National Forest·California, Nevada·3,893,242 acres
Toiyabe National Forest
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 Wind to 30 mph Friday. Color may come down before it turns.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Toiyabe National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Toiyabe National Forest around Oct 13, and the four days to aim for are Oct 12 to 15.
The forest runs from about 3,564 to 8,904 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 38 days: the high stands around Sep 30, the low ground around Nov 7. That's 1 day later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Still green | |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | 8,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Peak color | 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 | Fading | 2,000 to 4,000 ft |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Leaves down | |
| Nov 16 to Nov 22 | Leaves down |
- 8,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 3015%
- 6,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1251%
- 4,000–6,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2328%
- 2,000–4,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 76%
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 later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.
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.
Monday, October 12 to Tuesday, October 13
You’ll find it fading up high, starting to turn lower down.
Up at 8,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 30; down at 6,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 23. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 8,000–10,000 ftFadingpeak Sep 30
- 6,000–8,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 12
- 4,000–6,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 23
- Where to drive
- US Route 395 (Eastern Sierra), about 87 miles · June Lake Loop (Route 158), about 91 miles · Bishop Creek Road (Route 168), about 100 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Fremont cottonwood, willow, white alder, narrowleaf cottonwood
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen44%
- Fremont cottonwood15%
- willow14%
- white alder9%
- narrowleaf cottonwood8%
- Gambel oak6%
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 Toiyabe National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Toiyabe National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Toiyabe National Forest around Oct 13, and the four days to aim for are Oct 12 to 15.
- Where is the best fall color at Toiyabe National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 2,000 to 4,000 feet, around Nov 7.
- How long does peak last at Toiyabe National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 12 to 15, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 38 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 42 days.
- Is Toiyabe National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 13, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Toiyabe National Forest?
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
Nearby, and when they turn
Inyo and Hoover Wilderness and Ansel Adams Wilderness are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 4 best Oct 3 to 6
- Peak Oct 12 best Oct 11 to 14
- Peak Oct 8 best Oct 7 to 10
Fall color roads near Toiyabe National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sonora Pass (Route 108)
A remote Sierra crossing with scattered aspen groves and wide alpine meadows. Less visited than 395 but equally beautiful.