Sugar Hill / Sunset Hill Road

Franconia Notch region, New Hampshire · 1,557 ft

Bare <20% Typical peak was 28 days ago

Typical peak

Sep 30 – Oct 8

low confidence in typical timing.

Best light

Best at sunset

Classic view faces ESE (115°)

Open hayfields on the ridge look east across the Gale River valley to Cannon Mountain and Mount Lafayette, about eight miles off. Late sun front-lights the ridgeline while the fields and roadside maples in front of you fall into shadow.

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

44.2097, -71.7893

Open in Maps

Getting there

Follow NH Route 117 west from Franconia to Sugar Hill village, turn onto Sunset Hill Road, and use the roadside pullouts along the ridge, since the fields themselves are private.

What turns here

sugar maple
red maple
paper birch

Color progression

Typical peak Oct 4

typical peak Nov 1, 2026

Sugar Hill / Sunset Hill Road 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

Oct 4

11 nights at or below 32°F since Aug 1.

Last 14 days

55°F / 32°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

Sugar Hill / Sunset Hill Road on October 4, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Sugar Hill / Sunset Hill Road on October 4, 2026
Event	Time
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:19 AM
Sunrise Rises E · 95°	6:48 AM
Morning golden hour ends 39 min of low, warm light	7:26 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light	12:36 PM
Evening golden hour starts 39 min before sunset	5:44 PM
Sunset Sets W · 265°	6:23 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:52 PM

Times in America/New York · day length 11h 35m · 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: backlit

Sun behind the canopy — leaves glow translucent. The shot most people are after. Expect flare; a hood or a hand helps.

Sunset: front-lit

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

Classic composition faces ESE (115°).

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.