Cadillac Mountain Summit
Acadia National Park, Maine · 1,527 ft
The east ledges look out over Frenchman Bay and the Porcupine Islands as the sun clears the Atlantic, with low scrub oak and maple on the summit turning rust and orange. Work the pink granite slabs as foreground instead of shooting from the parking area.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Typical peak
Sep 30 – Oct 8
A few weeks out. Expect this to move by several days.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces E (100°)
Crowds
extreme
Expect heavy peak-weekend traffic; consider a weekday or arrive before dawn.
Getting there
Drive the 3.5-mile Cadillac Summit Road off the Park Loop Road; a timed vehicle reservation is required from late May through late October.
What turns here
- red maple
- gray birch
- quaking aspen
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 4Typical color progression for Cadillac Mountain Summit. No change from Aug 27 to Sep 13. First color from Sep 13 to Sep 22. Approaching peak from Sep 22 to Sep 30. Peak from Sep 30 to Oct 8. Past peak from Oct 8 to Oct 18. Bare from Oct 18 to Nov 1.
Cadillac Mountain Summit is typically at first color on this date.
Light at peak
Cadillac Mountain Summit on October 4, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:05 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 95° | 6:34 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 39 min of low, warm light | 7:12 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:21 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 39 min before sunset | 5:30 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 265° | 6:09 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:38 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 35m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sunrise: backlit
Sun behind the canopy — leaves glow translucent. The shot most people are after. Expect flare; a hood or a hand helps.
Sunset: front-lit
Sun behind you. Flat, even light — accurate color, little drama. Good for wide valley scenes, weak for single trees.
Based on the classic composition here facing E (100°).
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.