Fall color takes the stage
Prepare to be bedazzled
 Are you ready to witness one of California's most spectacular displays of fall foliage?
Crisp mornings and shorter days are the signs that Mother Nature's getting ready to start the show in the forests of the Northern Sierra.
Plumas County's "Awesome Autumn" produces dazzling hues of red, yellow and orange with varying species that "pop" against dark green conifer, granite rock and blue sky. Among the favorites are aspens, dogwoods, cottonwoods, and oaks, though Indian rhubarb, big-leaf maple, showy ornamentals and "celebrity trees" also command attention.
Leaf-peepers can gaze from riverbed to mountaintop, along vast miles of quiet roadways and uncrowded hiking trails. Combine your trip by exploring small towns and festivals with lots of rural character.
Check the award-winning "Awesome Autumn" blog for daily leaf-peeper reports, which will route you to the best fall color spots at the time of your visit. You'll also find links to a fall color road map, a botanist's report, weather, events, and lodging specials. If you're up for real adventure, find the best bets for leaf-peeping by foot, boat, bike ATV, golf cart and canoe.
Serious leaf-peepers can stop by visitors centers for official, free Plumas County Leaf-Peeper kits, containing windshield cleaner and vehicle signs that alert traffic to your frequent photo stops.
You're probably wondering: "When's the peak?" It's different every year, but mid to late October is usually the best. But don't worry about it: With 2,600 miles of varying elevations, you'll find fall color, from now through early November. Be sure to email us or stop in and tell us what you see! |
Plumas fall makes headlines
Right up there with New England
Plumas County's fall foliage has received worldwide renown thanks to an Associated Press travel story  that ran in major newspapers and websites across the globe.
Plumas was touted along with Yosemite as a California fall foliage destination; the story included us with Alaska, New England, North Carolina and Michigan.
Among the biggest hits were all the network news sites including CNN.com, Yahoo news, and the International Herald Tribune. Check out the story! | |
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It's not all about the leaves
Get a taste of mountain culture
Popular tried and true events along with new innovations will be dotting the fall landscape in Plumas County this year. Why not combine leaf-peeping with a bit of local culture?
What's new: Coming up soon on Sept. 27 is Feather River Land Trust's "Art on the Land" at the historic Heart K Ranch near Taylorsville. It will feature on-site painting by Plumas County fine artists, a gourmet lunch and more. At the height of the fall color season, a two-day fall photo workshop will be held Oct. 13-15 at Greenhorn Guest Ranch outside of Quincy. You'll head into the forest on horseback to capture breathtaking backcountry foliage shots, while learning photography tips from a pro.
Returning favorites: Some say that the Fall Quilt Festival in Taylorsville (population 154) on Oct. 4 is a not-to-be-missed event because you can stock up on Christmas presents you can't find anywhere else.
Harmonica legend Norton Buffalo headlines at Quincy's Mt. Harvest Festival on Oct. 18, where outdoor music melds with micro-beer, organic wine tasting, arts and crafts. And if you've never pressed your own apple juice, bring a jug and join the fun in the orchard at the Dawn Institute Apple Fest on Oct. 26, near Greenville. |
Learn while you leaf-peep
Fall tours offer outdoor education
Ever heard of an "edu-vacation?" Here are some ways you can learn something while visiting Plumas County.
The Almanor Ranger District in Chester holds interpretive fall color carpool driving tours Oct. 1 and 17, stopping at historic sites with short hikes.
 The Sierra Institute will offer a glimpse
of copper mining at the Mining in Moonlight Valley tour on Oct.11 near Antelope Lake. Water, Power, & Fish will explore hydroelectric power near Lake Almanor on Oct. 24.
The Plumas County Museum's popular bus tours will include Sierra Valley Ranch Tours (visit working, historic ranches) on Sept 27 while Oct.18 features Historic 1867 Quincy-La Porte Road (taking in spectacular scenery and historic gold mining sites). Call (530) 283-6320 for reservations.
Join the Lassen and Plumas National Forests for a series of six monitoring field tours to look at Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group (HFQLG) treatments across the forests Oct. 2 and 9.
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