I love the weather and constant sunshine in the Bay Area, but every year for a few weeks I really miss the fall foliage in the South near Asheville and the Smoky Mountains. There are some areas within a few hours drive of the Bay Area that have foliage, but there’s nothing like seeing an entire mountain range quilted in colorful leaves.
I hope to get back to Sevierville within the next few weeks. Glad to see it represented on HN (in the main article.) As Kid Rock says, there ain't nothing like a Tennessee mountaintop.
In addition to the mentioned June Lake loop, basically all of the valleys west of highway 395 in Mono County have many kinds of foliage, including Lee Vining Creek (the deep valley east of Tioga pass), Mammoth Lakes, Hilton Creek, and many others.
As a kid growing up, I lived in a very wooded area with a varied mix of trees. The Red Oaks were probably the most color changing out of the mix. Most of those years were considered drought years, and the fall was meh at best. The autumn of the first year with significant rain fall after all of those years was simply stunning.
I've always wanted to go up to New England on a leaf peeping trip. Saying peeping makes it sound kind of taboo. However, I never plan it right as New England has Fall while those of us in the south are still considering it summer.
I grew up in Massachusetts and we had a gigantic maple tree in our front lawn, along with abundant other oaks, birches, apples, redwoods, and other trees. When I was a kid I'd go out in the fall and bury myself under the leaves that covered the lawn.
I've lived in the Bay Area for a decade and generally think our weather is much better than New England's, but I do miss the seasons. October is spectacular in New England.
Maybe a Live Oak? Although, it takes forever for a Live Oak's leaf to turn brown even after falling to the ground (usually around late Jan/early Feb in my area). They are evergreen, so they never do a color change during the fall. Red Oak's leaves turn a brilliant shade of red (unless in a drought). I actually grew up in a town named after the red oak, so they were quite abundant. Not far from a town named after all of the cedars growing on the hills.
I am in MA and its Oct 4th. It doesn't feel like by tomorrow it's going to be peak foliage. As per the chart legend I'd say at most it's patchy out there at the moment.
I used to have a view of Central Park, and was amazed how it could literally change almost overnight as if someone exploded a can of paint over the Park.
And it was all the trees, not just some.
It seems like it took one night of good cold to bring it on, but I'm sure that's anecdotal at best.
Can't disagree with your observations, except the map predicts MA will be near-peak on the 5th, hitting peak the week after and falling post-peak the week after that.
Booked a trip to the smokeys for the weekend of Oct 18. Was just checking this website the day before and per this, the peak foliage would be Nov 2 (I doubt even then it would peak). All due to unexpected warm weather. I wonder if this is the start of a trend or if this an anomaly.
This is really great, although the colors for Peak and Past Peak are remarkably bad for my color blindness. I can't tell whether my area is going to be Peak or Past Peak and there is no mouse over to help me.
Splitting the difference (right near the VT/MA border in Readsboro) I'd say we are pretty close to peak at 2000 ft. Or if this isn't peak, it's going to be a spectacular display this year! First frost tonight too.
For instance, my GF and I are headed up to Petoskey, MI next weekend, precisely as it hits peak color. We've been wanting to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes for a while, and what better time than fall colors?
(See for instance the Tennessee River Gorge: http://d3e1m60ptf1oym.cloudfront.net/8ba1595e-fe54-11df-af79...)