Skip to content
Fall Photo Guide

Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park

Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island · 196 ft

Bare <20% Typical peak was 17 days ago

Typical peak

Oct 11 – Oct 19

moderate confidence in typical timing.

Best light

Best at sunrise

Rhode Island's first state park, 627 acres of glacial boulder field and hardwood around Olney Pond ten minutes from Providence. The erratics give a foreground that most pond shots in this state do not have, and the circumferential road puts a car on the water at several angles.

Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .

Crowds

high

Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.

Coordinates

41.8912, -71.4320

Open in Maps

Getting there

Between routes 146 and 123 in Lincoln, entering past the covered bridge at Breakneck Hill. A circumferential road rings the pond with pullouts and scenic overlooks.

What turns here

  • red maple
  • black oak
  • black birch
  • black gum

Color progression

Typical peak Oct 15

Typical color progression for Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park. No change from Sep 7 to Sep 24. First color from Sep 24 to Oct 3. Approaching peak from Oct 3 to Oct 11. Peak from Oct 11 to Oct 19. Past peak from Oct 19 to Oct 29. Bare from Oct 29 to Nov 12.

typical peak Nov 1, 2026

Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.

This season so far

Reported peak

None yet

Seen peak color here? Add a report.

First frost

None yet

No night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.

Last 14 days

61°F / 41°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

Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park on October 15, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park on October 15, 2026
EventTime
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 6:29 AM
Sunrise Rises E · 101° 6:57 AM
Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light 7:35 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light 12:31 PM
Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset 5:27 PM
Sunset Sets W · 259° 6:05 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 6:33 PM

Times in America/New York · day length 11h 7m · 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.

Loading conditions…

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.