Coffin Pond at Sugar Hill New Hampshire

A mirrored reflection at Coffin Pond in New Hampshire’s White Mountains

You are out Looking for fall colors and all of a sudden you see a break in the trees and you see a wondrous sight. You slam on the brakes (after carefully checking the rearview mirror) and slide to a stop on the side of the road! You see the Holy Grail of fall foliage finds. A pond reflecting sky and hill and just so awesome.

Coffin pond with the fall colors mirrored in the surface of the pond

**My criteria for a great fall foliage pond.**

First, it needs to have a high density of Maples, Birch, and other deciduous trees that turn various shades in the fall. There also should be some evergreens to counterpoint the fall colors.
Second, to me, it’s best if the pond sits in a bowl among several Hills. The Hills don’t have to be mountains, merely a few hundred feet high with the sides of the hills covered in trees. (for enhancing the reflections)
Third, this point depends on the sun and wind because you want the pond to be as still as glass, thus providing a mirror-like reflection of the color running up the hills.

Coffin Pond

There are two ways to get to this pond, South on Route 18/116 and North on Route 18/116. Also, you may come through Sugar Hill after stopping at Polly’s Pancakes for breakfast, then you will find yourself doing the north route listed above. (Check the map at the bottom and if it doesn’t show up, refresh the page again and it will show up)

Dates to photograph this pond

The date I took this shot was 30 Sept and very overcast. I prefer a light overcast day, but Mother Nature wasn’t giving me what I wanted. As I was approaching the pond the sun suddenly broke out and that is when I saw the pond. I came to a screeching halt and pulled into a dirt area just off Route 18. I jumped up into the bed of my truck and, well, this is what I saw.

It’s pretty much peak fall foliage but someone who’s a bit more hardcore than me might say it’s just a bit past since there are some bare trees. But as I always say “It’ll be a rare day when you find a spot where every single tree turns at the same time and speed. (Hell might even be freezing over)

But I would say if you hit this between Sept 26 to Oct 4 you have a very good chance of finding some great colors. Photography Tip: For the mirror-like fall foliage reflection arrive early in the morning as the winds are usually calmer then.

(Remember! If you don’t see the map, refresh the page.)

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Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

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