Natural History Wanderings

Parchers Resort has a fall color update for Bishop Creek Canyon in the Eastern Sierra Nevada

Bishop Creek Canyon Fall Color Report Updated 10-11-13

Overall Conditions above 8500ft Past Peak Still many pockets of color around but overall conditions have progressed well past peak with many trees having lost their leaves or turned brown/black from the cold front that came through this week. Still, judging by the number of photographers still photographing the color up high, especially with the snow-capped peaks after the snowfall, it’s still worth a look.

Overall Conditions below 8500ft 75-100% Lots of color below 8500ft still with many popular areas at or nearing peak. The cold snap did burn a some of yellow the aspen resulting in a reddish brown hue in some of the aspen but most of the color persists, again looking quite stunning with the snowfall from the last few days.

Location Specific Reports

Past Peak – South Lake Rd above Mt. Glen Camp (8600ft) Still a bit of color, especially along the road, but the best is behind us.

75 – 100% – Mountain Glen Campground (8400ft) The groves directly above the campground have already gone barren of color but the aspen along the creek and the huge groves from here down canyon are spectacular right now.

75 – 100% – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft) It doesn’t get much better than it is right now. Time will tell if the cold and snow has any effect on these aspen but for the time being, we’re looking at peak color here.

75 – 100% – Cardinal Village & Aspendell (8550ft) The groves above Cardinal Village near the mine are past peak but the aspen along the creek and on the canyon floor are stunning right now. The Aspens in and around the community of Aspendell, CA are really starting to go off as well.

75 – 100% – Intake II (8100ft) One of the better concentrations of color in the canyon right now is around Intake II and above the lake in the upper campground. The color along the inlet creek is spectacular right now. Again, these campgrounds are closed to campers but photographers would be well served to make the walk into the campground to see the color.

Past Peak – Sabrina Campground (9000ft) Not much left here – what a difference a week makes.

75 -100 % – Forks, Four Jeffries, Big Trees & Bishop Park Campgrounds (8000ft – 8300ft)These areas aren’t quite as famous as some of the other locations in the canyon but they are absolutely worth a look right now as most of the color along the creek at these campgrounds are in peak color. While the campgrounds are closed to campers, photographers are welcome to wander the stream looking for the right photo opportunity.

Past Peak – Table Mountain Camp (8900ft) Mostly brown leaves left here as the cold snap really hit this area hard turning brilliant peak color into dead colorless leaves.

Past Peak – Surveyors Meadow (8975ft) There is a bit of color left here but the color from last week is all but gone, even along the road and stream at the canyon floor.

Past Peak – Willow Campground (9100ft) The best color here is above the campground in between the campground and Parchers Resort but even then, there are only a few bunches of really good color.

Past Peak – Parchers Camp The orange and red vein of aspen above the resort still survives but the vast majority of the color is either gone or turned brown with the storm.

Past Peak – Weir Pond (9700ft) Still beautiful in the snow, but not much from a color standpoint as the color is mostly gone up this high.

Past Peak – Lake Sabrina (9150ft) Just about all of the color is gone here, including the groves below the dam which were so good last week.

see Parchers Resort for photos

Michael Frye has photos and a report on his blog In the Moment: Michael Frye’s Landscape Photography Blog – In the Moment: Michael Frye’s Landscape Photography Blog for June Lake and Lee Vining. He says:

While the color at some of the higher elevations areas is past peak, many of my favorite lower-elevation areas like June Lake Loop and Lee Vining Canyon still have a mix of green and yellow leaves, so it looks like the color should last a while longer.