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Rock Creek Canyon, California fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Rock Creek Canyon area peaks around September 27, with the best viewing from roughly September 25 to October 3.
- Typical peak
- September 27
- Best viewing
- Sep 25 – Oct 3
- Color starts
- Around Sep 15
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 10
- Elevation
- 9,700 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around September 27. 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 Rock Creek Canyon on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Rock Creek Canyon
Rock Creek Canyon has one of the highest roads into the eastern Sierra, so its aspen often turn before most places at lower elevations. The road climbs past aspen groves and creekside willow to Rock Creek Lake, at about 9,700 feet, and ends at the Mosquito Flat trailhead, above 10,000 feet. From there, a trail leads into Little Lakes Valley, a string of small lakes below peaks of more than 13,000 feet.
Scenic drive
Rock Creek Road leaves US 395 at Tom’s Place and climbs up the canyon to the lake. Back on US 395, Mammoth Lakes and Convict Lake are to the north, and Bishop Creek Canyon is to the south, beyond Sherwin Summit.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Look for higher ground
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Rock Creek Canyon typically peaks much earlier. Look for higher ground nearby: in this part of the country, color tends to arrive about 3 to 4 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower
Bishop Creek Canyon, CA (16 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 7 days later, and Mammoth Lakes, CA (19 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 10 days later.
Nearby destinations
- Bishop Creek Canyon, CATypical peak Oct 4, 7 days later. 16 miles away.
- Mammoth Lakes, CATypical peak Oct 7, 10 days later. 19 miles away.
- June Lake (Eastern Sierra), CATypical peak Oct 8, 11 days later. 29 miles away.
- Lundy Canyon, CATypical peak Oct 6, 10 days later. 48 miles away.
- Yosemite Valley, CATypical peak Oct 29, 32 days later. 51 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Rock Creek Canyon?
In a typical year, fall color in the Rock Creek Canyon area peaks around September 27, with the best viewing from roughly September 25 to October 3. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Rock Creek Canyon?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around September 15, and most leaves are down by about October 10.
Is Rock Creek Canyon early or late compared with the rest of California?
Rock Creek Canyon typically peaks about 15 days earlier than the California average of Oct 11. It ranks 1 of 11 California destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Rock Creek Canyon?
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.