Lake Trahlyta, Vogel State Park
Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia · 2,238 ft
A small CCC-built lake ringed by hardwood slopes with Blood Mountain behind it, putting color and its reflection in one frame. Still water before mid-morning is what makes the shot work.
Typical peak
Oct 21 – Oct 29
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Park in the day-use lot at Vogel State Park off US 19/129 south of Blairsville and walk the 1-mile loop trail that circles the lake.
What turns here
- red maple
- tulip poplar
- white oak
- sourwood
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 25Typical color progression for Lake Trahlyta, Vogel State Park. No change from Sep 17 to Oct 4. First color from Oct 4 to Oct 13. Approaching peak from Oct 13 to Oct 21. Peak from Oct 21 to Oct 29. Past peak from Oct 29 to Nov 8. Bare from Nov 8 to Nov 22.
Color starts around Oct 4.
Light at peak
Lake Trahlyta, Vogel State Park on October 25, 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 | 7:24 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 104° | 7:49 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light | 8:24 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:19 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 6:15 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 256° | 6:49 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:15 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 0m · 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.