The time is coming soon for Mono County. Areas such as Sagehen Summit, Rock Creek and Virginia Lakes are the hotspots to visit this weekend with many others areas close behind.
According to our friends at Mono County, the clock is officially ticking.
“It’s officially fall and the aspens got the message. If you’re coming this weekend, there is lots of color to see! If you’re not, don’t worry! Based on what we’re seeing now, the next 3–5 weeks should bring plenty of fall color across the county, Mother Nature dependent, of course.”
In general, fall color first appears in the Eastern Sierra along the state’s eastern border (US 395) at high elevations near 10,000′ in September. It often peaks at the highest elevations around the autumnal equinox.
Color then descends by elevation at a rate of 500 to 1,000′ a week, continuing to December. The party is just getting started but it’s time to pay attention.
Many areas in Mono County – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.
WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ
Sonora Pass (9,623′) – 10-50% Patchy. Sonora is stunning and overall a solid 50%. Still pretty green up to 7,000’ or so, then beautiful color around the pack station and Leavitt Trailhead. Climb higher and the colors move into the 50-75% range. A few small spots could be considered past-peak, or will be soon with predicted winds, but no matter, it’s still a spectacular and colorful drive or place to spend the day hiking, horseback riding, and visiting Leavitt Falls.
Lobdell Lake Road (9,274′) – 10-50% Patchy. This area is 50%. There is a beautiful display of color and enough green on the far end to not feel comfortable moving it to Near Peak but this is a spot to hit soon for sure
Monitor Pass (8,314′) – 10-50% Patchy. Monitor offers a very different pass experience from Tioga and Sonora – wide open views make it a great choice for a road trip to or from Mono County. There are several aspen groves up high that have lovely color – this area is heading to 50-75% very soon – but there’s enough green to make us think it will be a great fall color drive for another week or two.
West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – 0-10% Just Starting. Majority is still green but creeping to a solid 10%. This area typically changes in October, so give it time. That said, a few trees have thrown in the towel early, a bit brown or blown off. We didn’t mind one bit during our picnic break, nor did the angler fly-fishing the river!
BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES
Virginia Lakes (9,819’) – 50-75% Near Peak (Go Now.). The bottom half of the road all the way to the residential area has a beautiful display of color in all shades. It’s Stunning. Just past the residential area all the way to just below the Big Virginia Parking lot – against the road there is significant leaf loss, but head down to Little Virginia and the Resort and the color is still apparent. Then arrive at Big Virginia and the groves around the lake are just starting to see their first touches of yellow.
Conway Summit (8,143) – 10-50% Patchy.More color has started to show up from last week. But still, plenty of green for more color to appear in the coming weeks.
Dunderberg Meadow – 10-50% Patchy. This area is 50%. There is a beautiful display of color and enough green on the far end to not feel comfortable moving it to Near Peak, but this is a spot to hit soon for sure.
Green Creek – 50-75% Near Peak (Go Now.).This area is closer to 55% but has a lot of color right now. Another great place to see more immediately.
Summers Meadow (7,200′) – 10-50% Patchy. The higher elevations along the ridge offer a beautiful display of the color to come and still carry most of the color in this area. More to come from this area in the coming weeks.
Twin Lakes (7,000′) – 10-50% Patchy. There is some minimal additional color here so we are moving it up but would classify this as about 20%. More to come here. Check out the Robinson Creek and Horsetail Fall trails or get on the water (rent a boat from Annett’s or Twin Lakes Resort) for a lovely day.
LEE VINING
Tioga Pass (9,943′) – 10-50% Patchy. The pass is as close to 50% as you can get. If we get some weather that could dictate what this area looks like. If not, it still has a bit more change in it.
Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – 0-10% Just Starting. Little spots of yellow and orange, especially around the water tank. If you want to see any color, you really need to drive up Lee Vining Creek past Aspen Campground. As you pass the waterfall at Big Bend, it’s clear there is still plenty of water keeping these trees green. Pictures in the report are from the groves between Aspen and Big Bend campgrounds.
Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – 10-50% Patchy. Below the lake/campground area would fool you and make you think there is no color to see but we would encourage you to adventure just past the resort and maybe take a hike up in the canyon. Here is where the true beauty begins. Our Camera was so dazzled it died halfway up the trail. We would still put the canyon at 10-50% with the trailhead and above being closer to 50%.
BENTON & 120 EAST
Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – 50-75% Near Peak (Go Now.).Trees lining the road are still green and yellow with a few showing orange hues. While Sagehen summit is aglow with full autumn hues – a few trees are still showing some green. This area is at 50-75% but fast moving into 75-100% any day now.
JUNE LAKE LOOP
June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – 0-10% Just Starting. Though there are some spots on the hillsides with color, most everything in the loop is still green with an occasional shift to yellow. We do not have much change here and will wait for it to showcase itself in the coming weeks. The Parker bench is the highlight of color on the hillside right now.
CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK/CONVICT LAKE
McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – 0-10% Just Starting. This canyon is gorgeous right now but still just getting started. Most of the color is just about a mile up trail and beyond. Great picnic, great hike (start early, as the exposed trail can get hot), and an even better trail ride with McGee Pack Station. Early in the morning we noticed some mosquitos by the creek.
Convict Lake (7,850′) – 0-10% Just Starting. The grove at the back of the lake does have a bit more color and also may have lost a bit in the last windstorm. But still, lots of green, especially along the trail at the front of the lake and on the shale beach.
ROCK CREEK CANYON
Rock Creek Road (9,600’) – 50-75% Near Peak (Go Now.). The lower half of the road is 10-50% – mostly green, with random pops of yellow. Higher up, some of the yellow, orange, and red is wildly gorgeous right now, making it 50-75%. But in most cases, where you see burnt orange and yellow aglow, turn around and green groves rustle steadily in the wind. If Rock Creek is your favorite, go now or soon for the upper groves. Wait a little longer for the lower half and Lower Rock Creek Road and trail.
