Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Plateau, Kentucky · 807 ft
Typical peak
Oct 21 – Oct 29
high confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
A 68-foot curtain roughly 125 feet wide, backed by hardwood slopes on both banks of the Cumberland River. Flat overcast light holds detail in the whitewater and keeps the maples across the river from blowing out.
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 at the Cumberland Falls lot off KY 90 west of Corbin, where paved walkways reach the railed overlooks in 100 to 400 yards.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- tulip poplar
- red maple
- hickory
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 25Typical color progression for Cumberland Falls. No change from Sep 17 to Oct 4. First color from Oct 4 to Oct 13. Approaching peak from Oct 13 to Oct 21. Peak from Oct 21 to Oct 29. Past peak from Oct 29 to Nov 8. Bare from Nov 8 to Nov 22.
Cumberland Falls 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
73°F / 45°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
Cumberland Falls on October 25, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:27 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 104° | 7:54 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 8:30 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:21 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 6:13 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 255° | 6:48 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:15 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 10h 55m · 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.
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