Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Muscatatuck River Bottoms, Indiana · 578 ft
Typical peak
Oct 17 – Oct 25
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Bottomland and shallow marsh along the Muscatatuck in southern Indiana, water-level country rather than the ridge overlooks the state already has. Oak and hickory carry the color and the impoundments give it somewhere to land.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
moderate
Often busier by mid-morning; consider arriving at first light.
Getting there
Off US 50 east of Seymour. A three-mile auto tour route runs the impoundments with pullouts, plus several short trails and an observation tower.
What turns here
- oak
- hickory
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 21Typical color progression for Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. No change from Sep 13 to Sep 30. First color from Sep 30 to Oct 9. Approaching peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Peak from Oct 17 to Oct 25. Past peak from Oct 25 to Nov 4. Bare from Nov 4 to Nov 18.
Muscatatuck 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
72°F / 44°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
Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge on October 21, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:31 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 103° | 7:58 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:35 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:27 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 6:20 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 257° | 6:57 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:24 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 10h 58m · 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.