| 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°08′17″N 122°25′59″W / 39.13805°N 122.43301°W |
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]
- ^ "Wildflower Viewing - Colusa County Resource Conservation District". Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Bear Valley Ranch - American Land Conservancy". Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Payne Ranch | American Land Conservancy". Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "A Cache of Treasures - American Land Conservancy - pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Bear Valley - California Rangeland Trust". Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Bear Valley wildflowers - Sierra Club Trails". Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Wildflower Destinations in the West | VIA Magazine March/April 2004". Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Bear Valley wildflower viewing - Daviswiki". Retrieved 16 March 2013.