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Monitor Pass, California fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Monitor Pass area peaks around October 2, with the best viewing from roughly September 30 to October 9.
- Typical peak
- October 2
- Best viewing
- Sep 30 – Oct 9
- Color starts
- Around Sep 20
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 15
- Elevation
- 8,314 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 2. 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 Monitor Pass on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Monitor Pass
Monitor Pass, at 8,314 feet in Alpine County, is known for big aspen groves spread across open sagebrush slopes on both sides of the road. Near the top, the highway crosses open, rolling high country dotted with aspen groves, and on the east side it drops through the aspen toward US 395, with long views out over Antelope Valley.
Scenic drive
Highway 89 crosses Monitor Pass between US 395 near Topaz and Highway 4 near Markleeville. From the west end, Highway 89 continues north through Markleeville toward Hope Valley, and Highway 4 climbs west toward Ebbetts Pass. The road over Monitor Pass usually closes for the winter from late November to early April, and early storms can close it sooner, so check road conditions before you go.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher
Rock Creek Canyon, CA (97 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 5 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower
Hope Valley, CA (18 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 7 days later, and South Lake Tahoe, CA (27 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 11 days later.
Nearby destinations
- Hope Valley, CATypical peak Oct 9, 7 days later. 18 miles away.
- South Lake Tahoe, CATypical peak Oct 13, 11 days later. 27 miles away.
- Lundy Canyon, CATypical peak Oct 6, 4 days later. 49 miles away.
- Yosemite Valley, CATypical peak Oct 29, 27 days later. 64 miles away.
- June Lake (Eastern Sierra), CATypical peak Oct 8, 6 days later. 68 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Monitor Pass?
In a typical year, fall color in the Monitor Pass area peaks around October 2, with the best viewing from roughly September 30 to October 9. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Monitor Pass?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 10 days. Color starts to show around September 20, and most leaves are down by about October 15.
Is Monitor Pass early or late compared with the rest of California?
Monitor Pass typically peaks about 9 days earlier than the California average of Oct 11. It ranks 2 of 11 California destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Monitor Pass?
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.