Wilderness Area·California·159,070 acres
Carson-Iceberg Wilderness
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Hard frost Friday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
Weather Wind to 25 mph Friday. Color may come down before it turns.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness around Oct 8, and the four days to aim for are Oct 7 to 10.
The wilderness runs from about 6,322 to 9,997 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 32 days: the high stands around Sep 15, the low ground around Oct 10. That's 4 days earlier than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the wilderness | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 to Sep 6 | Still green | |
| Sep 7 to Sep 13 | Still green | |
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Starting to turn | 10,000 to 11,000 ft |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Starting to turn | 8,000 to 9,000 ft, 9,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Nearly peak | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Peak color | 6,000 to 7,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Just past peak |
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 155%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2119%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2734%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 325%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1015%
Height off 3DEP inside the wilderness’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the wilderness stands in it.
That’s 4 days earlier than our model alone would say. This season’s reports from the ground moved it, and they outrank us.
Plan this tripIf you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Wednesday, October 7 to Thursday, October 8
You’ll find it fading up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 9,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 21; down at 7,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 10. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 9,000–10,000 ftFadingpeak Sep 21
- 8,000–9,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 27
- 7,000–8,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3
- 6,000–7,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 10
- Where to drive
- Sonora Pass (Route 108), about 11 miles · June Lake Loop (Route 158), about 59 miles · US Route 395 (Eastern Sierra), about 79 miles
- What turns
- Fremont cottonwood, quaking aspen, white alder, willow, California black oak
What turns, and when
- Fremont cottonwood25%
- quaking aspen25%
- white alder17%
- willow17%
- California black oak9%
- bigleaf maple8%
Eastern Sierra aspens turn brilliant gold against granite walls, black oaks in Yosemite Valley go bronze and russet, and cottonwoods line the desert creeks in pale yellow.
Questions people ask about Carson-Iceberg Wilderness
- When is peak fall foliage at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
Our forecast puts peak color at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness around Oct 8, and the four days to aim for are Oct 7 to 10.
- Where is the best fall color at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness right now?
On Nov 10 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 6,000 to 7,000 feet, around Oct 10.
- How long does peak last at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
About four days at the top, Oct 7 to 10, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 32 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 36 days.
- Is Carson-Iceberg Wilderness past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 8, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
Quaking Aspen, Black Oak, Bigleaf Maple, Fremont Cottonwood, White Alder. Eastern Sierra aspens turn brilliant gold against granite walls, black oaks in Yosemite Valley go bronze and russet, and cottonwoods line the desert creeks in pale yellow.
This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. Out here we score it against NASA's satellite record of when the canopy shuts down, read inside each unit’s own boundary: two dates in three land within 12 days of it. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Hoover Wilderness and Eldorado and Yosemite are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 12 best Oct 11 to 14
- Peak Oct 8 best Oct 7 to 10
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
Fall color roads near Carson-Iceberg Wilderness
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the wilderness, so allow more by road.
- Sonora Pass (Route 108)
A remote Sierra crossing with scattered aspen groves and wide alpine meadows. Less visited than 395 but equally beautiful.
- June Lake Loop (Route 158)
A short loop off US 395 with dense aspen groves around four alpine lakes. The most concentrated aspen color in California.
- US Route 395 (Eastern Sierra)
The stretch from Bridgeport to Lone Pine. Every canyon draining the Sierra's east side holds aspens, and the backdrop of 14,000-foot peaks is unmatched.
- Bishop Creek Road (Route 168)
Climbs from the Owens Valley to South Lake and Lake Sabrina. Aspens line the creek the entire way, peaking in early-to-mid October.