Glade Creek Grist Mill
New River Gorge, West Virginia · 2,277 ft
A working reconstruction of a 19th-century mill sits directly over the ledges of Glade Creek, with maples closing the hollow on three sides. Flat overcast light holds detail in the white water and the weathered board siding at the same exposure.
Typical peak
Oct 13 – Oct 21
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Enter Babcock State Park off WV 41 near Clifftop and park in the mill lot 50 yards from the building.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red maple
- hickory
- tulip poplar
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 17Typical color progression for Glade Creek Grist Mill. 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.
Color starts around Sep 26.
Light at peak
Glade Creek Grist Mill on October 17, 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 | 7:07 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 101° | 7:34 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 8:09 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:09 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 6:08 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 259° | 6:44 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:10 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 10m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
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.