Chimney Top Rock
Red River Gorge, Kentucky · 1,155 ft
Typical peak
Oct 17 – Oct 25
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
A sandstone pillar at the end of a ridge with the Red River about 400 feet below and cliff lines running out on both sides. Fog fills the gorge on cold October mornings and burns off through the color.
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
Drive Chimney Top Road (Forest Road 10) off KY 715 to the lot at its end, then hike Trail 235 about 0.4 mile to the rock.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- tulip poplar
- sassafras
- white oak
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 21Typical color progression for Chimney Top Rock. No change from Sep 13 to Sep 30. First color from Sep 30 to Oct 9. Approaching peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Peak from Oct 17 to Oct 25. Past peak from Oct 25 to Nov 4. Bare from Nov 4 to Nov 18.
Chimney Top Rock is typically at past peak 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
70°F / 43°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
Chimney Top Rock on October 21, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:22 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 103° | 7:48 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 8:24 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:19 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 6:13 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 257° | 6:49 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:16 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 1m · 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.