If you’re someone who believes California has no fall story to tell and that the only place to experience the glories of autumn’s brilliant foliage is in New England, John Poimiroo has some surprising news for you.
Not only does California’s landscape celebrate the fall season, it has the longest one in the nation and the most spectacular and abundant autumn colors.
“People who say California doesn’t have fall color live on the coast and never leave the neighborhood,” Poimiroo says.
Autumnal denial is the chief reason why, in 2009, Poimiroo started his website, www.californiafallcolor.com, which reminds us that “Dude, autumn happens here, too.”
Poimiroo was working in Mono County in the Eastern Sierra and was stunned by the brilliant colors of autumn. He considered creating a website that would focus on Mono County but figured there would be wider appeal if he opened it to the entire state.
Site visitors, called color spotters, upload photos they’ve taken from around California along with details on when and where the photos were taken. Poimiroo then compiles a daily list of locations, charting their peak color times and providing leaf lovers an up-to-date road map of where to find autumn.
A key lets you know what areas are just starting, which are nearing or have reached their peak, and sadly, those that have finished their display for the year.
And we’re not just talking about a few colorful leaves here and there.
“California has the longest, most diverse autumn color in all of the United States,” Poimiroo says. “And it’s the most dependable.”
If you plan a trip to New England to see the leaves change, you really only have two weeks to see the display, he says. If you’re off by a few days or climate change works its evil magic, you could miss it entirely. In California, if you miss it in one area, there’s another one gearing up.
California’s leaf-changing show starts in early September and continues into November, Poimiroo says. Seeing the changing leaves all depends on location and timing.
The color changes begin in September at the higher elevations, around 10,000 feet. If you miss those, Poimiroo says, then drop down to the next lower level. It takes about three months for autumn to reach sea level, meaning those gorgeous colors arrive in the Bay Area around November.
Wildfires, of course, can make significant changes to the landscape. Last year, the area around Greenville was a top spot to visit. This year, most of the town and surrounding areas were consumed by the Dixie fire.
The forests will come back, Poimiroo says, and the state is so big and diverse that there remain many sights to see.
Choosing his favorite leaf peeping spots is like choosing his favorite child, Poimiroo says, but here are five that shouldn’t be missed.
Bishop Creek Canyon, Inyo County
Peak peek: Mid-September
Bishop Creek flows through Inyo National Forest before making its steep descent into Bishop and the Owens Valley. You’ll find the color around the North and South lakes as well as the forest.
June Lake, Mono County
Peak peek: First two weeks of October
Poimiroo describes June Lake as “picture perfect,” with its lakes ringed by aspens. Surrounding lakes, streams and trails offer lots of colorful variety.
Quincy, Plumas County
Peak peek: Mid-October
If you’re looking for New England, Quincy makes a fine substitute. It also has some exotic — for California — trees, including stands of sugar maples planted by East Coast gold miners when they gave up on striking it rich and instead switched to homesteading.
Yosemite
Peak peek: Mid-to-late October, early November
Yosemite is a no-brainer for color spotters, given the variety of trees in the national park — quaking aspen, dogwood, sugar maple, bigleaf maple, ceanothus, white alder and black cottonwood. Many color spotters, however, cherish the park because of its “Halloween trees,” the black oaks with startling orange leaves.
The Bay Area
Peak peek: November
By the time the 11th month rolls around, a lot of people have given up on autumn, but that’s when the colors of fall are the best at this altitude. Poimiroo recommends exploring Walnut Creek, Danville, Berkeley, the arboretum at UC Berkley Botanical Garden, Roaring Camp in Felton and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.