Sunset Point, Turkey Run
Sugar Creek, Indiana · 552 ft
Typical peak
Oct 14 – Oct 22
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunset
A sandstone bluff above Sugar Creek where white sycamore trunks line the water and hemlock leans off the far bank. Late light runs down the creek corridor and lights the opposite bluff while the near side goes to shadow.
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.
Getting there
Park in the main Turkey Run State Park lot off IN-47 near the inn and walk about a quarter mile of bluff-top path to the point.
What turns here
- eastern hemlock
- american sycamore
- sugar maple
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 18Typical color progression for Sunset Point, Turkey Run. No change from Sep 10 to Sep 27. First color from Sep 27 to Oct 6. Approaching peak from Oct 6 to Oct 14. Peak from Oct 14 to Oct 22. Past peak from Oct 22 to Nov 1. Bare from Nov 1 to Nov 15.
Sunset Point, Turkey Run 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
71°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
Sunset Point, Turkey Run on October 18, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:34 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 102° | 8:02 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 8:39 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:34 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 6:28 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 258° | 7:05 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:33 PM |
Times in America/Indiana/Indianapolis · day length 11h 4m · 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.