Go an hour before sunset.

Late afternoon—roughly an hour before sunset—gives you the best lighting and the fewest crowds at Prospect Point.

Morning sounds nice in theory, but the tower opens at 9 AM, and by then the golden hour is long gone. You’d be fighting harsh overhead sun and tour buses that start rolling in around 10. Late afternoon gets you warm, angled light that makes the falls look like they’re on fire, and most day-trippers are already heading back to their cars or hotels by 4 or 5. You’ll have elbow room and the views you actually came for.

Check the exact sunset time before you go. Show up with a jacket—it gets windy up there, and that spray cools off fast when the sun drops.