Cindy and I went on our yearly Fall colors drive over to Bishop and Oh boy did we have fun. We left home(Sacramento) about 4am so we would get to Monitor Pass at about sunrise. We ate in Bridgeport(best pancakes I've ever had) then off to Virginia Lake. After Virginia Lake we went on the June Lake scenic loop(hwy 158) then to Convict Lake. From there we went to Rock Creek Lake then over to Bishop and North lake, South lake and Lake Sabrina which is on Hwy 168 and then back to Mammoth Lakes for the night. The next day we went to Devils Postpile Natl. Mon.(Hwy 203) and then N. on the Mammoth scenic loop back to 395. Oh, we also went to the Hot Springs geological area just E. of Mammoth Lakes. About 10 miles N. of Lee Vining is a great place to find very good Fall colors and that is on Lundy Lake rd. We came back west on Hwy 108(my favorite road to drive) back to Hwy 49 and home. We went about 730 miles and the top was down 100% of the time(even when it was 28* outside).

So here is the pic's(all 520 of them LOL)

http://s949.photobucket.com/albums/a...02011%20Drive/

ROD

 

Gorgeous scenery there!

Sounds like a great trip!

 

I may head up to Bishop on Thursday to see the aspen trees. I have a hotel reservation already but am not 100% sure I'll go. If I do I won't get there until dark on Thursday and then I planned on driving up Bishop Creek on Friday. I see you took photos of some orange aspens but I wonder where you saw them.

 

I don't know what orange aspens look like. But if its the trees in pic 463 then that was taken on Hwy 108.

ROD

 

Yes, you had a few with orange trees including that one. I found a site that said the aspens are good outside of Bishop in Bishop Creek, North Lake, Lake Sabrina and South Lake. That's part of where you went. I'm planning on being there on Friday. Thank you for sharing, Rod.

 

Here's what I mean by orange aspen trees. In late September 2008, Jerry (Spokes Man) and I drove our S2000s from So Cal to Colorado. We were joined by Jim (S1997) for a drive up the Million Dollar Highway (Hwy 550, between Durango and Silverton). We lucked into spectacular colors that fall.

^Sept. 29, 2008 in Colorado on the Million Dollar Highway.

^Sept. 29, 2008 in Colorado on the Million Dollar Highway.

 

Here are two sites that I like
http://www.californiafallcolor.com/
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/22/393...ll-leaves.html

If you can go a little north of Bishop, Convict Lake is good and Lundy Lake is awesome(take the dirt road loop at the end of the canyon). The June lakes loop(Hwy 158) should be at peak color. I try to get up early so I can get to the canyon to get some pic's of the Sun first hitting the trees.

ROD

 

^Good links! Thank you. I've camped on Gull Lake in the June Lake loop before. It is really nice, too. Saw Convict before. I'll probably just visit the Bishop area though and then head back south.

 

^^ The trip of a lifetime!! Then we continued on to Aspen and the Maroon Bells. , etc, etc...