Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
Mingo Basin, Missouri · 460 ft
Typical peak
Oct 22 – Oct 30
high confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
A surviving remnant of the cypress-tupelo swamp that once filled the bootheel, in an old abandoned channel of the Mississippi. Cypress runs rust well ahead of the surrounding oak and gum, so the swamp and the ridge above it are rarely doing the same thing at once.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
low
Usually quieter, especially around dawn.
Getting there
Off Highway 51 north of Puxico. A boardwalk, an auto tour route and an observation tower reach the swamp; parts of the refuge close seasonally for waterfowl.
What turns here
- bald cypress
- tupelo
- oak
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 26Typical color progression for Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. No change from Sep 18 to Oct 5. First color from Oct 5 to Oct 14. Approaching peak from Oct 14 to Oct 22. Peak from Oct 22 to Oct 30. Past peak from Oct 30 to Nov 9. Bare from Nov 9 to Nov 23.
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge is typically at past peak on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
None yet
No night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
75°F / 46°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
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge on October 26, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:52 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 105° | 7:18 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 7:54 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:44 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 5:34 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 255° | 6:10 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:37 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 10h 52m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
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.