Hesitation Point
Brown County Hills, Indiana · 1,004 ft
The highest pull-off in Brown County State Park looks across ridge after ridge of maple and tulip poplar with no roofs or towers in the frame. Valley fog holds for an hour past sunrise and separates the ridge lines into bands.
Typical peak
Oct 15 – Oct 23
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Crowds
moderate
Fills up mid-morning. Arriving for first light is usually enough.
Getting there
Enter the park's North Gate on IN-46 east of Nashville and follow the main ridge road to the signed Hesitation Point pull-off, where the view is steps from the lot.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- tulip poplar
- sassafras
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 19Typical color progression for Hesitation Point. No change from Sep 11 to Sep 28. First color from Sep 28 to Oct 7. Approaching peak from Oct 7 to Oct 15. Peak from Oct 15 to Oct 23. Past peak from Oct 23 to Nov 2. Bare from Nov 2 to Nov 16.
Color starts around Sep 28.
Light at peak
Hesitation Point on October 19, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:31 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 102° | 7:58 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:35 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:30 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 6:24 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 258° | 7:01 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:28 PM |
Times in America/Indiana/Indianapolis · day length 11h 3m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.
Location pages name the light directly.
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.