Natural History Wanderings

Fall Colors in Mono County – Mono County Tourism and Film Commission reports

Recommended locations for the week of September 12, 2016: Signs of fall are popping up all across the Eastern Sierra this week! Lots of minor color change in the higher elevations, but most locations are still green to lime green. Virginia Lakes is your best bet this week for significant color change as some groves are almost completely yellow.  Other locations on deck include Parker Lake, Green Creek, Sagehen Meadow, Rock Creek, Sonora Pass, Tioga Pass and Monitor Pass.

Guide:
0-10% – Just Starting
10-50% – Patchy
50-75% – Near Peak (Go Now!)
75-100% – Peaking (GO NOW!)
Past Peak – (You Missed It)

WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ

Monitor Pass – 0%
Mill Canyon/Golden Gate Mine Road – 0%
Walker Canyon – 0%
Towns of Walker & Coleville – 0%
Sonora Pass -0-10% – Mostly lime green with yellow leaves increasing as you approach the top of the pass. Leavitt Meadow Trail to Roosevelt Lake is a fantastic 6.5 mile round trip hike that should be exploding with color in the next 10-14 days.

BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES

Twin Lakes –  0%
Virginia Lakes – 10-50% Some groves with almost all yellow leaves. Still very patch with mixed green and lime green leaves. Some sections in the lower elevations are still completely green but this is the first place with significant change so far in the 2016 season!
Conway Summit – 0%
Green Creek – 0-10% Some small changes in the higher elevations, especially on the trail to Green lake
Summers Meadow – 0%

LEE VINING

Tioga Pass & Lee Vining Canyon – 0%
Lundy Lake & Canyon – 0%

BENTON & 120 EAST 

Sagehen Meadow –  0-10% Just getting started. Lime greens with occasional yellows.

JUNE LAKE LOOP

June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 – 0%
Parker Lake – 0-10% Just getting started with mostly lime green leaves with occasional yellow patches.
Little Walker Lake – 0%

MAMMOTH LAKES

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Lakes Basin – 0%
Laurel Canyon – 0%
Mammoth Creek Road – 0%

CONVICT LAKE

Around resort/campgrounds – 0%
Convict Lake & Canyon – 0%

CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK

McGee Creek Canyon – 0%
Around Crowley community – 0%

ROCK CREEK CANYON

Around Rock Creek Lake – 0-10% Just getting going with green and lime green leaves at the higher elevations.
Along the road –  0%
Lower Rock Creek – 0%

See photos at California’s Eastern Sierra