National Recreation Area·California·244,473 acres
Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
California black oak and blue oak
valley oak, peak Nov 2
Peak color should arrive around Oct 14 for the California black oak and blue oak, and around Nov 2 for the valley oak.
Roadsides and wetland edges turn first, and the woods behind them run a few days later.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area around Oct 17, and the four days to aim for are Oct 16 to 19. valley oak peak later, around Nov 2.
| Week | In the recreation area | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Peak color | 1,000 to 2,000 ft, 4,000 to 5,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | 2,000 to 3,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak | 3,000 to 4,000 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Fading |
- 4,000–5,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 185%
- 3,000–4,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2813%
- 2,000–3,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2530%
- 1,000–2,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1649%
Height off 3DEP inside the recreation area’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the recreation area stands in it.
The place
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the resilience of nature in its post-fire recovery. Adventure awaits at every turn—Whiskeytown is calling!
Established 1965.
If you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Friday, October 16 to Saturday, October 17
You’ll find it starting to turn up high, peak color lower down.
Up at 3,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 28; down at 2,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 16. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 3,000–4,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 28
- 2,000–3,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 25
- 1,000–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 16
- What turns
- California black oak, blue oak, valley oak, Fremont cottonwood, white alder
What turns, and when
- California black oak32%
- blue oak31%
- valley oak15%
- Fremont cottonwood9%
- white alder6%
- willow6%
Also named across California, outside what the canopy read measures here: Quaking Aspen, Bigleaf Maple.
Eastern Sierra aspens turn brilliant gold against granite walls, black oaks in Yosemite Valley go bronze and russet, and cottonwoods line the desert creeks in pale yellow.
Questions people ask about Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
- When is peak fall foliage at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area?
Our forecast puts peak color at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area around Oct 17, and the four days to aim for are Oct 16 to 19. valley oak peak later, around Nov 2.
- Where is the best fall color at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area right now?
On Nov 10 the recreation area is leaves down. The last band to peak was 3,000 to 4,000 feet, around Oct 28.
- How long does peak last at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area?
About four days at the top, Oct 16 to 19, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 17, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area?
Quaking Aspen, Black Oak, Bigleaf Maple, Fremont Cottonwood, White Alder. Eastern Sierra aspens turn brilliant gold against granite walls, black oaks in Yosemite Valley go bronze and russet, and cottonwoods line the desert creeks in pale yellow.
This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. Out here we score it against NASA's satellite record of when the canopy shuts down, read inside each unit’s own boundary: two dates in three land within 12 days of it. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Lassen Volcanic and Klamath and Six Rivers are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
- Peak Nov 2 best Nov 1 to 4
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28