You don’t have to travel out of California to see some fall foliage

If you want to get in on the fall foliage frenzy and see some beautiful autumn colors in nature, you don’t necessarily have to travel out of California.

So far, the mild start to autumn is giving leaves in Big Bear a better chance at success.

Not only does it feel like fall, but it’s now looking that way, especially in the mountains.

“The trees are starting to pop and it is time for fall to hit Southern California,” said Travis Schott, CEO of Visit Big Bear.

Meanwhile in Northern California, recent snow at the ridgetops of Mammoth brought a beautiful layer of contrast to the fall colors. And while snow could cause a drop-off of leaves more quickly at the higher elevations, there are still plenty of opportunities below.

“Mammoth Lakes sits at around 8-10 thousand depending on where you are, and up at the top elevations, you’ll definitely see the colors start to fade a lot quicker,” said Kim Espinosa with Mammoth Lakes Tourism. “However, down in town, we’re seeing a lot of colors still coming through.”

Aside from the snow, wind can contribute to leaf drop-off as well.

“There are years that it’s different. Sometimes it comes a little bit earlier, sometimes a little bit later,” Scott said of Big Bear.

As for the timing of the peak each year, Espinosa says it could partly depend on recent rain.

“If they’ve gotten too much or too little rain depends on how the aspens have been growing throughout the season and then if the weather snaps cold really fast, that’s when they turn because they’re losing their chlorophyll,” she added.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures can also affect the leaves – but mostly it’s the sun angle.

All in all, the colors are popping and it’s looking like a festive start to fall.