Upper Falls, Old Man's Cave
Hocking Hills, Ohio · 852 ft
A chute drops through a slot in Blackhand sandstone at the head of the Old Man's Cave gorge, with hemlock roots hanging over both walls. Shoot from the stone bridge or the stairs below, where wet rock and fallen maple leaves hold color under cloud.
Typical peak
Oct 14 – Oct 22
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Crowds
extreme
Gridlocked at peak weekends. Go on a weekday, or be there an hour before light.
Getting there
Park at the Hocking Hills Visitor Center lot on OH-664 just south of OH-374 and walk 200 yards to the bridge over Upper Falls.
What turns here
- eastern hemlock
- sugar maple
- tulip poplar
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 18Typical color progression for Upper Falls, Old Man's Cave. No change from Sep 10 to Sep 27. First color from Sep 27 to Oct 6. Approaching peak from Oct 6 to Oct 14. Peak from Oct 14 to Oct 22. Past peak from Oct 22 to Nov 1. Bare from Nov 1 to Nov 15.
Color starts around Sep 27.
Light at peak
Upper Falls, Old Man's Cave on October 18, 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 | 7:15 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 102° | 7:43 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:19 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:15 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 6:11 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 258° | 6:47 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:14 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 5m · 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.