Mount Washington Auto Road
Presidential Range, New Hampshire · 1,564 ft
The toll road climbs 7.6 miles from the Glen House to the 6,288-foot summit, crossing hardwood, spruce, krummholz, and bare rock in under an hour. Pullouts above the four-mile mark look down into the Great Gulf, where the color line shows as a distinct band across the slopes.
Typical peak
Sep 30 – Oct 8
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
Enter at the Auto Road gate on NH Route 16 opposite the Glen House, about 2.5 miles north of Pinkham Notch, and pay the per-vehicle toll at the base.
What turns here
- paper birch
- mountain ash
- sugar maple
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 4Typical color progression for Mount Washington Auto Road. No change from Aug 27 to Sep 13. First color from Sep 13 to Sep 22. Approaching peak from Sep 22 to Sep 30. Peak from Sep 30 to Oct 8. Past peak from Oct 8 to Oct 18. Bare from Oct 18 to Nov 1.
Color starts around Sep 13.
Light at peak
Mount Washington Auto Road on October 4, 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 | 6:17 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 95° | 6:46 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 39 min of low, warm light | 7:24 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:33 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 39 min before sunset | 5:42 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 265° | 6:21 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:50 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 35m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
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.