Autumn is one of the most popular seasons to visit the Bizz Johnson Trail. As the changing foliage of cottonwoods turn the river bottoms golden yellow, willows along the river take on various tones of red and golden yellow, and oaks scattered through the landscape add accents of bright orange. 

This colorful display amid rugged surroundings of volcanic cliffs, rocky rims and pine and fir forests, led to the selection of the Bizz Johnson Trail as one of eight rail-trails nationwide featured on the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy's 1997 "Fall Foliage on the Web" Guide (http://www.railtrails.org/).

Fall foliage colors usually peak during two or three weeks from mid-October to early November. Exact dates depend on the effects of weather, including storms. However, fall colors start creeping in as early as late September, as rabbit brush along the drier areas of the trail turns bright yellow. This early color usually continues until the start of peak foliage in October.

                                                                                           Fall foliage along theSusan River

For current updates on peak colors, call the Bureau of Land Management's Eagle Lake Resource Area at (530) 257-0456

Weather: Autumn visitors should prepare for cooler temperatures at this altitude - from about 4,000 to 5,500 feet above sea level. Temperatures during an autumn day may range from a nighttime low in the 20s to a daylight high in the 70s. For current trail and weather conditions, call the area BLM office at (530) 257-0456.

Autumn also brings the Rails to Trails Festival in Susanville, one of a number of seasonal events and activities in the area.