Theodore Roosevelt Island
Potomac River, Washington, D.C. · 38 ft
Typical peak
Oct 19 – Oct 27
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
An 88-acre wooded island in the Potomac with a boardwalk over tidal swamp along its southeast side. River fog sits in that marsh on calm mornings after a cold night, and the swamp maples there turn ahead of anything on the mainland.
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
The footbridge starts at the lot on the northbound George Washington Parkway. There is no crossing from the DC side. About 60 spaces, full by mid-morning on weekends.
What turns here
- red maple
- tulip poplar
- black gum
- green ash
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 23Typical color progression for Theodore Roosevelt Island. No change from Sep 15 to Oct 2. First color from Oct 2 to Oct 11. Approaching peak from Oct 11 to Oct 19. Peak from Oct 19 to Oct 27. Past peak from Oct 27 to Nov 6. Bare from Nov 6 to Nov 20.
Theodore Roosevelt Island 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
66°F / 45°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
Theodore Roosevelt Island on October 23, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:58 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 104° | 7:25 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:02 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:52 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 5:42 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 256° | 6:19 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:46 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 10h 54m · 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.
- Tidal Basin Past peak
Washington, D.C. · 2 mi away
10 ft · peaks Oct 23 - Boulder Bridge, Rock Creek Park Past peak
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71 ft · peaks Oct 22 - U.S. National Arboretum Past peak
Washington, D.C. · 5 mi away
53 ft · peaks Oct 23 - Chimney Rock, Catoctin Mountain Bare
Maryland · 54 mi away
1,395 ft · peaks Oct 16