Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Sumter County, Alabama. It sits roughly 1.1 km (0.7 mi) N of Livingston. It dates from 1861.
The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge is a county-owned wooden covered bridge that spans the northeast corner of Duck Pond in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. It is located on the campus of the University of West Alabama behind Reed Hall, which is off Student Union Drive in the city of Livingston. Built in 1861, the 88-foot (27-meter) bridge is a Town's lattice truss construction over a single span. Its World Guide to Covered Bridges number is 01-60-01. The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge is currently eligible for addition to the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the oldest covered bridges still existing in Alabama; it is maintained by the Sumter County Historical Society.From the Wikipedia article “Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 61° ENE | 8:04 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 118° ESE | 4:52 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 00m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Covered bridges look their best with soft side-light and a backdrop of fall color, snow or fresh spring green.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 17m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 30m |
| December | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 01m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:22 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:29 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:29 PM – 4:19 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:44 PM – 4:04 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:40 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:28 AM | 3.3 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:34 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:33 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 76 | 81 | 85 | 90 | 101 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 104 | 103 | 90 | 80 |
| Low °F | 13 | 20 | 19 | 32 | 41 | 54 | 59 | 54 | 43 | 31 | 18 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 5.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this covered bridge
- Many covered bridges still carry traffic; stay off the roadway and watch for vehicles.
- Overcast days keep contrast low between the dark interior and the bright surroundings.
- Autumn foliage peaks are the most popular time — visit on weekdays to avoid crowds.
- Shoot from the stream bank to show the bridge, the water and its reflection together.
- Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak fall color is the classic season; winter snow and spring blossoms are less crowded alternatives.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Polarizer for foliage. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Forkland29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Spillway Falls29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Belmont Park29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge?
How far is Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge from Livingston?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.