High Point Monument
Kittatinny Ridge, New Jersey · 1,803 ft
Typical peak
Oct 6 – Oct 14
low confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunset
New Jersey's highest point, where a 220-foot obelisk rises straight out of the ridge-top forest. The monument is the subject, framed against color from the summit loop, and the deck at the top opens onto farmland in three states.
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
Take NJ 23 to the High Point State Park entrance and drive Monument Drive to the summit lot at the base of the obelisk.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red maple
- chestnut oak
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 10Typical color progression for High Point Monument. No change from Sep 2 to Sep 19. First color from Sep 19 to Sep 28. Approaching peak from Sep 28 to Oct 6. Peak from Oct 6 to Oct 14. Past peak from Oct 14 to Oct 24. Bare from Oct 24 to Nov 7.
High Point Monument is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
Oct 18
6 nights at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
59°F / 34°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
High Point Monument on October 10, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:37 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 98° | 7:04 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 7:41 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:45 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 5:49 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 262° | 6:26 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:54 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 22m · 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 E, sets W.
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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