Dogwoods at sunset along Highway 120, Sunday evening
I’m teaching my Digital Landscape Photography workshop right now, but wanted to let you all know that the autumn color is looking better every day in Yosemite Valley. It might be a good year—though a late one—with the oaks, maples, dogwoods, and cottonwoods all turning at about the same. The color isn’t at peak yet, but should look very good overall by this weekend, and even better the following week.
I made this image outside of Yosemite Valley along Highway 120 a few days ago. The dogwoods at this higher elevation are beautiful right now. I haven’t been to the Tuolumne Grove, but there should be great color there too.
—Michael Frye
Related Post: Autumn Takes It’s Time
I like the mood of this one. Interesting that the color hasn’t even peaked yet in Yosemite. Up here in the Northern Sierra at our elevation of 3600′ the Fall color is late too. We are just starting to see some of the oaks turning, while others are already bright red. Same with the maples and other species of trees and shrubs. There seems to be a wide disparity between the various flora with some types already gone brown. The aspens up “high” at 5000′-7000′ are all at least a week past peak.
Thanks David. The high-elevation on aspens on the eastern side of the Sierra turned a little early this year, and I thought it might be an early fall all around, but obviously not! Rather the opposite in most places. There are very few aspens on the western slope of the Sierra in Yosemite, but the ones we have are actually peaking now. They’re found between about 6000 and 8000 feet within the park.
Hey Michael,
Nice mood on that shot.
We are headed up this coming weekend (possibly the 10th), so we may get lucky to catch the late color. Do you think the eastern Sierras will be done by then? We really weren’t expecting fall color this late, so hadn’t planned on that.
Could be some interesting snow/fall colors possibilities with the forecasted wet weather Friday/Saturday.
Doug
Thanks Doug. Yes, the eastern Sierra will be done by this weekend, if it isn’t already. Good luck!