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Yes Virginia, There is an Autumn

Virginia Lakes Rd (9/22/20) Jeff Simpson | Mono County Tourism

Virginia Lakes has received CaliforniaFallColor.com‘s first “Go Now!” with Near Peak fall color appearing along the upper section of the Virginia Lakes Road, at the Virginia Lakes Resort and ringing the shoreline of Virginia Lake.

Presently, northern Mono County is one of the few places in California to see Near Peak fall color, as the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is open. Inyo National Forest, Mono County’s Eastern Sierra neighbor to the south, remains closed, and CaliforniaFallColor.com just received notice that Inyo National Forest plans to extend the closure another week.

That means, the only easily accessible location to see peak fall color in the coming week in the Eastern Sierra will be at Virginia Lakes. Driving, hiking, camping and fishing are not allowed in closed national forests; that includes fall color viewing.

The Yosemite back country will have areas of peak, though that requires hiking at elevation, to see it. A little color should also be visible along the Tioga Road, above 9,000′. However, Yosemite National Park is closed at least through Sept. 25, due to heavy smoke.

Updates are posted on CaliforniaFallColor.com as received and at these sites:

Quaking Aspen, Virginia Lakes (9/22/20) Jeff Simpson | Mono County Tourism

NOW OPEN for fall color viewing in Mono County are: Virginia Lakes, Conway Summit, Green Creek, Summers Meadows, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Sonora Pass, Lobdell Lake Road, West Walker River, Monitor Pass and the towns of Walker, Coleville and Topaz. 

Most of these locations are Just Starting, especially along US 395. Patchy conditions are found at Monitor Pass, Sonora Pass and Dunderberg Meadows Rd.

Virginia Lakes is Peak of the Week with most of its trees at lake level and along upper sections of the Virginia Lakes Road full of gold.

Fall Color Driving Tour of the Week begins on the Virginia Lakes Road, then diverts to the Green Creek Loop via Dunderberg Meadows Road. 

Here’s a rundown of fall color conditions, from north to south along US 395 in Mono County.

WALKER / COLEVILLE / TOPAZ

  • Monitor Pass (8,314′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Monitor Pass is a late peak among Sierra passes. Right now, it’s closer to 10% than 50%.  
  • West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
  • Sonora Pass (9,623′) – Patchy (10-50%) – Mostly green with some areas of yellow.

BRIDGEPORT / VIRGINIA LAKES

  • Twin Lakes (7,000′) – INYO NF CLOSED
  • Virginia Lakes (9,819’) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now! – Aspen are gilding the lakeshore, upper Virginia Lakes Rd. and Virginia Lakes Resort. It remains green at lower elevations.
  • Dunderberg Meadows Road – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now! – From the Virginia Lakes Rd. drive on Dunderberg Meadows Rd. toward Green Creek. The Virginia Lakes to Green Creek Loop via Dunderberg Meadows Road is Drive of the Week
  • Conway Summit (8,143) – Just Starting (0-10%) One good patch of yellow trees way up on the hill but mostly green/lime green everywhere else.
  • Summers Meadow (7,200′) Just Starting (0-10%) – Just starting in the highest of elevations.

LEE VINING 

  • Tioga Pass (9,943′) – YOSEMITE NP CLOSED
  • Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – INYO NF CLOSED
  • Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – INYO NF CLOSED

BENTON & 120 EAST 

  • Sagehen Summit (8,139’) – INYO NF CLOSED

JUNE LAKE LOOP

  • June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – INYO NF CLOSED

MAMMOTH LAKES

  • Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) – INYO NF CLOSED

CROWLEY LAKE/McGEE CREEK/CONVICT LAKE

  • McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – INYO NF CLOSED
  • Around Crowley community (6,781′) – INYO NF CLOSED
  • Convict Lake (7850′) – INYO NF CLOSED

ROCK CREEK CANYON

  • Rock Creek Road (9,600’) – INYO NF CLOSED

Conditions and closures are as of Sept. 23, 2020.