Wilderness Area·California·128,105 acres
Hoover 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 Wednesday 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 Hoover Wilderness in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Hoover Wilderness around Oct 7, and the four days to aim for are Oct 6 to 9.
The wilderness runs from about 7,608 to 11,209 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 19 days: the high stands around Sep 25, the low ground around Oct 14. That's 6 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the wilderness | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 7 to Sep 13 | Still green | |
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Starting to turn | 10,000 to 11,000 ft, 11,000 to 12,000 ft |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Nearly peak | 9,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Peak color | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Just past peak |
- 11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 259%
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2528%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 133%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 722%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 149%
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 6 days later 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.
Tuesday, October 6 to Wednesday, October 7
You’ll find it just past peak up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 11,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 25; down at 8,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 14. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 11,000–12,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 25
- 10,000–11,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 25
- 9,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 1
- 8,000–9,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 7
- 7,000–8,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 14
- Where to drive
- Sonora Pass (Route 108), about 18 miles · June Lake Loop (Route 158), about 30 miles · US Route 395 (Eastern Sierra), about 50 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Fremont cottonwood, willow, white alder, California black oak
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen49%
- Fremont cottonwood16%
- willow12%
- white alder10%
- California black oak7%
- bigleaf maple6%
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 Hoover Wilderness
- When is peak fall foliage at Hoover Wilderness?
Our forecast puts peak color at Hoover Wilderness around Oct 7, and the four days to aim for are Oct 6 to 9.
- Where is the best fall color at Hoover Wilderness right now?
On Nov 10 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 7,000 to 8,000 feet, around Oct 14.
- How long does peak last at Hoover Wilderness?
About four days at the top, Oct 6 to 9, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 19 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 23 days.
- Is Hoover Wilderness past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 7, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Hoover 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
Carson-Iceberg Wilderness and Stanislaus are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 8 best Oct 7 to 10
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
- Peak Oct 22 best Oct 21 to 24
Fall color roads near Hoover 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.