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June Lake, California fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the June Lake (Eastern Sierra) area peaks around October 8, with the best viewing from roughly October 6 to October 15.
- Typical peak
- October 8
- Best viewing
- Oct 6 – Oct 15
- Color starts
- Around Sep 26
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 21
- Elevation
- 7,650 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 8. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open June Lake on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around June Lake
June Lake sits in the eastern Sierra Nevada, where aspen groves turn gold along a chain of lakes beneath Carson Peak. June, Gull, Silver, and Grant lakes are connected by the June Lake Loop. Just north, near Lee Vining, Lundy Canyon has aspen around beaver ponds below high cliffs.
Scenic drive
The June Lake Loop (Route 158) leaves US 395 and follows a horseshoe-shaped canyon past all four lakes before rejoining the highway. To the north, US 395 passes Mono Lake toward Lundy Canyon, and to the south, it leads toward Bishop Creek Canyon.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher or farther north
Rock Creek Canyon, CA (29 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 11 days earlier, and Monitor Pass, CA (68 miles away, farther north) typically peaks about 6 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower
Yosemite Valley, CA (29 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 21 days later, and South Lake Tahoe, CA (94 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 6 days later.
Nearby destinations
- Mammoth Lakes, CATypical peak Oct 7, about the same time. 11 miles away.
- Lundy Canyon, CATypical peak Oct 6, about the same time. 19 miles away.
- Yosemite Valley, CATypical peak Oct 29, 21 days later. 29 miles away.
- Rock Creek Canyon, CATypical peak Sep 27, 11 days earlier. 29 miles away.
- Bishop Creek Canyon, CATypical peak Oct 4, 4 days earlier. 45 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in June Lake?
In a typical year, fall color in the June Lake area peaks around October 8, with the best viewing from roughly October 6 to October 15. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in June Lake?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 10 days. Color starts to show around September 26, and most leaves are down by about October 21.
Is June Lake early or late compared with the rest of California?
June Lake typically peaks about 4 days earlier than the California average of Oct 11. It ranks 6 of 11 California destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around June Lake?
The main fall color in this area comes from quaking aspen and willow. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.