Fall color doesn’t get much better than what I saw today (October 4, 2023) at Mather Overlook in Great Basin National Park. A river of golden aspen decorates the canyon below, and the entire hillside leading up and out of the canyon is covered in fall color, mostly gold but some oranges and some aspens still green.
The hillside is near peak at around 50%. Wheeler Peak rises up above that, creating a dramatic, snow-frosted backdrop.
Mather Overlook is off of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. This morning, I posted a blog post about the peaking color along the roadside. But when I was driving up there Tuesday evening, the lighting was wrong to even notice the fall foliage drama going on around Mather Overlook.
Today, the trees on the hillside by the overlook were backlit by sunlight and looking lovely.
There are stone seats where you can sit and admire the color. A couple of telescopes allow you to zoom in on Wheeler Peak and the surrounding canyon. There’s also a picnic table, although you can’t see the fall color as well from there.
I estimate there will be color there for at least another seven days, through at least October 11, as long as we don’t get any windstorms. The presence of a lot of green trees mixed in with the golds and oranges promises a lot of fall color yet to come.
Mather Overlook Fall Color Report
Mather Overlook – Near Peak (50%)
