Californiafall foliage
Where is fall color peaking in California right now?
No official report has come in for fall foliage yet this season. Next to start: Yosemite, usually from Oct 11.
Updated Sep 28.
Places in California
- Yosemite
Usually Oct 11–31 · starts in 13 days
- Usual window (from each place's own source)
Places by state
California
- Kaiser Pass RoadIn its usual window
Local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30
- YosemiteStarts in 13 days
Usually Oct 11–31
- Hat Creek RimStarts in ~4 weeks
Statewide: usually well under way by late October
- Mount ShastaStarts in ~4 weeks
Statewide: usually well under way by late October
Official reports
- Sep 27Park ServiceFavorite places incl. Crater Lake campground (aspen color in fall), Lake Almanor Recreation Trail, Old Station visitor center (Christmas tree permits Nov-Dec)Source (opens Lassen National Forest, Epic Adventures (special places) in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceAspen fall-color photo gallery, incl. Crater Lake on the Lassen's Eagle Lake Ranger DistrictSource (opens US Forest Service, Fall Colors of Aspen in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceOverlook of Hat Creek Valley with Pacific Crest Trail access; open April-November, dawn to dusk, no feeSource (opens Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Rim Overlook in a new tab)
Show all 18
- Sep 27Park ServiceSelf-guided lava tube near Old Station; open April-OctoberSource (opens Lassen National Forest, Subway Cave in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceEveritt Memorial Highway climbs from 3,500 ft to timberline; road to Panther Meadows open July 1 to October 31; first snows often by early OctoberSource (opens US Forest Service, Visiting Mount Shasta in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceCastle Lake at 5,400 feet, about 11 miles from Mt. Shasta on a paved roadSource (opens US Forest Service, Castle Lake in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceThree waterfalls, 15 to 50 feet, about three miles round tripSource (opens US Forest Service, McCloud River Trail in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceSeason end of June to end of October, depending on snowSource (opens US Forest Service, Castle Lake Campground in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceWinter gates on road 40N44 from November 1 to April 1Source (opens US Forest Service, Upper McCloud River Loop in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceFall in the Sierra National Forest generally runs from the end of September to late November by elevation; which trees color at which elevationsSource (opens Sierra National Forest, About the Area in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceSeasonal gate dates for forest roads, including Kaiser Pass Road (first 5.6 miles May 15-Dec 1; next 14.5 miles Memorial Day weekend-Nov 15)Source (opens Sierra National Forest, Current Conditions (seasonal road gates) in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceCampground on Kaiser Pass Road: open June-September, no drinking water, large RVs not recommended on the roadSource (opens Sierra National Forest, Portal Forebay Campground in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceCampground on Kaiser Pass Road above Huntington Lake: 15 first-come sites, no drinking water, open June-September, directionsSource (opens Sierra National Forest, Badger Flat Campground in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceCampground above Kaiser Pass at 6,700 ft, some sites shaded by aspen, open June-September, water at the resort storeSource (opens Sierra National Forest, Mono Hot Springs Campground in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceColor is usually at its height in late October, lingering until the first heavy storms or hard frostsSource (opens National Park Service, Fall color in Yosemite in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceDeciduous trees tend to be showy around mid-October; waterfalls are low in fallSource (opens National Park Service, Visiting Yosemite in fall in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceTioga and Glacier Point roads closed by snow about early November to late May; Half Dome cables seasonSource (opens National Park Service, Yosemite seasons in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceBlooms from March at the west edge to late August in the high country; popular wildflower trails by areaSource (opens National Park Service, Yosemite: Where to See Wildflowers in a new tab)
Questions people ask
When is peak fall foliage in California in 2026?
In a typical year Yosemite peaks Oct 11–31. Each place page has its own dates.
Where can I see fall foliage in California?
We track 4 places: Yosemite (usually Oct 11–31), Hat Creek Rim, Kaiser Pass Road and Mount Shasta.
Why does color come earlier in some places?
Higher ground turns first. In the Great Smoky Mountains, color can start as early as mid-September at the highest elevations, develops above 4,000 feet from early to mid-October, and reaches the lower and middle slopes between mid-October and early November.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains fall color ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How do you track fall foliage?
Each place moves through 6 stages: Still green, First color, Moderate, High color, Peak and Past peak. Every stage we show comes from a dated report with its source, and every forecast lists its sources.