Take In Fall Foliage in the Golden State

It's not all about the palms.

California has a bounty of aspens, oaks, dogwoods, maples and other deciduous trees too. And when fall arrives with its crisp breezes and falling temperatures, leaves turn scarlet, gold, copper and rust. It's drive time in the Golden State's foothills and mountains.

Some of the best places to ooh and ahh over brilliantly colored leaves are found along or just off of state highway 49, a two-lane blacktop that snakes more than 300 miles through Gold Country, where gold was discovered in 1848, setting off the biggest gold rush in American history. The mines are long played-out, but the jerrybuilt towns, gushing streams, dramatic rock formations and tree-covered landscapes draw visitors in search of a relaxed version of the area's feverish past. ...