Where is the best fall color at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area right now?

On Nov 10 the recreation area is leaves down. The last band to peak was 4,000 to 5,000 feet, around Oct 22.

How long does peak last at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area?

About four days at the top, Oct 19 to 22, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the recreation area's elevations the color moves over about 23 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 27 days.

Is Spring Mountains National Recreation Area past peak?

Yes. Peak was around Oct 20, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.

Back to the map

National Recreation Area·Nevada·321,709 acres

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area

Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET

Peak colorOct 20Aim for Oct 19 to 22

In the recreation area today, Nov 10Leaves down

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.

No new reports from the ground here this week.

Still greenStartingNearly peakPeakPast peakNo fall canopy we forecastInside the line, each band of elevation is painted on its own date.

Around Spring Mountains National Recreation Area Clark County holds most of the recreation area and is leaves down today. Nye County, to the northwest, is 16 days ahead.

When is peak fall foliage at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in 2026?

Our forecast puts peak color at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area around Oct 20, and the four days to aim for are Oct 19 to 22.

The recreation area runs from about 4,121 to 9,181 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 23 days: the high stands around Oct 3, the low ground around Oct 22.

Spring Mountains, fall color week by week, 2026
Week	In the recreation area	Elevation at peak
Sep 14 to Sep 20	Still green
Sep 21 to Sep 27	Still green
Sep 28 to Oct 4	Starting to turn	9,000 to 10,000 ft
Oct 5 to Oct 11	Starting to turn	7,000 to 8,000 ft, 8,000 to 9,000 ft
Oct 12 to Oct 18	Nearly peak	6,000 to 7,000 ft
Oct 19 to Oct 25	Peak color	4,000 to 5,000 ft, 5,000 to 6,000 ft
Oct 26 to Nov 1	Just past peak

By elevation The recreation area runs from about 4,121 to 9,181 feet. That’s 23 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Oct 3, the low ground holds until about Oct 22, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 5,000 to 6,000 foot band.

9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 36%
8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 78%
7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1117%
6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1523%
5,000–6,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1924%
4,000–5,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2218%

Height off 3DEP inside the recreation area’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the recreation area stands in it.

Plan this trip

If you can only come on certain days

Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.

ArrivingLeaving

Monday, October 19 to Tuesday, October 20

You’ll find it fading up high, nearly peak lower down.

Up at 8,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 7; down at 5,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 22. Pick your elevation for the day you come.

8,000–9,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 7
7,000–8,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 11
6,000–7,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 15
5,000–6,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 19
4,000–5,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 22

What turns: Gambel oak, willow, Fremont cottonwood, bigtooth maple, serviceberry

What turns, and when

Gambel oak30%
willow17%
Fremont cottonwood13%
bigtooth maple12%
serviceberry11%
quaking aspen6%

Also named across Nevada, outside what the canopy read measures here: Water Birch, Rocky Mountain Maple, Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany.

Aspens turn gold in isolated mountain ranges rising from the Great Basin, creating dramatic contrasts of bright yellow groves against sagebrush gray and limestone white.

Questions people ask about Spring Mountains National Recreation Area

When is peak fall foliage at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area?: Our forecast puts peak color at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area around Oct 20, and the four days to aim for are Oct 19 to 22.
Where is the best fall color at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area right now?: On Nov 10 the recreation area is leaves down. The last band to peak was 4,000 to 5,000 feet, around Oct 22.
How long does peak last at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area?: About four days at the top, Oct 19 to 22, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the recreation area's elevations the color moves over about 23 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 27 days.
Is Spring Mountains National Recreation Area past peak?: Yes. Peak was around Oct 20, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
What trees turn color at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area?: Quaking Aspen, Fremont Cottonwood, Water Birch, Rocky Mountain Maple, Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany. Aspens turn gold in isolated mountain ranges rising from the Great Basin, creating dramatic contrasts of bright yellow groves against sagebrush gray and limestone white.

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

All of Nevada

Nearby, and when they turn

Lake Mead National Recreation AreaAZ, NV · about 80 miles
Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
Death Valley National ParkCA, NV · about 81 miles
Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
Sequoia National ForestCA · about 157 miles
Peak Oct 16 best Oct 15 to 18
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Botanical AreaCA · about 159 miles
Peak Oct 4 best Oct 3 to 6
Sequoia National ParkCA · about 161 miles
Peak Oct 2 best Oct 1 to 4
Joshua Tree National ParkCA · about 163 miles
Peak Nov 3 best Nov 2 to 5