Lockett Meadow
San Francisco Peaks, Arizona · 8,571 ft
Typical peak
Sep 28 – Oct 6
low confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces WSW (250°)
A ring of aspen encloses a meadow at the mouth of the Inner Basin, with Humphreys and Agassiz Peaks standing over the west side. The trunks are dense enough to shoot straight into the grove and leave the sky out.
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
Drive US-89 about 12 miles northeast of Flagstaff, turn west on FR 420 opposite the Sunset Crater turnoff, then right on FR 552 and climb four miles of narrow dirt to the meadow loop.
What turns here
- quaking aspen
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 2Typical color progression for Lockett Meadow. No change from Aug 25 to Sep 11. First color from Sep 11 to Sep 20. Approaching peak from Sep 20 to Sep 28. Peak from Sep 28 to Oct 6. Past peak from Oct 6 to Oct 16. Bare from Oct 16 to Oct 30.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 11.
This season so far
First frost
Oct 14
6 nights at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
51°F / 36°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
Lockett Meadow on October 2, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 5:56 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 94° | 6:22 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 34 min of low, warm light | 6:55 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:15 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 34 min before sunset | 5:35 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 266° | 6:09 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:34 PM |
Times in America/Phoenix · day length 11h 47m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sunrise: front-lit
Sun behind you. Flat, even light — accurate color, little drama. Good for wide valley scenes, weak for single trees.
Sunset: backlit
Sun behind the canopy — leaves glow translucent. The shot most people are after. Expect flare; a hood or a hand helps.
Classic composition faces WSW (250°).
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.