Kancamagus Highway at Kancamagus Pass
White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire · 2,854 ft
NH Route 112 crosses its height of land at 2,855 feet between the Pemigewasset Wilderness and the Hancock ridges, with no buildings, wires, or services along 34 miles of road. The paved overlooks within two miles of the pass look down on unbroken hardwood slopes.
Typical peak
Sep 26 – Oct 4
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Works at both ends of the day
Crowds
extreme
Gridlocked at peak weekends. Go on a weekday, or be there an hour before light.
Getting there
Drive NH Route 112 east from Lincoln about 9 miles to the pass, where the Pemigewasset and Hancock overlooks have paved pullouts on either side.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- paper birch
- american beech
- red maple
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 30Typical color progression for Kancamagus Highway at Kancamagus Pass. No change from Aug 23 to Sep 9. First color from Sep 9 to Sep 18. Approaching peak from Sep 18 to Sep 26. Peak from Sep 26 to Oct 4. Past peak from Oct 4 to Oct 14. Bare from Oct 14 to Oct 28.
Color starts around Sep 9.
Light at peak
Kancamagus Highway at Kancamagus Pass on September 30, 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 | 6:13 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 93° | 6:42 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:20 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:36 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 5:51 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 267° | 6:29 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:58 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 47m · 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.