Mount Battie Summit
Midcoast Maine, Maine · 788 ft
A stone tower stands on open ledge above Camden harbor, with the schooner fleet, the Penobscot Bay islands, and hardwood slopes stacked below in one frame. Morning light comes off the bay and hits the town and the hillside straight on.
Typical peak
Oct 3 – Oct 11
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Classic view faces SSE (150°)
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Drive the 1-mile Mount Battie Auto Road from the Camden Hills State Park entrance on US 1, then walk 50 yards from the lot to the ledge.
What turns here
- red maple
- northern red oak
- white ash
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 7Typical color progression for Mount Battie Summit. No change from Aug 30 to Sep 16. First color from Sep 16 to Sep 25. Approaching peak from Sep 25 to Oct 3. Peak from Oct 3 to Oct 11. Past peak from Oct 11 to Oct 21. Bare from Oct 21 to Nov 4.
Color starts around Sep 16.
Light at peak
Mount Battie Summit on October 7, 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 | 6:12 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 97° | 6:41 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 39 min of low, warm light | 7:19 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:24 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 39 min before sunset | 5:28 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 263° | 6:07 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:36 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 26m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Both ends of the day: side-lit
Side light. Best for texture and depth across a ridge, and the safest bet for contrast.
Based on the classic composition here facing SSE (150°).
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.