April in Northern California
April is the month NorCal stops being winter and starts being summer, but without the crowds yet. Wildflowers peak, whales finish heading north, the coastal fog comes and goes, and you can still drive up into snow in the Sierras before lunch.
What's happening outside
Gray whale migration (north-bound)
Gray whales are on their way back to Alaska. April is the tail end of the northbound migration. Mothers and new calves hug the coast closely, so the Mendocino headlands, Point Reyes, and Bodega Head are all good spots. Best time of day is mid-morning with an offshore wind and low swell. Bring binoculars. A good whale watcher spots 6 to 10 in an hour during peak weeks.
Wildflowers: foothills and coast
The foothill bloom is at its best the first two weeks of April in most years. Dry, sunny February into a wet March builds a strong bloom. If March was dry, flowers are stunted. Best 2026 reports so far:
- North Table Mountain (Oroville): yellow goldfields, orange poppies, purple lupine. Vernal pools are fading by the last week of April.
- Bear Valley Road (Colusa County): less crowded than Carrizo Plain, same idea.
- Chimney Rock (Point Reyes): coastal prairie mix, goldfields, poppies.
- Lake Berryessa: lupines along Highway 128. Drive, don't hike.
Waterfalls: loud
Sierra snowpack is melting, which means any named waterfall in Yosemite, Tahoe, or the Feather River canyon is at or near peak flow. Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil, Vernal, Nevada: all big. Mist from Vernal Falls is enough to soak you from the bridge. Bring a rain layer.
Dungeness crab: last call
California commercial Dungeness crab season started late last fall (whale entanglement rules) and winds down in mid-April. Sport crabbing stays open a little longer. Fish markets in Fort Bragg, Bodega Bay, and Half Moon Bay still have fresh crab through about the third week. Prices drop in the last two weeks of the season.
On the farms
- Asparagus: Delta asparagus is at its peak. The Stockton Asparagus Festival used to mark it, but the farm stands along Highway 4 still do.
- Strawberries: early Monterey Bay strawberries are showing up at farmer's markets. First-of-season, so not cheap yet.
- Artichokes: Castroville and the central coast, all month.
- Fava beans: short window, usually 2 to 3 weeks. Grab them when you see them.
Skiing (if you want it)
Most Tahoe resorts close by mid-April, but Mammoth and Palisades hold snow longer. April skiing is warm, soft, sunny. Corn snow by noon. Chains are rare by this point. The drive up is the easy part. The drive home on Sunday is the brutal part.
Weather, roughly
- Coast: 55 to 62 F. Fog returns by mid-afternoon most days.
- Bay Area: 60 to 72 F. Afternoon wind.
- Central Valley (Sacramento, Chico): 65 to 80 F. Warmer by the week.
- Sierra (above 6,000 ft): 40 to 55 F days, freezing overnight.
Featured trips
- Point Reyes: whales and wildflowers in one weekend
- Table Mountain for wildflowers
- Mendocino for the last of the crab