Gold Creek Pond
Snoqualmie Pass, Washington · 2,536 ft
Vine maple turn scarlet around a paved loop that circles the pond, with the Gold Creek valley and the Chikamin ridgeline lined up to the northeast. Cold mornings put mist on the water, and the shoreline is a five-minute walk from the car.
Typical peak
Sep 19 – Sep 27
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces NE (45°)
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Take I-90 exit 54 at Hyak, follow Gold Creek Road (Forest Road 4832) a mile north to the Gold Creek Pond picnic area, and walk the paved half-mile loop.
What turns here
- vine maple
- black cottonwood
- red alder
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 23Typical color progression for Gold Creek Pond. No change from Aug 16 to Sep 2. First color from Sep 2 to Sep 11. Approaching peak from Sep 11 to Sep 19. Peak from Sep 19 to Sep 27. Past peak from Sep 27 to Oct 7. Bare from Oct 7 to Oct 21.
Color starts around Sep 2.
Light at peak
Gold Creek Pond on September 23, 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 | 6:22 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 89° | 6:53 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 40 min of low, warm light | 7:34 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:57 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 40 min before sunset | 6:21 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 271° | 7:02 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:32 PM |
Times in America/Los Angeles · day length 12h 8m · 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: side-lit
Side light. Best for texture and depth across a ridge, and the safest bet for contrast.
Based on the classic composition here facing NE (45°).
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.