Brandywine Falls
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio · 797 ft
Typical peak
Oct 10 – Oct 18
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
A 60-foot bridal-veil fall steps down Berea sandstone and shale ledges with beech and maple crowding the rim above the plunge pool. The upper deck lines up the full drop; the lower deck sets branches across the top of the frame.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Park in the Brandywine Falls lot on Stanford Road off Brandywine Road, two miles from I-271 exit 12, and take the 200-yard boardwalk to the two decks.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- american beech
- northern red oak
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 14Typical color progression for Brandywine Falls. No change from Sep 6 to Sep 23. First color from Sep 23 to Oct 2. Approaching peak from Oct 2 to Oct 10. Peak from Oct 10 to Oct 18. Past peak from Oct 18 to Oct 28. Bare from Oct 28 to Nov 11.
Brandywine Falls 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
66°F / 41°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
Brandywine Falls on October 14, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:08 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 100° | 7:36 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:14 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:12 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 6:10 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 260° | 6:47 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:15 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 11m · 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 E, sets W.
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.