Hope Valley, not far across the California state line from Nevada, is hanging on to some fall color thanks mostly to what we call the Grand Finale Grove. We call it that because in more than 30 years of going to Hope Valley, I’ve found that it always turns last compared to other groves in the valley. It’s the grove you can see on the hillside from the intersection of Highway 88 and Highway 89.
If you drive up Highway 89 from Highway 88 there is a dirt road on the right branching off from the main highway where you can either park and take a walk and if you have 4WD, wheel your way up the road.
Across from that road, on the left side of Highway 88, is another very short road that turns into a trail.
If you park in a turnout on Highway 88, please make sure you’re completely off the road and be careful of traffic speeding past.
Did Hope Valley Fall Color Survive the Storm?
I wasn’t sure if any leaves would be left in the Grand Finale Grove after this weekend’s windstorm, until I talked to Gardnerville Chiropractor Josh Welch of Safe Haven Chiropractic.
Dr. Josh found some fall color left there as of Sunday, October 26, 2025. Some of the best color he found in the sky, thanks to a rainbow stretching across Hope Valley.
Dr. Josh also says that Woodfords Canyon, although past peak, still sports some colorful foliage and trees that have just started changing.
There was a second round of wind that arrived Sunday evening after Dr. Josh’s visit, so hopefully the color survived.
Before the Storm
I was at the Grand Finale Grove on Thursday, October 23 and Friday, October 24 before the windstorm hit, so the autumn color in photos in this blog post might be gone by now with other trees changing to take its place.
Hope Valley Grand Finale Grove Fall Color Report, October 28, 2025
• Hope Valley – Mostly Past Peak but areas may still sport photo-worthy fall color such as the Grand Finale Grove.
