Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
Mingo Basin, Missouri · 460 ft
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 .
Typical peak
Oct 22 – Oct 30
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
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.
Color starts around Oct 5.
Light at peak
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge on October 26, 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
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.