Ashokan Reservoir Promenade
Catskills, New York · 604 ft
Typical peak
Oct 9 – Oct 17
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces WNW (300°)
The paved dike walkway puts open water between the camera and the Burroughs Range, so Wittenberg and Cornell sit above a clean reflection to the west-northwest. Calm early air gives a mirrored ridgeline with no foreground clutter.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
moderate
Often busier by mid-morning; consider arriving at first light.
Getting there
Park at either the NY 28A lot in Olivebridge or the Basin Road lot in West Hurley and walk out onto the paved dike.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red maple
- white ash
- eastern hemlock
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 13Typical color progression for Ashokan Reservoir Promenade. No change from Sep 5 to Sep 22. First color from Sep 22 to Oct 1. Approaching peak from Oct 1 to Oct 9. Peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Past peak from Oct 17 to Oct 27. Bare from Oct 27 to Nov 10.
Ashokan Reservoir Promenade is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
None yet
No night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
61°F / 39°F
Average daily high and low.
Modeled weather for these coordinates from the Open-Meteo historical archive, Aug 1 – Oct 31; not a station record. Reported peak is the median date of approved peak-color reports.
Plan the light
Ashokan Reservoir Promenade on October 13, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:38 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 100° | 7:06 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:44 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:43 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 5:41 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 260° | 6:19 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:47 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 13m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sunrise: front-lit
Sun behind you. Flat, even light — accurate color, little drama. Good for wide valley scenes, weak for single trees.
Sunset: backlit
Sun behind the canopy — leaves glow translucent. The shot most people are after. Expect flare; a hood or a hand helps.
Classic composition faces WNW (300°).
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.
Nearby locations
Within 100 miles in a straight line; road distances can be longer.