Steamboat Rock, Clifton Gorge
Little Miami River, Ohio · 912 ft
Dolomite blocks pinch the Little Miami into a narrow chute below Steamboat Rock, with relict hemlock on the cold north wall and sugar maple on the rim. The rim trail gives a downstream line that holds moving water and the gorge wall in one frame.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Typical peak
Oct 13 – Oct 21
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Crowds
moderate
Often busier by mid-morning; consider arriving at first light.
Getting there
Park at the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve lot on OH-343 just west of Clifton village and walk 0.4 mile west along the rim trail.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- eastern hemlock
- american beech
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 17Typical color progression for Steamboat Rock, Clifton Gorge. No change from Sep 9 to Sep 26. First color from Sep 26 to Oct 5. Approaching peak from Oct 5 to Oct 13. Peak from Oct 13 to Oct 21. Past peak from Oct 21 to Oct 31. Bare from Oct 31 to Nov 14.
Steamboat Rock, Clifton Gorge is typically at no change on this date.
Light at peak
Steamboat Rock, Clifton Gorge on October 17, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:20 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 101° | 7:47 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:24 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:20 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 6:17 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 258° | 6:53 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:21 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 6m · 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.