Just because an area is reporting patchy color doesn’t mean it’s not yet beautiful, as these photos attest. We’ve often recommended looking to the ground for some of the best fall color. Color spotter Kimberly Kofala found this beautiful shot of grasses along the edge of Dunderberg Lake in Mono County, Joe Pollini, from Bishop provides his town’s first report, stating that the rabbitbrush are “fully blooming with brilliant yellow,” Alena Nichols and Nick Barnhart found beauty in the woods and along the hillsides, and John Brissenden of Sorenson’s Resort shot golden-orange willows rising above a short-lived snowfall.
Patchy (10 – 50%) – Bishop – Rabbitbrush are brilliant yellow. Cottonwood are beginning to flush with yellow and lime. Isolated trees are turning faster.
Patchy (10 – 50%) – June Lake – Color spotters Alena Nichols and Nicholas Barnhart reinforce the theme of looking to the ground, with Alena’s photo of an Eastern Sierra deer camouflaged amidst the fall foliage and Nick’s shot of Silver Lake, with color seen painting the Sierra hillsides. Scenes like this are right next to the road throughout the Eastern Sierra.
Patchy (10 – 50%) – Hope Valley – John Brissenden reports that the willows at the Sorenson’s Resort are coloring orange-golden, though aspen are a mix of green, lime and yellow.
The rabbitbrush around Bishop really is beautiful right now, and there is lots of it, not just spots of color here and there.
Aspens along the road up by North Lake are still great – best I’ve seen in several days of looking for fall color along Hwy 395 between Bridgeport and Lone Pine.
McGee Creek is not quite there yet, but very promising in the next few days.
Greg, would you say McGee will be peaking closer to the weekend of the 11th or this weekend, the 4th? Thanks!
McGee is very close now. Things change rapidly, so I would not put off a trip once an area is listed as near peak. As, one wind storm can wholly ruin an area that’s lovely at 60%.