Peak of the Week: Mono County
Conway Summit, US 395 (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
June Lake Loop (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Convict Lake (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
California Fall Color has refrained from declaring a peak of the week this autumn, though if there is a week to do it, this is it.
Along US 395 in Mono County (Eastern Sierra), fall color will be peaking for the next week and a half at: Crowley Lake, McGee Creek, Convict Lake, the June Lake Loop, Lundy Canyon, Conway Summit, Summers Meadow, Twin Lakes Bridgeport and Monitor Pass.
Green areas remain in some of these areas, but the vast majority of locations are showing brilliant yellow and orange.
Lundy Canyon (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Crowley Lake (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Near Peak areas include Lee Vining Canyon, the West Walker River and the big cottonwood trees in the towns of Walker, Coleville and Topaz. Beautiful color can be seen now and in a week, it’ll be spectacular.
Now, the bad news. YOU MISSED IT in Mono County at: Sagehen Summit, Lobdell lake Road and the upper sections of Tioga Pass, Sonora Pass and Virginia Lakes and Rock Creek Rd. There’s a little at lower elevations and in scattered groves, but generally it has fallen. 
June Lake Loop (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Here’s the blow by blow:
Walker/Coleville/Topaz
- Monitor Pass (8,314′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Peaking colors along the top sections of the pass will only hang around for another few days. This section will be past peak next week.
- Lobdell Lake Road (8,600′) – Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT!
- Walker Canyon (5,200′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Patchy in sections with full peaking trees in others. Still another 7 days for the full display.
- Towns of Walker & Coleville – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – A few cottonwoods are peaking but very patchy still in most sections. This will be the last place to peak in Mono County.
- Sonora Pass (9,623′) – Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT! – Color lingers in shivering bunches at Leavitt Meadow.
Green Creek Rd., Mono County (10/12/18) Kirsten Liske
Bridgeport/Virginia Lakes
- Twin Lakes (7,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! -Still a little patchy in sections but worth the drive. Take the dirt road around lower twin lakes great angles of the Sawtooth Mountains.
- Virginia Lakes (9,819’)- Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT!
- Conway Summit (8,143′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Sections with brilliant color and others with some green still hanging around. This will be spectacular for the next 10 days.
- Summers Meadow (7,200′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – We love Summers Meadow. It has one of the great long stretches of brilliant color in the state at peak. Presently, the color has worked down, though has a wonderful mix of red, orange, yellow and lime
Green Creek Rd., Mono County (10/12/18) Kirsten Liske
Lee Vining
- Tioga Pass (9,943′) – Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT!
- Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Still green in some sections, while others have 80% yellow leaves with some trees past peak. Take Log Cabin Mine road for colors that will be good for the next two weeks.
- Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Lundy Canyon Trail should be perfect right now but might be past peak as we get closer to the weekend. Lundy Lake and Lundy Campground will be fantastic this weekend.
Benton & 120 East
- Sagehen Summit (8,139’) -Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT!
June Lake Loop
- June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – This is the week to visit the June Lake Loop. It won’t get better than it is now. There are so many great spots along Grant, Silver, Gull and June Lakes. Make this destination a priority for the weekend.
Mammoth Lakes
- Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) – Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT!
McGee Creek (10/14/18) Benjamin Vu
Crowley Lake/McGee Creek/Convict Lake
- McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Still fantastic color up the canyon with great color now located along the campground and US 395 level.
- Around Crowley community (6,781′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Great color around the town and the surrounding hills. Take the old US 395 road to Toms Place for the best views.
- Convict Lake (7850′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Great color along Convict Lake Campground and the shores around the lake. Still green in some sections but make sure to take the quick and flat hike around the lake for the best viewing opportunities!
Rock Creek Canyon
- Rock Creek Road (8,500’+) – Past Peak – YOU MISSED IT! – It’s Past Peak up the canyon, though near Tom’s Place and in lower sections of the canyon spots of nice color are still found.
Silver Lake, June Lake Loop (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Lundy Canyon (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Silver Lake, June Lake Loop (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Convict Lake (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Rock Creek Rd. (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
Rock Creek Rd. (10/12/18) Jeff Simpson/Mono County Tourism
my cortisol level spikes when i see YOU MISSED IT on the color reports. We went the first weekend of october for autumn foliage peeping, but am realizing that next year, I have to schedule in multiple trips (once a week!) to take in all the beauty these areas have to offer! thank you for this website and helping us plan our trips!! i may try to do a day trip from Pasadena this week just to catch a little more before winter sets in!
Kim, There is so much to discover, if you love beauty. I traveled an odd route yesterday, driving up CA-70 through the gorgeous Feather River Canyon to Plumas, which was magical, then up to Lake Almanor, passing through Indian Valley that, in places, was splashed with bright orange and yellow. The surprise was when I reached Susanville. The eastern flank of the Sierra and driving past Honey Lake along upper US 395 was absolutely popping, something I didn’t expect.
we are HUGE lovers of nature and beauty and would gladly reschedule open-heart surgery or cancel a trip to paris to see more of the fall colors in the sierra! :o) can’t think of anything i would rather be doing than hiking and camping up there with my dog right now! tom stienstra has mentioned plumas quite often in his blog as well, so it’s on my list for next fall! thank you again for this amazing resource!
Kim, wish you made it to Plumas County. I was there on Sunday and it was magnificent. Though, it will remain good for another week. Mark the third week of Oct. on your 2019 calendar.
it’s marked in red in my calendar! so much beauty to see and discover…next year we will camp for 2 weeks in the sierra, the second and third weeks, hehe! :o)