Peaking Tree By Tree

Mendocino Wine Country Ages Nicely

Ride a Bike to Fall Color in Folsom

Redding Pops Along Its Accessible Trails

Southern California Goes Big

Dutch Flat: Quite The Opposite

Big Bear: Icy Hot

Thanksgiving Bellweather: LA County Arboretum

Holy Trinity!

A Walk in the Garden

Destination

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