Across the South Fork lie the rolling hills of Folsom Lake’s peninsula
Standing atop the hill some half mile from the Falcon Crest parking area, I can look down toward Folsom Lake and see another path (Brown’s Ravine Trail) that meanders through a stand of pine trees. I’ve visited this spot several times over the past few years and it remains one of my favorite viewpoints; with impressive ridges rising 1200ft/365m both at my back and ahead of me across the waters of the south fork, it’s easy to feel far from the rush of everyday life.
Not surprisingly, the trees of this small demonstration forest have changed over time, surviving through seasons of drought and periods of heavy rainfall. Today I’m looking back on my earlier visits in April 2020 and February 2021, comparing them to my return this year on October 31. One obvious difference is due to the season of fall versus spring, but on this most recent trip it seemed to me that quite a few of the pines had been removed. I wondered if it might be due to a burn or perhaps disease, but I can only hope these lovely pines can continue growing in this spot for awhile longer.
The pine forest in April 2020:
The pine forest in February 2021:
The pine forest in October 2024:
