Perhaps the biggest draw to fall colors is the vibrance it brings in the trees.
Well, as we all wait patiently for those couple of days when fall colors peak around the region, the leaves that turned early and have fallen to the ground can provide just as good of a view at our feet.
For me, the best example year-after-year of a ground turned orange in the fall, is always along Cedar Creek just upstream from the Cedar Creek Grist Mill. Each year, I take photos of fall colors at the grist mill, oftentimes I find myself ahead of the peak within that little gorge of Cedar Creek. When the leaves above aren’t quite to peak fall yet, I just know around the corner will usually hold quite the array of orange and yellow leaves along the streambank.
Fallen autumn colors were in peak form during my visit to the grist mill property on Thursday, Oct. 8. As the days go by this month, more and more leaves will turn in the trees above, and leaves will continue to hit the ground.
Judging when fall colors will peak at any one location can be nearly impossible. By the next edition, I could have photos of peak fall across Clark County while one more spot I am targeting waits its turn to flash oranges, yellows and reds.
This year, the fall foliage map by explorefall.com illustrates a burst of peak fall color this week — Monday, Oct. 12 through Saturday, Oct. 17 — with bare trees possible by Halloween.
More times than not, what I deem to be my best fall color photos each season happen to be the ones pointing towards the ground as leaves cluster the rocky shores of creeks and rivers around Clark County.
Located at 43907 NE Grist Mill Road, the Cedar Creek Grist Mill is roughly 25 minutes from Battle Ground and about 15 minutes from Interstate 5 near Woodland.
Visitors can park near the mill and walk onto the covered bridge for one of the area's best fall photography opportunities, with the historic structure, creek and colorful trees coming together in one view.
The museum and grain-grinding mill are open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday, although visitors can view the national historic site and grounds throughout the year.
