Illustration

State guide

When to catch Californiathrough the year

California's peaks belong to places, not to the state: Point Reyes' whales in mid-January and mid-March, Yosemite's waterfall runoff in May or June and its fall color in late October. Choose one below, then the region and the event guide.

When are you going?

Fall in California

USUAL PEAK · FALL FOLIAGEYosemiteLate OctoberCalifornia
“late October” · National Park Service ↗
SEASON · FALL FOLIAGEKaiser Pass RoadFrom the end of September until late NovemberCalifornia
“from the end of September until late November” · Sierra National Forest ↗

More fall foliage:Hat Creek Rim Mount Shasta

Also good in fall

Joshua TreeKeys Ranch tours
Kaiser Pass RoadFall color, end of Sept to late Nov
Kern RefugeBest birding months: October through March
Lassen VolcanicWildfire season (smoke possible)
Merced RefugeLesser sandhill cranes, mid-September to early March
Point ReyesClearest days on the coast

From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.

Places in California

Pick a part of the state; the map follows

Spring
Fall
Winter

Places on this map, as a list

Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census.

Elsewhere

Show the rest in Elsewhere (5) →

Deserts and dry plains

Northern mountains

Show the rest in Northern mountains (2) →

Sierra Nevada

Central Valley refuges

Show the rest in Central Valley refuges (1) →

San Luis RefugeWildflowers · AprilWinter wildlife · January

North Coast and Coast Ranges

Planning a California trip

Everything here from each place's own sources

Park guides

Towns to stay in

Los Angeles, CASanta Monica Mountains · 18 mi
San Diego, CACabrillo · 11 mi
San Jose, CASan Joaquin River Refuge · 37 mi
Fresno, CAKaiser Pass Road · 50 mi
Sacramento, CASan Joaquin River Refuge · 65 mi
Long Beach, CASanta Monica Mountains · 38 mi
Oakland, CAPoint Reyes · 45 mi
Stockton, CASan Joaquin River Refuge · 24 mi
Riverside, CASanta Monica Mountains · 76 mi
Santa Clarita, CASanta Monica Mountains · 25 mi
Oxnard, CAChannel Islands · 5 mi
Santa Rosa, CAPoint Reyes · 35 mi

Nearest place we follow, straight-line miles.

Fees, passes and reservations

Point Reyes: entrance ↗
Yosemite: passes ↗

Current park alerts (NPS)

Channel Islands: Parts of Santa Rosa Island Closed During Wildfire Recovery ↗
Joshua Tree: Oasis of Mara Trail Partial Closure ↗
Joshua Tree: Inaccurate Third-Party Apps ↗
Pinnacles: Heat Alert - Temperatures May Be Higher Than Forecast ↗
Pinnacles: Fire Danger VERY HIGH ↗
Yosemite: Glacier Point Road is temporarily closed due to the Dome Fire ↗

Browse by season and event

Wildflowers · 11 places hereWildflowers, everywhere →
Wildlife by season · 3 places hereWildlife by season, everywhere →
Desert superbloom · 3 places hereDesert superbloom, everywhere →
Fall foliage · 4 places hereFall foliage, everywhere →
Winter wildlife · 8 places hereWinter wildlife in California →Winter wildlife, everywhere →
Spring waterfalls · 1 place hereSpring waterfalls, everywhere →

Questions people ask

When is the best time to see gray whales in California?

We follow them at Point Reyes, where southbound whales are best seen in mid-January and northbound whales in mid-March.Source: National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore: Frequently Asked Questions ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When are Yosemite's waterfalls at their best?

Runoff usually peaks in May or June; by August some falls are often a trickle or dry.Source: National Park Service, Yosemite: Waterfalls ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is there one best month for all of California?

No. Each peak on this page belongs to its own place and source, and they fall in different months.Sources: National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore: Frequently Asked Questions ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Yosemite: Waterfalls ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Fall color in Yosemite ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is there an entrance fee at Cabrillo?

Yes: $20 per private vehicle or $10 per person on foot or bicycle (groups of up to four walkers or cyclists pay $20 at most), valid for 7 days. A Cabrillo annual pass is $35.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Fees & Passes ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is the park open at Cabrillo?

Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., when everyone must leave through the main gate; it's closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Bayside Trail closes at 4 p.m. and the coastal area at 4:30.Sources: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Operating Hours & Seasons ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Cabrillo: Bayside Trail ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When are my chances best at Cabrillo?

In good weather in January and February, on calm days or mornings before the wind whips up waves. Overcast skies cut the glare and make spouts and flukes easier to spot.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Plan a California trip for your dates →Alerts for California

Nearby state guides: Nevada · Utah · Arizona · Oregon

California in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions

A slope of yellow flowers in front of the white Old Point Loma Lighthouse under a clear blue sky — Spring flowers in front of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument (date not given). Photo: NPS Photo / Mike Nelson · public domain · resized

Yellow wildflowers among green grass on the Carrizo Plain — Wildflowers at Carrizo Plain National Monument on March 25, 2024, a season the BLM called striking though not as impressive as earlier years. Photo: Russ Namitz, BLM · public domain · resized

Giant coreopsis covered in yellow flowers above red sea cliffs and the ocean in low evening light — Giant coreopsis in full bloom at Channel Islands National Park in spring 2017, a wet year (from a park article; exact date not given). Photo: NPS / Dirk Rodriguez · public domain · resized

How we know

Every timing on this page, from these pages; checked Sep 30

Sep 30Park ServiceCabrillo's chief of natural resources: peak bloom typically between late March and early AprilSource (opens National Park Service, Field Season Beginning for Mediterranean Coast Plant Monitoring Teams (March 15, 2017) in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceGray whale migration peaks in mid-January; whales visible mid- to late December through March; Kelp Forest Overlook and lighthouse observatory; annual Whale Watch WeekendSource (opens National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) in a new tab)
Sep 27Park ServiceCarrizo Plain peak usually late March to early April; blooms start in the south and move northSource (opens Bureau of Land Management, "Wildflower season is here – Do you know where to go?" in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceSeasonal guide: peak bloom by late January through March in a normal rain year, gray whale watching end of December to April, busiest June to AugustSource (opens National Park Service, Channel Islands: When to Visit in a new tab)
Sep 26Park ServicePeak bloom mid-February through early April; superblooms average once a decade (2026, 2016, 2005, 1998); a half-inch rain is needed to startSource (opens National Park Service, Death Valley wildflowers in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceSpringtime (February through April) flower displays; purple shooting stars in late March; directions and safetySource (opens US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) in a new tab)
National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.

Show all 33

Sep 30SightingsVolunteer observations of deciduous trees and shrubs: share with half or more of their leaves colored, per stateSource (opens USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations in a new tab)
Sep 26Park ServiceLow elevations bloom January to mid-April, 3,000–5,000 ft early March to early May, above 5,000 ft April through June; big blooms every 5–10 years after well-above-average winter rainSource (opens National Park Service, Joshua Tree wildflower blooms 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 30Park ServiceBirding best October through March; ponds usually dry May to August; rules, fees and open areasSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kern NWR: What We Do in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceAuto tour route, hunting-season tour closures, seasons of wildlife, office hoursSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex brochure (PDF) in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceWildflower viewing best in May and June along the byway and in Laguna Meadow; Adventure Pass; directionsSource (opens US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Laguna Meadow - Sunrise Scenic Byway (Cleveland National Forest) in a new tab)
Sep 27Park ServiceApproximate season by area: late May (Manzanita Lake, Warner Valley) to September (Lassen Peak)Source (opens National Park Service, Lassen Volcanic wildflowers in a new tab)
Sep 27Park ServiceA long flower show from snowmelt in March into September; bloom months by speciesSource (opens National Park Service, Lava Beds wildflowers in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceLesser sandhill cranes mid-September to early March; snow geese from late October; the San Luis complex calendarSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Merced NWR: Species in a new tab)
Sep 27Park ServicePeak blooming season March through May; flowers from January into June or JulySource (opens National Park Service, Blooming season at Pinnacles in a new tab)
Sep 27Park ServiceWildflowers bloom February through August; Abbotts Lagoon, Chimney Rock and Tomales Point bloom earlySource (opens National Park Service, Point Reyes wildflowers in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceWhen and where to see gray whales, pets, fees, accessibility and seasonal weatherSource (opens National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore: Whale Watching in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceWhale peak viewing months, best whale spots, lighthouse access and dog rulesSource (opens National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore: Frequently Asked Questions in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife on the refuge and the complex, including the November–December complex-wide waterfowl peak.Source (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento NWR: Species in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceComplex seasons, hours, passes and fees, pet rules, accessibility and weather.Source (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento NWR: Visit Us in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceSeasonal occurrence table: yellow-rumped warbler, white-crowned sparrow and ruby-crowned kinglet rowsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Bird List (2009 PDF, page layout) in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceBird list key: season months and occurrence codesSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Bird List (2009 PDF, reading order) in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceMonth-by-month calendar: wildflowers in bloom in AprilSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge: Species (Nature's Calendar) in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceMonth-by-month calendar: in April wildflowers are abundant around vernal poolsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Species (Nature's Calendar) in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceAuto tour routes and nature trails, seasonal units, summer heat, no feeSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceShorebirds start returning in August; migration peaks when waterfowl arrive in November; wintering cranes and geeseSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR: Species in a new tab)
Sep 30Park ServiceSnowy plover nesting mid-March to mid-September with peak nesting April through June; Belding's savannah sparrow nesting March to AugustSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tijuana Slough NWR: Species in a new tab)
Sep 27Park ServiceApril through August: near the lake April–June, Coggins Park and Shasta Bally June–AugustSource (opens National Park Service, Wildflowers of Whiskeytown in a new tab)
Sep 28Park ServiceWhen Yosemite's waterfalls flow and peak, and where to see each oneSource (opens National Park Service, Yosemite: Waterfalls 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)
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)
National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.