Autumn Leaves and Fall Foliage

October 19, 2020 • Leave a Comment

"L" is for Leaves.

This letter fell at the perfect time, along with the falling leaves! Autumn is officially here so I thought this would be a great time to write a post on where to find some great fall color leaves.

I organized these from North to South so that locations that are geographically near each other appear close together on the list.

If you hover over any picture, more information will appear about the location. You can also click on any photo to open these (and more) in a photo gallery. Or - simply click here for Photo Gallery.

Prehistoric Gardens, Port Orford OregonI was turned on to this location by an Oregon native (thank you Maigyn!) It is a really neat place set within a forest with hiking trails and dinosaur sculptures and information. When I was there, the leaves were just starting to turn but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get one resting on this bridge.

Prehistoric Gardens, near Port Orford, Oregon

Lower South Falls, Silver Falls State Park, OregonSilver Falls State Park is excellent for fall colors. It has a really nice hiking trail that goes around to the many waterfalls in the park. This one is from behind Silver Falls, with a little fall color peeking through the water.

Behind Silver Falls, Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

Fall foliage, Rogue River Gorge, OregonThe Rogue River Gorge viewpoint along the Crater Lake Highway in Oregon has a great trail and tons of color that is easily accessible. This was an unplanned stop and I ended up spending a couple hours here.

Fall foliage, Rogue River Gorge, Oregon

Single autumn leaf, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CaliforniaThe redwoods aren't known for fall colors, but there are a few trees with leaves that turn colors (primarily yellow). The low volume of these make them really stand out against the emerald green of the redwood forest.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California

Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National ParkEven though Yosemite doesn't have the flashy fall color of some other locations, you can find some orange near Lower Yosemite Falls. The falls aren't always flowing in autumn but when they are, you can get some nice shots.

Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California

Fallen Leaf Lake, Lake TahoeLake Tahoe is easily accessible, which as it pros and cons. It can get quite crowded here on an autumn weekend but side roads to Fallen Leaf Lake offer a bit a solitude and some nice fall color scenes.

Fallen Leaf Lake, Lake Tahoe, California

Aspen leaves and trunks, abstractThese aspens were shot in Hope Valley, on Highway 89, near Lake Tahoe. These had a nice combination of leaves that were green, yellow, and orange, making for fun abstract designs. These were very easily accessed, right off the road. This area makes for a great Sunday drive.

Aspen abstract, Hope Valley, California

Beaver Ponds, Lundy Lake areaLundy Lake is an easy drive off Highway 395, just north of Lee Vining, but you can continue on a dirt road past Lundy Lake to these beaver ponds and a nice hiking trail.

Beaver Ponds, Lundy Lake, California

Lake reflections, June LakeYou don't just have to photograph the leaves during autumn. Often times, you can capture the reflections of those colors in creeks and lakes.

Fall color reflections, June Lake, California

Bishop Creek, Bishop CaliforniaBishop Creek is a fun subject to shot during autumn. It runs along Bishop Creek Road, which can be accessed from Highway 168 in Bishop.

Bishop Creek, near Bishop, California

South Lake sunriseIt was cold and windy the morning I shot this, which is evident in the blurred movement of the aspens running along the bottom edge of the frame.

South Lake, near Aspendell, California

North Lake, Aspendell CaliforniaNorth Lake has showy aspens dotted along the shoreline. Great for intimate landscapes and reflections.

North Lake, near Aspendell, California

Lake Sabrina, Aspendell CaliforniaLake Sabrina is a beautiful lake with peaks surrounding the area. You can get many shots near your car, or take the hiking trail that runs along the south side of the lake.

Lake Sabrina, near Aspendell, California

Leaf on lichen, Zion National Park, UtahZion is wonderful for fall color, especially if a good rain comes though, creating ephemeral waterfalls around the park.

Leaf on lichen, Zion National Park, Utah

I hope you enjoyed this leaf tour. You can see more photos of these locations in the Photo Gallery.

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