Napa Valley - 11/27/12

Nanci Knight writes: The entire valley from Napa to Calistoga is extremely colorful now with lots of variation in the patchwork of vineyard tracts. Many trees reaching peak as well. Silverado Trail, between Rutherford cross road and Oak Knoll, offers several outstanding photo opps with views across the valley, set off by stands of brilliant red trees. This section was very popular last weekend with landscape painters and photographers lined up on the roadside.

Lafayette - 11/21/2012

Steve Lathrop writes: Some fall colors still around our Lafayette, California neighborhood.  As mentioned on your blog earlier the fall colors in Yosemite Valley the first week in November were spectacular along the river.  Some of the best reflection shots we have ever gotten.  Thanks for your work this season posting our comments etc.

Napa Valley - 11/13/2012

Nanci Knight writes: The valley is awash in soft yellows and golds now as almost all vineyard tracts have turned from green. Up-valley vineyards (St. Helena & Calistoga) have some individual vines turning crimson and purple, and mellow reds are developing mid-valley (Rutherford, Oakville & Yountville) as well. However, no wide-spread brilliant oranges, reds or purples yet; mostly gold for now.

Yosemite - 11/12/2012

Jason Branz writes: I liked Yosemite so much last weekend that I returned on Sunday 11/11.  The colors were still hanging on, although quite a few leaves had dropped in most places.  However, a few inches of snow are now covering some of the trees and the contrast of changing seasons is very nice.  The weather forecast looks OK for the next few days, so folks should head up there now if they want to get the fall color/snow combo.  It's well worth it!

Yosemite - 11/5/2010

Jason Branz writes: Yosemite Valley was fantastic on Saturday 11/03.  The trees alongside the Southside Drive are very colorful from the 120/140 split all the way to the Bridalveil Falls turnoff so there are good opportunities for "tree tunnel" type images here (be wary of the traffic though).  I spent a lot of time in the big meadow between El Capitan and the Cathedral Rocks, where the changing shadows in the afternoon light up the golden trees.  The river is very low so reflection images are plentiful.  The color looks to be a few days short of peak, and the weather forecast looks good through mid-week so folks should get up there soon.  I posted several images on my Flickr site:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jason_branz/sets/72157629750352383/

Yosemite - 11/4/2012

Jevons Feng writes: I made a trip from Sunnyvale to Yosemite on Oct 28. About 20-30 miles before reaching Yosemite valley, you can find pink and red colors of dogwood on both side of highway 120. In most cases, you can find better and richer pink/red/yellow color if you walk off road into forest. It is at peak now for dogwood red color but yellow oak color will be at peak in the next 2-3 weeks.

Napa Valley - 10/31/2012

Nanci Knight writes: With most fruit in the tank, harvest is winding down, and the colors are revving up. Still quite a bit of green across the valley (especially the young vines), but many vineyard tracts turning to soft yellow and some gold. Interestingly, some of the leaves turning straight from green to brown. A few spots of deep red, but no widespread intense color yet. Virtually no leaf drop yet either, so the vineyards are still full and lush. Lots of patchwork contrasts across the tracts, even by the row within tracts (different varietals turning color at a different pace). The surrounding landscape trees are well ahead of the vines in terms of developing color. Traveling Silverado Trail southbound (Calistoga to Napa) in the late afternoon offers many lovely photo opps.