Lake Minnewaska
Shawangunk Ridge, New York · 1,644 ft
White conglomerate cliffs drop straight into a small sky lake, and the carriage road loop gives elevated angles from every side. Pitch pine on the ledges stays green against red maple and blueberry, so the color reads as separated blocks rather than a wash.
Typical peak
Oct 6 – Oct 14
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best at sunset
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Enter Minnewaska State Park Preserve off US 44/NY 55 west of New Paltz, pay the vehicle fee, and walk five minutes down to the lake loop.
What turns here
- chestnut oak
- red maple
- pitch pine
- blueberry
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 10Typical color progression for Lake Minnewaska. 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.
Color starts around Sep 19.
Light at peak
Lake Minnewaska on October 10, 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 | 6:35 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 98° | 7:03 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 7:40 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:44 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 5:47 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 262° | 6:24 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:52 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 21m · 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.