Enfield Lookout

Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts · 800 ft

Bare <20% Typical peak was 21 days ago

Typical peak

Oct 7 – Oct 15

moderate confidence in typical timing.

Best light

Best at sunrise

Classic view faces NW (320°)

The platform sits roughly 280 feet above the reservoir and faces northwest across open water toward the wooded hills of the drowned Swift River valley. Red maple on the near shoreline turns first and reads hard against the blue water.

Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated Nov 1, 2026.

Crowds

moderate

Often busier by mid-morning; consider arriving at first light.

Coordinates

42.3092, -72.3351

Open in Maps

Getting there

Enter Quabbin Park from MA 9 in Belchertown and follow the park road past Winsor Dam to the marked lookout pull-off.

What turns here

red maple
northern red oak
white oak

Color progression

Typical peak Oct 11

typical peak Nov 1, 2026

Enfield Lookout 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

60°F / 39°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

Enfield Lookout on October 11, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Enfield Lookout on October 11, 2026
Event	Time
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:29 AM
Sunrise Rises E · 99°	6:57 AM
Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light	7:35 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light	12:36 PM
Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset	5:37 PM
Sunset Sets W · 261°	6:14 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:42 PM

Times in America/New York · day length 11h 17m · computed from NOAA solar equations.

Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.

Which way to point the camera

Sunrise: front-lit

Sun behind you. Flat, even light — accurate color, little drama. Good for wide valley scenes, weak for single trees.

Sunset: side-lit

Side light. Best for texture and depth across a ridge, and the safest bet for contrast.

Classic composition faces NW (320°).

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.