I envy the acuity of wild animals that can sniff the morning breeze and perceive the changing seasons. My own cement mixer sensory equipment is liable to miss the passing of a marching band. But the coming of autumn has some quality that breaks through my addled radar. It’s not just the morning chill. I feel a distinct lazy stillness in the air as if my DNA remembers that it’s nearly time to bed down for the winter as my evolutionary ancestors did.
Folks who have spent time in the hardwood forests east of the Mississippi rightly scoff at the notion of fall color in California. There are no fireworks in our transition to winter, but the subtle colors and changes – not to mention great weather – make autumn a perfect time to get outside and onto the trail. Here are a few places where you can experience the coming of winter.
While you might consider Coyote Creek nothing more than freeway scenery, some of the prettiest fall scenes I have observed were right there – barely a stone’s throw from Highway 101. There are several easy access points to this riparian habitat where thickets of sycamores and Fremont cottonwoods are just steps from your car. In addition to the trail access at the end of Malaguerra Road in northwest Morgan Hill, here are two favorite spots of mine for a lovely creekside stroll: Turn right off of Monterey Highway onto Burnett Avenue a short distance north of Cochrane Road. When you reach the creek, walk north poking your head now and then into the thicket. You will find postcard pictures hidden in there.
Farther north, park in the lot just north of Metcalf Road and walk south toward Coyote Ranch. You will quickly forget you are between two major thoroughfares when you enter the forested creekside there.
Creases in the eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains carry creeks lined with bigleaf maples and white alder in addition to the sycamore. Just the drive out Croy Road to Uvas Canyon County Park is a brightly colored treat when the maples are turning. Once there, walk up the Waterfall Trail, or better yet, down the Uvas Creek Trail for quiet moment immersed in creekside color.
Like the road to Uvas Canyon County Park, Hecker Pass Highway climbs the same Santa Cruz Mountains through stands of bigleaf maple that make simply getting to Mount Madonna County Park a great fall experience. Once there, explore the web of trails south of the amphitheater along wooded glens beside just-born creeks.
If you are feeling the itch for a road trip, the aspen and cottonwood groves in the eastern Sierra are awash with a shade of yellow that will cause your optic nerve to overheat. Things will vary year to year, week to week, and by elevation, but if you hit it right, you might spend your whole time there weeping for the beauty. You can download an eastern Sierra fall colors guide (http://www.monocounty.org/fall-colors/), but let me add my favorite not mentioned there. Fifteen miles west of Bridgeport on the way to Twin Lakes, turn right at Doc and Al’s resort and follow the dirt road to the end. Walk two miles up the creek, then see if you can stop wheeling around in stunned amazement.
National forest ranger stations in Lee Vining or Mammoth Lakes can give you current information or call the Mono Lake Committee bookstore in Lee Vining at 760-647-6595.
Let the folks in the eastern states brag about their bright colors. Soon, they will be chipping ice off their driveways.
