If you’re looking for some Fall colors in California, the eastern sierras are your place to go! I’ve come here for weekend trips just to find some color, but this year I planned a backpacking trip during the height of the aspen trees changing color. Growing up on the East Coast, the Fall was always such a magical time marked by the hues of the changing leaves, and it’s something I have missed a lot since moving out to coastal California. If you plan on seeing the leaves changing, you have to make sure you time it right to the area you want to go. McGee Pass is at its height in mid/early October, but I have been to other areas in Big Pine that still have some lingering colors in November. I booked my backpacking permit well in advance to make sure I got the timing right, but by this time of year when it’s getting cold, the backpacking permits don’t usually sell out because most people opt to day hike. Whether you want to backpack or day hike, McGee Pass is just beautiful year round. 

You have to drive a very narrow gravel road to the parking area, if you have a wide vehicle be very careful because the road narrows around blind turns with steep cliffs on one end. Once at the trail head (which WILL BE PACKED when the colors are changing) there are two ways into the mountain valley, along the river with the trees, or up the mountain above it. I always prefer to start on the higher trail with the overlooking views so that on the way back I can go through the trees on the way back. There are beautiful views the entire trail of Fall colors until you get to McGee Pass. The trail will lead to a small lake about 5.5 miles in and then the larger McGee Lake is about 7.2 miles in, and great places to visit when it is warm enough to swim. But along that trail up the pass about 4 miles in, you start to lose the aspen trees and are enveloped by a pine forest. I was facing inclimate weather as I was ascending the pass with high winds, so I opted to find a spot before the lake where I would be shielded from the wind by the rocks and mountains around me. Always remember when camping in the forest during high winds to be conscious of trees falling. Try to position your tent where it is somewhat sheltered from the wind but also not so close to any trees that branches would fall on your tent. Obviously that is not always possible in more densely forested areas, but something to keep in mind. This time of year brings cold weather, which is also what brings out all of the colors from the aspen trees, so you must prepare for a cold night. The temps when I camped got down to the mid-teens. The next morning there was a dusting of snow on the peaks above me and all the stream crossings I had done the day before were frozen. It is very important to be prepared for cold night temps below freezing. I only have a 30° sleeping bag, which isn’t enough to keep me warm on its own if it dips below freezing, so I had many fleece layers, a fleece beanie, a fleece balaclava, and two sets of hand warmers. One I put into between my two layers of socks and in the morning when I woke up, used the other set to keep my hands warm as I made breakfast and packed up. A warm coffee in the morning is unbeatable in the cold. I took my time on the hike out, enjoying the colors and views, intermittently stopping to take off some layers as the day warmed up and I got into the sun. Getting back to the parking lot, there’s many picnic tables in the aspens along the river, so it’s a great spot so filter some water before the ride back and rinse off my face and hands. 

Also, driving the 395 in Fall is always fun because it’s elk rutting season, and very easy to see them from the highway. This is the time of year they mate, grow their large antlers, and are very aggressive due to all their rushing hormones, so make sure to always keep a very safe distance! I have never seen a herd cross the highway, but they certainly do at times so be very careful and keep an eye out, especially during this time of year. But driving by some fields you can see the herd walking together or taking a break to sit with their antlers poking above the grass.