Lundy Canyon
Eastern Sierra, California · 8,133 ft
Beaver ponds stair-step through an aspen canyon below Mount Scowden, mixed with dead standing trunks and old mine debris. The first mile past the trailhead holds the densest color.
Typical peak
Sep 22 – Sep 30
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Crowds
moderate
Fills up mid-morning. Arriving for first light is usually enough.
Getting there
Take Lundy Lake Road west from US-395 north of Lee Vining about five miles to Lundy Lake, then two more miles of dirt to the trailhead lot at the end.
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- willow
- black cottonwood
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 26Typical color progression for Lundy Canyon. No change from Aug 19 to Sep 5. First color from Sep 5 to Sep 14. Approaching peak from Sep 14 to Sep 22. Peak from Sep 22 to Sep 30. Past peak from Sep 30 to Oct 10. Bare from Oct 10 to Oct 24.
Color starts around Sep 5.
Light at peak
Lundy Canyon on September 26, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:22 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 91° | 6:48 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light | 7:23 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:48 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 6:13 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 269° | 6:48 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:14 PM |
Times in America/Los Angeles · day length 12h 0m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.
Location pages name the light directly.
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.