Mother nature surprised us. When Liz Woolsey from Stargazer Inn and Bristlecone General Store sent us the first report from Great Basin National Park a couple weeks ago, it seemed as if some of the trees in the upper elevations had reached peak and that color might be limited on the trees that were turning.
Not so. Fall foliator Michael Kwok ventured up to the 9,000 – 10,000 foot level of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive on October 1, 2026 and found some stunning color. He estimates that 75% to 100% of the trees at that elevation were at peak during his visit.
Big thanks to Michael for sending us the photos in this post. If you want to see more of Michael’s photography, visit his website here.
We are at Great Basin National Park tomorrow (October 6, 2026), so in the next day or so, I’ll post an update about how the trees have progressed in the five days since Michael took his photos.
Great Basin National Park Upper Elevations Fall Color Report, October 1, 2026
Great Basin National Park – 9,000 – 10,000 Feet At Peak (75% – 100%)
