June Is Busting Out All Over

It’s time to break out into song, ’cause June Lake is busting out, and peak color is being seen all over Mono County.

Mono County Tourism’s Jeff Simpson calls it “the week we’ve been waiting for,” and it’s easy to see why. For the next week to ten days the best color left in the Eastern Sierra is putting on a show. That’s why the June Lake Loop has been named CaliforniaFallColor.com’s Peak of the Week and Driving Tour of the Week.

As is seen in Jeff’s and Alicia Vennos’ photographs, weather and smoke vary greatly day by day, hour by hour. One moment it’s crystal clear, the next it’s congested.

Knowing when it’s best outside, is a matter of referring to tools like PurpleAir.com. This app provides an immediate color-coded view of what’s happening where you are and where you plan to go.

Despite the intermittent haze, the entire front country of the Eastern Sierra is open to fall color viewing. It is only wilderness areas in the backcountry of Inyo National Forest that remain closed.

All locations pictured here can be visited, and as is evident – they’re beautiful right now.

Unfortunately, not everyone visiting the outdoors this year has done so responsibly. Yesterday, I posted that Taylor Creek at Lake Tahoe had to be closed because people were jumping fences and trampling the forest in order to take selfies of bear feeding on spawning salmon.

The many fall color spotters I’ve met are responsible and careful about protecting the places we visit. So, we can help keep the forests open for fall color and wildlife viewing by packing out any litter that’s been left behind and encourage others to do the same.

It’s all about practicing Mountain Manners, as they say in Mono County.

Walker / Coleville / Topaz

• Monitor Pass (8,314′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – We’ve had Monitor Pass at Peak to Past Peak for a week. It won’t last much longer.
• West Walker River, Walker, Coleville and Topaz (5,200′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now. – The Antelope Valley should peak within the week. Towering cottonwood rain bright golden leaves on US 395 that swirl as vehicles pass.

Sonora Pass / Lobdell Lake Rd.

• Sonora Pass (9,623′) – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – The top of the pass is past peak, but Leavitt Meadows is still gorgeous.
• Lobdell Lake Rd (9,274′) – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – Most of Lobdell Lake Rd. is now past peak, though those groves that were green when the rest of the road was peaking are now lovely. This is the place to go to be at one with nature and feel what it must have been like for Mark Twain to travel similar dirt roads through the aspen.

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Bridgeport / Virginia Lakes

• Twin Lakes (7,000′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now. – It’ll just get better each day over the coming week as Peak arrives.
• Virginia Lakes (9,819’) – Past Peak – You Missed It.
• Conway Summit (8,143) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Rolling layers of color, lush trees and a horizon that rises to alpine splendor. A broad vista hardly gets better that at Conway Summit, right now. Be cautious when stopping along US 395 to view the color. Find a wide area along the turnout and be cautious before exiting your vehicle. The trees can lose leaves, but we don’t want to lose you.
• Summers Meadow (7,200′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Cascading layers of brilliant color are dressing the rolling hillsides of Summer’s Meadow.

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Lee Vining

• Lee Vining Canyon (6,781′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! –  As we reported four days ago, Lee Vining Canyon has powered up. Its forest has red, gold, yellow, lime, orange. Drink it all in.
• Lundy Lake & Canyon (7,858′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – If you didn’t hike Lundy Canyon last week, this is the last week to see it it its best. There’s probably a week to ten days of additional peak color there, but don’t delay.

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June Lake Loop

• June Lake Loop/Hwy 158 (7,654′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – “
  June Lake Loop is California Fall Color’s Peak of the Week. As the song goes, “June is busting out all over!” It’s just “spectacular” throughout the the June Lake Loop (CA-158). All its classic viewing spots will be perfect for the next week to ten days. GO NOW!

Mammoth Lakes

• Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,996′) Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – The Mammoth Lakes Basin is past peak, though beautiful color lights up the town of Mammoth Lakes along Snow Creek.

Crowley Lake/ McGee Creek Canyon / Convict Lake

• McGee Creek Canyon (8,600’) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Everything up McGee Creek is now at peak, including the campground and pack station. A walk along the creek is a delightful fall color experience.
• Around Crowley community (6,781′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now. – Every fall color viewing location in Mono County is now peaking. Crowley still has a little green, but now more color than not is showing. It’ll stay good for two solid weeks. So if your travels don’t get you to the Eastern Sierra until November, you’ll still find scattered peak color here.
• Convict Lake (7850′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Convict Lake has just edged past 75%, so it’s got a solid week to ten days of glorious color ringing it.

Rock Creek Canyon

• Rock Creek Rd (9,600′) – Peak to Past Peak – GO NOW, You Almost Missed It. – The upper section of Rock Creek Rd. is past peak, though from midway down to Tom’s Cabin is where you’ll find the best color.
• Lower Rock Creek Rd. (7,087′) – Near Peak (50-75%) Go Now.