Bear Valley, Colusa County, California

Bear Valley
Bear valley during Spring 2017 with Bear Valley Buttes in background
Bear Valley Location in California
Floor elevation	1,310 ft (400 m)
Length	12.5 mi (20.1 km)
Geography
Country	United States
State	California
Region	Colusa County
Coordinates	39.13805°N 122.43301°W / 39.13805; -122.43301

Bear Valley in Colusa County, California is formed by Bear Creek which is a tributary of Cache Creek.

Upstream in the Bear Creek watershed the creek flows for 10 miles through a broad flat valley that has spectacular displays of wildflowers in the spring.[1]

The Bear Valley Ranch and Payne Ranch in Bear Valley have been permanently protected through a conservation easement that precludes development on the property, while permitting traditional cattle ranching to continue.[2][3][4][5]

Hiking through the valley is not permitted, but many people visit Bear Valley and neighboring valleys each spring for roadside viewing of this wildflower hotspot.[6][7][8]

Bear Valley during the parched summer months with Bear Creek in center

Aerial view of Bear Creek and Bear Valley Road from the west

References

1. "Wildflower Viewing - Colusa County Resource Conservation District". Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
2. "Bear Valley Ranch - American Land Conservancy". Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
3. "Payne Ranch | American Land Conservancy". Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
4. "A Cache of Treasures - American Land Conservancy - pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
5. "Bear Valley - California Rangeland Trust". Retrieved 16 March 2013.
6. "Bear Valley wildflowers - Sierra Club Trails". Retrieved 16 March 2013.
7. "Wildflower Destinations in the West | VIA Magazine March/April 2004". Retrieved 16 March 2013.
8. "Bear Valley wildflower viewing - Daviswiki". Retrieved 16 March 2013.