White Clay Creek State Park
Delaware Piedmont, Delaware · 144 ft
Typical peak
Oct 16 – Oct 24
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunrise
Rolling Piedmont north of Newark, the hilly end of a state better known for salt marsh and cypress. Creek bottom holds fog into the first hour while the meadow edges above it are already lit, which is the shot worth driving for here.
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
Thompson Station Road entrance at 750 Thompson Station Road north of Newark, with further lots off Creek Road. Trails run the creek valley and the meadows above it.
What turns here
- yellow-poplar
- red maple
- northern red oak
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 20Typical color progression for White Clay Creek State Park. No change from Sep 12 to Sep 29. First color from Sep 29 to Oct 8. Approaching peak from Oct 8 to Oct 16. Peak from Oct 16 to Oct 24. Past peak from Oct 24 to Nov 3. Bare from Nov 3 to Nov 17.
White Clay Creek State Park 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
65°F / 44°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
White Clay Creek State Park on October 20, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:51 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 103° | 7:18 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 7:55 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:47 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 5:40 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 257° | 6:17 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:44 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 10h 59m · 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.
- Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Past peak
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