Nevada Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Sep 20 – Sep 28
Centered on Sep 24 at reference elevation.
low confidence in typical timing.
High aspen peaks late September to early October.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
Nevada’s typical peak is Sep 24, within a Sep 20–28 window. High ground near 10,000 feet peaks around Sep 17, while valleys near 5,300 feet peak around Oct 3; Great Basin National Park and Lamoille Canyon are known for aspen, with high aspen typically peaking from late September to early October.
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- cottonwood
Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 24Typical color progression for Nevada. No change from Aug 17 to Sep 3. First color from Sep 3 to Sep 12. Approaching peak from Sep 12 to Sep 20. Peak from Sep 20 to Sep 28. Past peak from Sep 28 to Oct 8. Bare from Oct 8 to Oct 22.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 3.
Nevada by county
22 days from Elko County to Clark County.
Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method
A county is still an average. Clark County spans 16 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 5,521 ft | 6 days |
| Churchill County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 4,482 ft | 7 days |
| Clark County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | Past peak | 3,139 ft | 16 days |
| Douglas County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 6,230 ft | 9 days |
| Elko County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 5,727 ft | 7 days |
| Esmeralda County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 5,494 ft | 4 days |
| Eureka County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 6,171 ft | 8 days |
| Humboldt County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 4,466 ft | 11 days |
| Lander County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 5,825 ft | 7 days |
| Lincoln County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 5,090 ft | 6 days |
| Lyon County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 4,643 ft | 10 days |
| Mineral County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 5,223 ft | 11 days |
| Nye County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 5,906 ft | 12 days |
| Pershing County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 4,658 ft | 4 days |
| Storey County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 5,589 ft | 6 days |
| Washoe County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 5,740 ft | 8 days |
| White Pine County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 6,498 ft | 8 days |
Peak by elevation
16 days between the ridges and the valleys below them. The county map above averages that away.
| Elevation band | Approx. elevation | Typical peak | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| High ridges & passes | 10,000 ft | Sep 17 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 8,000 ft | Sep 24 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 5,300 ft | Oct 3 | Bare |
Foliage stages
- No change 0–10%
- First color 10–25%
- Approaching peak 25–60%
- Peak 60–90%
- Past peak 40–70%, dropping
- Bare <20%
Plan the light
Nevada on September 24, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 5:59 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 90° | 6:26 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light | 7:02 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:29 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 5:56 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 270° | 6:31 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:58 PM |
Times in America/Los Angeles · day length 12h 5m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Where to shoot in Nevada
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Lamoille Canyon Road's End Bare
Ruby Mountains · 8,789 ft · peaks Sep 18
Aspen pockets and maple fill a U-shaped glacial trough walled by 10,000-foot Ruby Mountain ridges. Road's End sits in the cirque at the top, where the color runs up the side gullies.
- Wheeler Peak Campground, Great Basin National Park Bare
Snake Range · 9,904 ft · peaks Sep 18
Alpine meadow and aspen at just under 10,000 feet under the quartzite cliffs of Wheeler Peak, ringed by dense Engelmann spruce. A mile and a half up the trail is the bristlecone grove, which puts trees thousands of years old in the same frame as aspen that turn in a fortnight.
- Spooner Lake, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park Bare
Lake Tahoe Basin · 6,976 ft · peaks Sep 28
Aspen riparian stands ringing a small lake on the Nevada shoulder of the Tahoe basin, with Jeffrey pine holding the slopes dark behind them. A flat two-mile loop keeps water on one side the whole way, so the same grove can be worked backlit and front-lit in one morning.
Recent reports from Nevada
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Nevada?
- Nevada typically peaks Sep 20 – Sep 28, centered on Sep 24. High aspen peaks late September to early October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Nevada?
- Yes, by about 16 days. High ground around 10,000 ft peaks near Sep 17, while valleys near 5,300 ft wait until Oct 3. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb. Try lower valleys after high ground has passed peak, or higher ground while valleys are still green.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in Nevada?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in Nevada, including Lamoille Canyon Road's End, Wheeler Peak Campground, Great Basin National Park, Spooner Lake, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. Lamoille Canyon Road's End turns first, around Sep 18, and Spooner Lake, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park is last, around Sep 28. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Nevada?
- Mainly quaking aspen, cottonwood. Yellows and oranges come from carotenoids that are already in the leaf, so they show up every year. Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights, which is why a dry summer or a warm September produces a duller year.