Bear Valley, Colusa County, California

Coordinates: 39°08′17″N 122°25′59″W / 39.13805°N 122.43301°W

Field of California poppies in Bear Valley

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]}

References

1. "Wildflower Viewing - Colusa County Resource Conservation District". 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". 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.