Watch the colors splash across the Sierras starting in the high country this month (depending on the weather), and then trace the autumn splendor as it slowly creeps into the lower elevations, crawling down creek beds, and into meadows and canyons through October. South of Lone Pine and Mt. Whitney, check Monanche Meadows, Cottonwood Pass and the Mt. Whitney area. Near Independence, the foliage and fauna of Onion Valley Kearsarge Pass and Grays Meadow are just off the road. A quick drive up Big Pine Creek Canyon is also a colorful trip. The Bishop Creek Drainage always puts on a fine fall show of color. On the valley floor below Pine Creek Canyon, Round Valley, with its towering cottonwoods and serene pastures, puts on a low-elevation show later in the season.   Check www.bishopvisitor.com for the latest updates.