Devils Kitchen Overlook
Mount Nebo Scenic Byway, Utah · 8,184 ft
Typical peak
Sep 18 – Sep 26
low confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunset
Orange sandstone hoodoos fill a small amphitheater at the head of Red Creek, with bigtooth maple turning crimson on the slopes around the rim. Red rock and red maple stack in one frame from the deck at the end of the paved path.
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
Signed parking and picnic area on the Nebo Loop Road (Forest Road 015) about 15 miles northeast of Nephi, with a paved 200-yard walk to the viewing deck.
What turns here
- bigtooth maple
- quaking aspen
- gambel oak
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 22Typical color progression for Devils Kitchen Overlook. No change from Aug 15 to Sep 1. First color from Sep 1 to Sep 10. Approaching peak from Sep 10 to Sep 18. Peak from Sep 18 to Sep 26. Past peak from Sep 26 to Oct 6. Bare from Oct 6 to Oct 20.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 1.
This season so far
First frost
Oct 13
9 nights at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
49°F / 35°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
Devils Kitchen Overlook on September 22, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:47 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 89° | 7:14 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 7:50 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:19 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 6:49 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 271° | 7:24 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:51 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 12h 10m · 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 E, sets W.
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.