Fall colors: Aspens turning gold in Convict Lake, parts of Eastern Sierra

Fall has been a mixed bag so far in the Eastern Sierra, but golds and reds are finally taking hold, according to leaf-spotting reports. The foot of snow that fell last week in Mammoth Lakes, Lake Tahoe and other high-elevation spots in the Sierra has pretty much melted -- and the focus is back on fall colors.

Bishop area: Tarrin Carlile at Parchers Resort has been providing photos for fall color updates on the resort’s website. She says spots of snow linger but most of it is gone. Her picks for color right now: South Lake Road and Lake Sabrina where aspens (which turn gold) dominate. Some of the area, she says, is past peak and leaves are starting to fall from the trees.

Mammoth area: Go-to blog California Fall Color gathers reports from leaf-peepers who say Convict Lake and Mammoth Creek are coloring up. Contributor Alicia Vennos recommends an easy hike along Mammoth Creek (yes, get out of the car) from the Hayden Cabin Museum (closed for the season). And Conway Summit near Mono Lake gets raves from contributor Dana Nichols.

Not much is happening in Yosemite National Park where trees won’t begin to turn for a few more weeks.

Of course, autumn displays aren’t confined to the Sierra. California State Parks recommends these areas as potentially being good viewing spots.