Additional images from the wild weekend made their way to our inbox yesterday and we just had to share the beauty. Both Christopher Adkins and Gary Young found great color in Bishop.
Adkins is staying in the area this week and went up to Bishop Creek Canyon three days in a row to find the color progressing quickly. “This week seems to be the week for Bishop Creek,” he said.
The stunning photo above was taken along South Lake Road on Oct. 2.
“I’d say it’s patchy but soon to be near peak towards the upper part of the road,” Adkins explained.
Gary Young was also out on South Lake Road over the weekend.
“South Lake Road is looking good already with some serious color in areas,” Young said. “There is still a lot of green that will turn soon.”
He rated the area as 30-50%.
As we stated last Friday, the Bishop Creek area is the drive of the week, so get out there and enjoy!
So far, this fall is a wild one. Not only are areas changing at different rates and times, but a blast of cold weather this past weekend made for extremely interesting photo compositions. Many believe that the huge winter we had and the extra water content may be the reason behind this phenomenon.
Color spotters from the Eastern Sierra to Eastern Shasta County and Meadow Valley are seeing rapid color changes.
In the Eastern Sierra, color spotter Angie Plaisted even got to enjoy the beautiful contrast of fresh snow against the fall colors as a storm rolled through the region on Saturday and Sunday. This was after finding exceptional color at Parker Lake on Friday.
I, myself, was traveling from the Eastside to the West and back again this weekend and went from being in awe of the fall colors really starting to show in June Lake and even on Hwy 120 into Yosemite on Friday to being in shock at the snowfall through Yosemite on Sunday (check our Instagram page for a short video).
Peter Robbins in Eastern Shasta County sent in the following.
“Although it seems too early to expect much between 3000 and 6000 feet, I DID notice a few exotics starting to turn on my way from Redding out east on Highway 44 through Shingletown to my cabin near Lassen Park. So I decided to take a couple hours and document what is to be seen this weekend.”
“First stop was a couple of maples planted in or near Shingletown. My travels then took me about 5 miles or so beyond the north entrance to Lassen park, first to a lovely little impromptu campsite along lost creek, just off 44, and on to a lovely little stand of aspen in the Twin Bridges area about a mile off 44 on forest service roads. In my humble opinion, these guys had no business looking so nice so early at only 5,000 feet. But who am I to argue? Then on my way back to my cabin, I could not help but notice a few aspen saplings arising out of a pile of lava rock.”
Last but definitely not least, we heard from color spotter Michael Beatley out of the Plumas County area.
“Today I shot this photo of Spanish Peak (above) from Meadow Valley, which is just 6 miles west of Quincy. Cottonwoods, aspens and Big leaf maples are showing their color from 70-80%. At just under 3800 feet Meadow Valley is rich in California’s gold mining history. Black Bart robbed a stage coach here at Tollgate. Spanish Peak is a sacred Maidu mountain and the PCT crosses the summit. The road through Meadow Valley to Oroville was a main route for the early gold miners.”
Beatley agreed that the colors are arriving early in his area.
“Yes. It is unusual. I went to Thompson Lake above Bucks Lake and the Aspens had a faint yellow beginning. The Mountain Ash was full red, but at 5420’ not much color. In Meadow Valley at 3800’ nice color in the cottonwoods, maples and aspens. Quincy is early also. Living here for 40 years, October 15 has always been the peak time. We still had snow late May, 205” of rain, way way above normal. Bucks Lake had snow at the end of June. Not sure if this had any effect.”
So it seems we are going from 0 to 100 very quickly this season. If you haven’t already, start making your plans to visit your favorite colors spots!
Inyo County color spotter Betsy Forsyth sent in an update this morning that really sums up what we are seeing in the Eastern Sierra this season.
“I made another run up to Bishop Creek yesterday,” Forsyth said. “The colors are changing QUICKLY!! I was up there Sunday and there are so many more yellow leaves as of yesterday (Thursday)!!”
Parchers Resort & South Lake Landing said it best, explained Forsyth.
Friday morning’s Full Corn Moon will be the fourth and final supermoon of 2023.
Because a supermoon’s orbit is flatter than normal, the moon is closer to Earth and appears larger. This phenomenon is exaggerated by the atmosphere, as it rises and sets.
Once in a blue moon, it is full twice in a month, ergo the expression.
CLICK HERE to read how to photograph the Harvest Moon on September 29 (the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox). The above image was not taken using any of those techniques, but was captured as an abstraction of what will be seen. The following two shots were taken using the techniques.
As everyone knows, Mother Nature is her own force on her own program, unbothered by human expectations. So it comes as no surprise that she is following her own timeline this year and delaying fall colors until she is good and ready.
Mono County color spotter Jeff Simpson put it best today when he said, “We’re officially FALLing behind schedule! This time last year we had locations in full peak with orange and yellow leaves covering the entire landscape. Flip the calendar to the same weekend in 2023 and those locations are still mostly green.”
Sagehen Summit, one of the areas in the Eastern Sierra that usually kicks off the fall color season is still mostly green this week. A few other areas in Mono County, such as Rock Creek Canyon in Mono County at starting to see change in the patchy range. Right now Virginia Lakes is the only area that is 50%+, however Rock Creek is close behind and will definitely be in the 50-70% range by next report if not sooner.
Bishop Creek Canyon and Lake Sabrina are also getting started this week, according to color spotter Betsy Forsyth.
“The lakes are full and the colors are starting. There are a few patches of orange and yellow, but mostly green still, or green with a yellow hue to it.”
What all of this means is that the best is yet to come; and isn’t it nice, in today’s busy world, to have more time for something rather than less? It seems Mother Nature might just know what she is doing.
MONO COUNTY
WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ
Monitor Pass (8,314′) 0-10% – Just starting with color changes at the summit of the pass.
West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) 0-10% Some leaves changing in Walker Canyon with this area usually peaking the last week of October.
Sonora Pass (9,623′) 0-10% Small changes at the highest elevations.
Lobdell Lake Road (9,274′) 0-10% This location should be in the 10-50% or more by next week. (The road has been repaired but AWD/4WD is highly recommended.)
BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES
Twin Lakes (7,000′) 0-10% just a few leaves around each lake at this point.
Bodie Hills (9,419′) 0-10% Small changes at the highest elevations. (Some sections of road have been washed out from the spring runoff. AWD/4WD is highly recommended.)
Virginia Lakes (9,819’) 50-75% Near Peak: The best viewing location will be near the top along the road and around the lakes.
Conway Summit (8,143) 0-10% some yellow at the typical grove up the hill.
Summers Meadow (7,200′) 0-10% Some yellow and lime green happening at the top of the hill.
LEE VINING
Tioga Pass (9,943′) 10-50% Patchy – While there are few aspen trees in this area, you will still find fall color in the bushes and grasses with scenic views.
Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) 0-10% Just Starting – Still just getting going with only a few leaves/trees changing.
Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) 0-10% the start of fall is mostly happening up canyon along the trail if you want to hike on foot.
BENTON & 120 EAST
Sagehen Summit (8,139’) 10-50% Patchy – Virtually no change from last week. We were certain this location would be covered in orange and yellow leaves since it is always the first spot in California to go full peak. Stay tuned…. (There are no bathrooms located here. Please drive slowly long the paved and dirt sections to this locations as there are a lot of wild horses in the area)
JUNE LAKE LOOP
June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) 0-10% just starting with some yellow leaves on Parker Bench right now.
MAMMOTH LAKES
Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) 10-50% Patchy – Colors within the Mammoth Lakes Basin are spreading throughout specially with the bushes. This is a great option for call colors right within Mammoth Lakes!
CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK/CONVICT LAKE
McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) 10-50% Patchy Shades of yellows and lime are lining the river here, casting colors throughout the canyon. The best colors will be located on foot up the trail.
Around Crowley community (6,781′) 0-10% Some nice changes visible from US 395 yesterday. These colors will slowly cascade down the hill into the town area in the next few weeks.
Convict Lake (7850′) 10-50% Patchy – Golden and lime hues are lining the lakeside, creating an enchanting atmosphere. This location is a perfect choice for those seeking a leisurely stroll among the trees, as a scenic path winds its way along the back of the lake, immersing you in a lush canopy of changing leaves. Closer to 10% than 50%.
ROCK CREEK CANYON
Rock Creek Road (9,600’) 10-50% Patchy – If you take a drive-up Rock Creek, the whole canyon is now showing off colors of yellows/oranges. This location will certainly be in the 50-75% category by next report. (or sooner…)
INYO COUNTY
SOUTHERN INYO COUNTY
● Lone Pine (3,727′) – No report.
● Alabama Hills (4,534′) – Still waiting
● Whitney Portal (8,375′) – No report.
● Mt Whitney Trail (8,360′ to 14,505”) – No report.
● Independence (3,930′) -Still waiting.
● Onion Valley (9,600′) – No report.
● Big Pine Creek (7,660′) – No report.
● Big Pine (3,989′) – Still waiting
BISHOP CREEK CANYON
Bishop Creek Canyon is starting. There are a few oranges and bright yellow patches, and a yellow hue to many of the trees, but mostly green up there. There is lots of rabbitbrush blooming on the way up Highway 168. There are still wildflowers up in the high country and some can even be found on the road to Lake Sabrina! It will be interesting to see what the cooler temps later this week do.
SOUTH FORK, BISHOP CREEK
● South Lake (9,768′) – Starting (0-10%)
● Weir Pond (9,650′) – Still waiting
● Parcher’s Resort (9,260′) – Still waiting
● Willow Campground (9,000′) – Patchy (10-50%)
● Surveyor’s Meadow (8,975′) – Patchy (10-50%) Some beautiful yellows starting here, but still mostly green.
● Table Mountain Camp (8,900′) – Patchy (10-50%) Just starting with a yellow hue.
● Mountain Glen Camp (8,850′) – Patchy (10-50%) Some beautiful yellows starting here, but still mostly green.
● Mist Falls and the Groves Above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350′) – Still waiting
● Four Jeffries (8,000′) – Patchy (10-50%)
MIDDLE FORK, BISHOP CREEK
● Lake Sabrina (9,150′) – Patchy (10-50%)
● Sabrina Approach (9,100′) – Starting (0-10%)
● Sabrina Campground (9,000′) – Still waiting
● Groves Above Cardinal Village (8,550′) – Starting (0-10%)
● Aspendell (8,400′) – Still waiting
● Intake II (8,000′) – Patchy (10-50%) Some orange and yellow here.
● Big Trees Campground (7,800′) – Starting (0-10%)
NORTH FORK, BISHOP CREEK
● North Lake (9,225′) – Starting (0-10%)
● North Lake Rd (9,000′) – Starting (0-10%)
BISHOP
● Bishop (4,150′) – Patchy (10-50%) Yellows in the upper parts of the cottonwoods.
● Buckley Ponds (4,150′) – Just starting (0-10%)
● Rawson Ponds (4,150′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
● Owens Valley (4,000′) – Patchy (10-50%) Yellows in the upper parts of the cottonwoods.
NORTHERN INYO COUNTY
● Lower Rock Creek Rd ((7,087′) – No report
● Round Valley (4,692′) – Patchy (10-50%)
● Lower Pine Creek Canyon (7,000′) – Patchy (10-50%)
● Pine Creek Pack Station (7,.400′) – Patchy (10-50%)
Several map makers create maps purporting to forecast fall color. Few do it accurately.
On California Fall Color, what you see is what you get. We only post what has been observed, as reported to us by a network of some 100 volunteer “color spotters.”
That takes time and patience, but it is accurate. You can trust that what we report is peaking, truly is. We only report what is being seen and base any forecast on actual current observations and documented historical record.
Explore Fall, a new autumn-centric website has created a computer model based on “gridded temperature, precipitation and daylight data” that they claim is “accurate within three days, 80% of the time.” However, the map they provided to the San Francisco Chronicle today wasn’t 10% accurate within 30 days.
Yosemite will not begin showing fall color until the first to second week of October, when a non-native Eastern sugar maple peaks near the Yosemite Chapel (last year, this lone tree peaked on Oct. 4). A week or two later, bigleaf maple and dogwood will begin coloring yellow and pink along the banks of the Merced River and will peak in late October.
Yosemite Valley’s show will culminate in November, when deep-orange black oak flame out among its meadows.
Yet, Explore Fall forecasts Yosemite to peak on Oct 2 and that the Eastern Sierra will be past peak by then. Nonsense.
Such guesses aren’t even close to what really happens. Computer models may be useful in other locales where fall color is unpredictable, but to forecast when and where color will peak anywhere in California, combine what CFC.com is now reporting with past reports (see “Reports By” at right).
The combination of current observation with what happened in prior years provides the most accurate way to find glorious fall color in The Golden State.
Though we love technology in California, we also know its limitations. Forecasting fall color is one of them. You need people on the ground to know when and where it will peak.
Color spotter Angie Plaisted may have already submitted the best email subject line of the season with her weekend report on “George’s Beautiful Backside.”
Angie participated in the Mammoth Lakes Basin Cleanup on Saturday and couldn’t help but notice colors starting to change on the backside of Lake George, one of several lakes you can access by car in the area.
“A few lovely red and yellow colors are popping on the backside of Lake George,” she says. “Past experience is that the colors on the backside change, then disappear quickly.”
It is just another one of the many great little pockets of color that California has to offer.
We were excited to hear from color spotter Michael Beatley out of Quincy/Meaadow Valley in Plumas County, where the “fall color is just starting to awaken,” he says.
Beatley traveled to Bucks Lake this week via Big Creek Road just out of Meadow Valley. Alongside of Big Creek Road, is Big Creek and Beatley explains that t is lined by Darmera, or Indian Rhubarb, as well as Bigleaf maples, Dogwoods, and Alder.
The Darmera is also known as the umbrella plant due to its large leaves. It displays a variety of beautiful color in the fall. As of Thursday, when Beatley was in the area, very little color was showing but that can quickly change.
It’s the first day of fall and while we wait for the colors to really kick off throughout the state, we thought we’d give our answer to the million dollar question: When and where will fall color peak in California?
Tomorrow is the first day of autumn (Sept. 22, 2023), and while reporting locations are just at the start of their colorful transformations, fall conditions are definitely in the air.
The Eastern Sierra will have three straight days of below-average temperatures starting today through Saturday evening, with Bridgeport reaching a low of 23 degrees. The National Weather Service in Reno is forecasting localized showers with snow showers possible down to 8,000 feet. Let’s hope this mini-storm kickstarts the season.
Patchy color is seen presently at Sagehen Summit (8,139′) on State Highway 120, east of Lee Vining at Sagehen Meadows Rd. This is often the first location to peak in California. Sagehen Summit was still very green when color spotter Jeff Simpson was there on Tuesday but he is bumping it to the 10-50% category due to some full patches of yellow down the road at Johnny Meadows. Sagehen Summit started peaking in 2022 on September 27 so we are (still) anticipating rapid changes by the next update. The location as of Tuesday was closer to 10% than 50%.
Only a few more leaves appeared at Virginia Lakes and Rock Creek Lake this week, but it should reach the 10-50% by next week’s report.
Convict Lake and McGee Creek also are stuck in the 0-10% category with anticipation of peaking in early to mid-October.
Tioga Pass, Lower Lee Vining Canyon and the Mammoth Lakes Basin were also starting to show some signs of fall with a few leaves and bushes slowly starting to turn. These are our only additional locations this week to reach the 0-10% category.
WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ
Monitor Pass (8,314′) 0%
West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) 0%
Sonora Pass (9,623′) 0%
Lobdell Lake Road (9,274′) 0% – The road has been repaired but AWD/4WD is highly recommended.
BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES
Twin Lakes (7,000′) 0%
Bodie Hills (9,419′) 0%r – Some sections of road have been washed out from the spring runoff. AWD/4WD is highly recommended.
Virginia Lakes (9,819’) 0-10% Just Starting: Only a few trees with a few leaves but we anticipate this to accelerate by the time the weekend is here.
Conway Summit (8,143) 0%
Summers Meadow (7,200′) 0%
LEE VINING
Tioga Pass (9,943′) 0-10% Just Starting – Surrounding grasses near the Tioga Pass area have undergone a magical transformation, with blades of grass turning into golden strands. Around the area, you’ll notice the start of vibrant foliage of the bushes and shrubs that will eventually erupt into a symphony of yellows and oranges.
Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) 0-10% Just Starting – Local color spotter Paul McFarland emailed us today that a few trees have changed with only small hints throughout the rest of the canyon.
Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) 0%
BENTON & 120 EAST
Sagehen Summit (8,139’) 10-50% Patchy – Closer to 10% but mostly lime-green coverage. We saw a few pockets of gold down the road at Johnny Meadows if you want to continue down the road. There are no bathroom facilities at this location. Please do not park on the side of the road blocking access.
JUNE LAKE LOOP
June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) 0%
MAMMOTH LAKES
Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) 0-10% Just Starting – One of the standout features of this year’s fall season is the early onset of color change in the area’s bushes. While the bushes are leading the way, it’s important to note that the overall fall color progression is still in its early stages. The aspen trees are mostly lime in color, but with a few yellow patches.
CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK/CONVICT LAKE
McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) 0-10% Just Starting: The trees along McGee Creek are turning lime green and the tops are starting to show yellow leaves.
Around Crowley community (6,781′) 0%
Convict Lake (7850′) 0-10% Just Starting: These trees seem to have a mind of their own this year. On the left side of the lake, near the parking area many trees are a mix of yellow and lime green. Towards the back of the lake are a few trees that are mostly orange already.
ROCK CREEK CANYON
Rock Creek Road (9,600’) 0-10% Just Starting: At Rock Creek, you will find a few small patches of yellow Aspen leaves, but the Sierra Willows are certainly showing more color.
INYO COUNTY
Color spotter Betsy Forsyth sent in the following report from Inyo County, where they are mostly still waiting on significant color changes. It is important to note this year that while roads are open in the Eastern Sierra for leaf peeping, many are narrow with limited parking. Please take extra care when you stop for photos this year as some of the shoulders of the roads have been impacted/washed out.
SOUTHERN INYO COUNTY
BISHOP CREEK CANYON
Bishop Creek Canyon (9,500’) is just starting (0-10%). North Lake has a few yellow leaves, but mostly green. The willows are starting to have a yellow tint, so things will be getting started soon!!
SOUTH FORK, BISHOP CREEK
MIDDLE FORK, BISHOP CREEK
NORTH FORK, BISHOP CREEK
BISHOP
NORTHERN INYO COUNTY