Natural History Wanderings

California Fall Color has a number of reports for Bishop Creek. Below are the highlights.

Reports filtering in from Bishop Creek Canyon (west of Bishop, CA) are confirming peak color at the highest elevations. The upper regions of the S. Fork and M. Fork are peaking. Only the North Fork of Bishop Creek (North Lake) has been lagging, and that could change any day within the coming week.

Bishop Creek Canyon – Peak (75-100%) at South Lake, Parchers and Lake Sabrina GO NOW!
Bishop Creek Canyon was “awash in yellow,” at its highest elevations
Lower Bishop Canyon remains green, but “further up the canyon, bright yellow is widespread.
color to be “almost uniformly yellow with a few hints of orange and red.
the Sabrina Fork and South Fork of the creek has nice color, and both Sabrina Lake and South Lake too.
North Lake is still pretty green.”the ground cover at North Lake “was amazing … best I’ve seen it. But the main groves on the lake level are just starting. Mostly green,

Pine Creek Canyon – Just Starting (0-10%)
Color here is provided mostly by “sunshine-yellow rabbitbrush that is in full bloom.

Lower Rock Creek Canyon – Just Starting (0-10%)
Lower Rock Creek Canyon (north of Bishop in the Round Valley) is still green,

South Fork, Bishop Creek

• South Lake (9,768′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
• Wier Pond (9,650′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
• Parcher’s Resort (9,260′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Willow Campground (9,000′)  – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Surveyor’s Meadow (8,975′)  – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Table Mountain Camp (8,900′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Mist Falls and the Groves Above Bishop Creek Lodge (8,350′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• Aspendell (8,400′) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Middle Fork, Bishop Creek

• Lake Sabrina (9,150′)- Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
• Sabrina Approach (9,100′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
• Sabrina Campground (9,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Groves Above Cardinal Village (8,550′) – Patchy (10-50%) – At the high end of Patchy, likely to peak within a week.
• Four Jeffries (8,000′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
• Intake II (8,000′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
• Big Trees Campground (7,800′) – Just Starting (0-10%)

North Fork, Bishop Creek

• North Lake (9,225′) – Patchy (10-50%)
• North Lake Rd (9,000′) – Just Starting (0-10%) – ground covers are the best in years, aspen groves still green

See full report and many photos at https://www.californiafallcolor.com/2018/09/25/head-em-up-move-em-out/