Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Nevada

Places in Nevada ranked by their typical peak window, so you can pick where to be this week or plan the next one.

Photo: Joe Billy Basin

The earliest typical peak we track is at Hidden Lakes (around Sep 7) and the latest is at Steele Lake (around Oct 2). We track 85 places here: 65 hikes, 18 mountain biking trails, 1 campground, and 1 summit.

This week

In typical peak now in Nevada

Places whose usual window includes today.

Hikes

Best fall hikes

Trails ranked by how much hardwood forest surrounds them and how consistent the timing is across years.

Camp

Campgrounds in the color

Wake up in it. Check availability and any seasonal closures before you go.

Views

Summits and waterfalls

Overlooks for the big picture, falls for the doubled-up reflection.

Ride

Mountain biking through the color

Singletrack with a canopy overhead.

Everything

Map and full list

Every place we track in Nevada, grouped by where it is in its typical window.

  • In typical peak now (4)
  • Past peak (81)

In typical peak now

Today falls inside the usual peak window for these places.

Past peak

The usual peak window has ended for the year.

Questions

Fall colors in Nevada: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Nevada?

Across the places we track in Nevada, typical peaks start as early as Sep 7 and as late as Oct 2, depending on elevation and location. Open any place below to see its own window.

Where do leaves change first in Nevada?

Among the places we track in Nevada, Hidden Lakes has the earliest typical peak, around Sep 7. The latest is Steele Lake, around Oct 2.

What are the best fall hikes in Nevada?

Hikes with strong typical color in Nevada include 1St Boulder, 2Nd Boulder, 4Th Boulder, Gilbert Creek, and CONRAD CREEK CUTOFF. They are ranked by how much of the surrounding forest is hardwood and how consistent the timing has been across years.

Is this a forecast?

No. These dates are typical timing: when leaves have usually reached peak in past years, from NASA satellite vegetation data from 2017 to 2024 and USGS forest cover. A warm, dry or very wet year can shift them by a week or more, so treat them as a planning window, not a prediction for this year.

Typical timing from NASA MODIS vegetation data (2017–2024) and USGS NLCD 2021 forest cover. Not a forecast. Timing is typical, not a forecast. How we time it.