Black Rock Mountain Summit Overlook
Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia · 3,622 ft
Typical peak
Oct 16 – Oct 24
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
The summit overlooks sit on the Eastern Continental Divide and drop into the valleys toward North Carolina, stacking ridge lines four and five deep. Morning fog pools below and leaves the colored ridge tops standing above it.
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
Drive Black Rock Mountain Parkway from US 441 in Mountain City to the visitor center lot at the top, where the overlooks are a few steps from the parking area.
What turns here
- red maple
- tulip poplar
- northern red oak
- sourwood
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 20Typical color progression for Black Rock Mountain Summit Overlook. No change from Sep 12 to Sep 29. First color from Sep 29 to Oct 8. Approaching peak from Oct 8 to Oct 16. Peak from Oct 16 to Oct 24. Past peak from Oct 24 to Nov 3. Bare from Nov 3 to Nov 17.
Black Rock Mountain Summit Overlook is typically at past peak on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
Oct 18
4 nights at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
64°F / 36°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
Black Rock Mountain Summit Overlook on October 20, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:18 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 102° | 7:43 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 34 min of low, warm light | 8:18 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:18 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 34 min before sunset | 6:18 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 258° | 6:53 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:19 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 10m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
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.
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