Seasonal Nature Report: Week of October 20

Fall foliage near Merced is at or near its best this week: Yosemite Valley's black oaks, bigleaf maples, and dogwoods are showing their fullest color along the Merced River, and the western redbuds are glowing gold and crimson on Highway 140 through Mariposa. Add sandhill cranes building at Merced National Wildlife Refuge and fall-run Chinook still spawning on the Merced River, and this is the richest week of the season so far.

This is the third weekly Seasonal Nature Report for Merced County and the nearby Sierra foothills, published every week through the fall color and spring bloom seasons. Each report covers what is happening in nature right now, where to see it best, and honest notes on what has not started or has finished. Late October is the heart of the Central Valley show: cranes massing on the wetlands, salmon pushing up the rivers, and the gold spreading down the foothills. For more ways to enjoy the week close to home, see the weekend guide for October 23-25, and catch up on last week's nature report for the week of October 13 for the season's full arc so far.

Where Is the Best Fall Foliage Near Merced Right Now?

Fall color in the Sierra has marched downhill through October, and this week it is at the heart of the season. The California Fall Color report's mid-October entry rates Yosemite Valley at 50 to 75 percent and Go Now, and the National Park Service notes fall color is usually at its height in late October, lingering until the first heavy storms. Mariposa County is the last county in California to peak, around November 8, so the color closest to Merced still has a good week or two ahead. In other words: the best weeks of the fall are right now.

This week: the Merced River corridor in Yosemite Valley is near peak

The classic viewing loop is the Merced River corridor from Sentinel Bridge to Cook's Meadow, where the river reflects the turning trees against the valley walls. Look for the bigleaf maples' yellow along the southern wall below Bridalveil Creek past Sentinel Creek, and the red sugar maple beside the Yosemite Chapel. Cathedral Beach and El Capitan Meadow along Southside Drive are favorite stops for oaks and maples framing the big granite faces, Tunnel View gives the wide postcard view, and Mirror Lake shows dogwoods and reflections at the east end of the valley. The National Park Service fall color page tracks the season week by week. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit, and the valley is about a 1.5 to 2 hour drive from Merced via Highway 140.

Closer to home: Highway 140 redbuds are at their best

The nearest fall color to Merced is along the Highway 140 corridor from Mariposa through Midpines toward El Portal, at 2,000 to 3,000 feet. This week the western redbuds are turning brilliant gold and crimson along the canyon walls and roadside, while the black cottonwoods and willows glow bright yellow along the Merced River below the highway, and the black oaks show golden-orange on the slopes. Because this is the lowest-elevation entrance route, the show lingers here longer than it does up high, sometimes into early November. It is a scenic drive any week of the fall and the natural gateway into Yosemite from the valley. The oak-dotted hills around McSwain and Lake McSwain follow the same late-October rhythm, and the historic town of Mariposa makes a good lunch stop along the way.

Bird Migration Watch: Sandhill Cranes Are Building, and Beckwith Is Open

Sandhill cranes are abundant on Merced National Wildlife Refuge from September through March, and this week the autumn build is in full swing: numbers climb steadily through November, with the largest concentrations from mid-December through late February. Migratory ducks and geese are arriving too, and the refuge's seasonal wetlands fill with birds through the fall.

The best place to see them is the refuge's free 5-mile auto tour route, entered at 7430 West Sandy Mush Road, Merced, CA 95341, about 15 miles southwest of Merced off State Highway 59. The one-way gravel route is open year-round, free, and runs from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset daily, with two elevated observation platforms. Early morning and late afternoon are the prime times, when cranes fly between roosting and feeding areas. Stay in your vehicle on the tour route, and bring binoculars.

One update for birders this week: the Beckwith wildlife observation area at San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge has now opened for the season, running from mid-October through mid-March. It is a favorite spot for cranes and Aleutian cackling geese, so check the refuge's visit page for current conditions before planning that visit. For the full lowdown on the Merced refuge, see the Trail or Park of the Week feature on Merced National Wildlife Refuge.

Salmon Run: Fall-Run Chinook Still Spawning on the Merced River

Late October is still prime time for the Merced River's fall-run Chinook salmon run. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife surveys returning adult salmon each fall starting in the first week of October, spawning peaks from October through November, and the Merced Irrigation District releases special pulse flows from Exchequer and McSwain dams in October to help migrating fish move up the river. The upstream limit of the run is Crocker-Huffman Dam, and the best public viewing is right below it.

The prime spot is the Merced River Hatchery at 4998 Robinson Road, Snelling, about 20 miles east of Merced, where the fish ladder is open to the public and the hatchery welcomes visitors from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Salmon can also be watched in the river below McSwain Dam near the Merced Falls Reservoir, with a large parking area and fishing access at the base of the dam. Use extra caution near the river during October pulse-flow releases, when flows rise on short notice.

First Snow Watch: The Sierra's October Window

October is the month when the Sierra Nevada typically receives its first significant snow of the season, but as of this writing no major snowfall has been confirmed in the high country this week. The window is open, and a storm could change the picture at any time. Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are both currently open; both normally stay open through late October and close for the season in November, with Tioga Road's median seasonal closing date around November 3, and neither is plowed once it closes. Note that overnight parking along both roads is prohibited starting October 15, and high-country trails are typically snow-covered and cold by now, so check the park's current road and conditions page before heading up.

Not Yet / Done: What Hasn't Started or Has Finished This Week

A few seasonal phenomena are either still ahead of us or already past, and it helps to know the timing so you do not plan a trip around the wrong week:

• Done: high-elevation aspens. The golden aspen display along Tioga Road and the eastern passes peaked in late September and early October, and the leaves are mostly down now. The color has moved down to the valley floor and foothills.
• Peak valley floor color: Yosemite Valley is at or near its peak this week, with Mariposa County and the Highway 140 foothills peaking around November 8, so a week or two of rich color remains.
• Monarch butterflies: Only a slow trickle of monarchs has reached California coastal groves so far. Peak populations arrive from late November through February at sites like Natural Bridges State Beach and the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary.
• First snow: No significant snowfall has been confirmed in the high country this week, but October is the typical arrival window.
• Spring blooms: Wildflower and blossom season returns in March through May. The Seasonal Nature Report will cover it then.

Enjoy the season, Merced. The cranes are massing on the wetlands, the salmon are running in the river, and the valley is at its fullest color. And when you are ready to talk about your home, Monica is here, whether you are selling now or planning for the new year. Learn more about Monica's approach on her about page, and find the whole archive of guides on the blog.