National Forest·California, Nevada·1,956,032 acres
Inyo National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 11, 7:48am ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Wind to 29 mph Friday. Color may come down before it turns.
Weather Hard frost Tuesday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Inyo National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Inyo National Forest around Oct 7, and the four days to aim for are Oct 6 to 9.
The forest runs from about 5,114 to 11,405 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 33 days: the high stands around Sep 18, the low ground around Oct 25. That's 1 day earlier than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the forest | 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 12,000 ft |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Nearly peak | 8,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Peak color | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak | 6,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Just past peak | 4,000 to 6,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Fading | |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Leaves down |
- 10,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 1811%
- 8,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 125%
- 6,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1349%
- 4,000–6,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2513%
Height off 3DEP inside the forest’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the forest stands in it.
That’s 1 day 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.
Tuesday, October 6 to Wednesday, October 7
You’ll find it fading up high, starting to turn lower down.
Up at 10,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 18; down at 6,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 25. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 10,000–12,000 ftFadingpeak Sep 18
- 8,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 1
- 6,000–8,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 13
- 4,000–6,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 25
- Where to drive
- Bishop Creek Road (Route 168), about 6 miles · US Route 395 (Eastern Sierra), about 27 miles · June Lake Loop (Route 158), about 47 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, Fremont cottonwood, California black oak, willow
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen34%
- narrowleaf cottonwood15%
- Fremont cottonwood10%
- California black oak10%
- willow8%
- white alder6%
Also named across California, outside what the canopy read measures here: Bigleaf Maple.
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 Inyo National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Inyo National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Inyo National Forest around Oct 7, and the four days to aim for are Oct 6 to 9.
- Where is the best fall color at Inyo National Forest right now?
On Nov 11 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 4,000 to 6,000 feet, around Oct 25.
- How long does peak last at Inyo National Forest?
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 forest's elevations the color moves over about 33 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 37 days.
- Is Inyo National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 7, and on Nov 11 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Inyo National Forest?
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
Kings Canyon and Sierra and Ansel Adams Wilderness are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 5 best Oct 4 to 7
- Peak Oct 9 best Oct 8 to 11
- Peak Oct 12 best Oct 11 to 14
Fall color roads near Inyo National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sonora Pass (Route 108)
A remote Sierra crossing with scattered aspen groves and wide alpine meadows. Less visited than 395 but equally beautiful.