I've Visited California for 20 Years-and This Mountain Town Is the Best Place to See Fall Foliage

"Nestled at the base of the soaring Sierra Nevada mountains, the small town of Bishop, California, has autumn views that rival leaf-peeping destinations the world over. This rugged little mountain town is located in Owens Valley on Highway 395, near landmark destinations such as Death Valley National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Mount Whitney (the tallest point in the contiguous United States)."

""It doesn't just happen in one place overnight," says Julie Faber, the marketing specialist at the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. "The fall colors start in mid-September and go through October, depending on Mother Nature. Because of the extreme elevation shift, it starts up high and goes slowly downhill as the season progresses. It's fun to explore different places depending on what's peaking.""

Bishop, California sits in Owens Valley at the base of the Sierra Nevada and features autumn views rivaling traditional leaf-peeping destinations. The town sits near Death Valley, Yosemite, and Mount Whitney, and often serves as a gateway to Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe. Surrounded by Inyo National Forest, Bishop offers restaurants, cozy lodging, Keough's Hot Springs, the Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Year-round outdoor recreation includes rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and fly fishing. Fall transforms local aspen, willow, cottonwood, and deciduous groves into scarlet, gold, and orange. Fall color progression starts mid-September and moves downhill through October.

Read at Travel + Leisure