Where to See the Best Fall Foliage in Nevada

If you’re wondering where to see the best fall color in Nevada throughout autumn, there are too many spots to mention in one blog post. However, we’ve zoomed in on several places that are:

1) easy to get to (most but not all on paved roads),

2) offer the most fall color bang for your buck, and

3) provide plenty of hiking and/or mountain biking opportunities.

Out of the 34 leaf-peeping areas we mention in our Nevada Fall Color Map, here are seven of the best places to view fall color in Nevada. These places are not at peak yet as of September 19—that’s to come over the next one to three weeks, depending upon the location. But start planning now so you don’t miss the color.

Success Loop, Ely

Fall Color on the Success Route

Out of all the fall color spots mentioned in this blog, this one takes the most effort to get to, but it has some of the best fall color in the state. Mid-clearance SUVS with off road tires are recommended on the dirt road that departs from Cave Lake State Park and winds its way up to Success Summit in the Schell Mountain Range north of Ely, Nevada. Gold, orange, and red aspens offer a kaleidoscope of color along the 40-mile drive. Most years, the color peaks here between October 1 – 10, but can be different every year.

Great Basin National Park

Mather Overlook Fall Color

This year, it’s challenging to reach the fall color at the highest levels of Great Basin National Park due to road construction road closures, but there are still plenty of ways to appreciate the fall foliage here.

When the road is closed, hardy hikers can trek up the Lehman Creek Trail (3.2 miles one way, 2000+ feet of elevation gain) and wander around the aspens changing by the Bristlecone Trailhead or Wheeler Peak Campground. If the road to the top is open and you snag one of the 22 parking spaces at the Summit Trailhead, you can hike along the trail to Stella Lake underneath a canopy of aspens.  The main parking lot up at the top of the road (Bristlecone Trailhead) is closed for the season due to construction, so Summit Trailhead is your only choice.

The trees at the 9,000 to 10,000 foot elevation usually change late September to early October. Later season viewing (mid-October) is good on Baker Creek Road, which isn’t affected by the construction. It’s a gravel road, but easily accessible by passenger cars that drive carefully.

Lamoille Canyon

Lamoille Canyon Fall Color
Lamoille Canyon, 10-6-21, Kim Wilkes

Near Elko, Nevada, this scenic canyon puts on one of the best fall color shows in the state with a backdrop of dramatic mountain peaks. The color starts first at the higher elevations near the trailhead at the end of the road, and early season snow storms can freeze out the color there by early October. But farther down the road there’s still lots of gold, orange, and red aspens that usually peak the first week in October. The picnic area at the bottom of the canyon can provide a patch of later season color.

Angel Lake Road, Wells

Angel Creek Road, October 2021

If you love autumn color, the road to Angel Lake delivers. It’s one of the most spectacular fall color displays I’ve seen anywhere. The aspens cascade down the hillside next to the road in waves of gold, orange, red, and green. The aspens up at the lake can turn from late September into early October. The trees around Angel Creek Campground also put on a show.  Angel Lake Road is located near Wells, Nevada, about an hour’s drive east of Elko. See our Nevada Fall Color Map for directions.

Spooner Summit

Spooner Lake State Park, 10-14-22, Patrick Wilkes

Some of the closest fall color to Reno and Carson City,  Spooner Summit is one of the most accessible fall color viewing areas in the state. Driving up into the mountains from Carson City on Highway 50, find aspens and a picnic area at the Tahoe Rim Trail parking on the left side of the highway. Across the road is the turn off to Highway 28 and access to Spooner Lake State Park. Take the 5-mile hike or mountain bike ride in the park up to Marlette Lake, where aspens line the trail and spill down the hillsides around the lake.

Dayton State Park

Unlike the aspen extravaganza that happens in other fall-color viewing areas mentioned in this post, Dayton State Park is filled with cottonwood trees that turn gold later in the season, usually mid- to late October. It’s close to Carson City, so it makes a convenient place to take short hikes or enjoy a picnic.

Fall Foliage Near Las Vegas

Baby aspens at Mount Charleston, Cathedral Rock/NRT Trail, Spring Mountains
9-23-2021: Cathedral Rock/NRT Trail, Spring Mountains, Patrick Wilkes

Normally, if you’re looking for fall colors near Las Vegas, Nevada, Mt. Charleston and the Spring Mountains are some of the best places to seek it out. However, Mt. Charleston area has some accessibility issues this year. Some of the best hiking trails for viewing fall color are still closed due to damage from Tropical Storm Hilary in 2023. For example, the Cathedral Rock Trail, where we saw good autumn color a few years ago, is still closed. You can, however, still enjoy the fall foliage from picnic areas and spots along the road in Kyle Canyon. Expect autumn color here from late September to early October. Floyd Lamb Park is another good choice for fall color near Las Vegas. It’s a pleasant stroll amid the cottonwoods and nearby lakes. Expect colorful foliage here mid- to late October.

Here’s How to Enjoy Autumn in Nevada to Its Fullest

While there are literally dozens of places in Nevada to go leaf peeping, these are some of the most popular and easy to reach. If you’d like to discover more about these areas or to find other best kept fall color secrets in the state, buy our Nevada Fall Color Map (a pdf file download), which makes it easy to have a peaceful getaway amid the fall foliage. 

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