Horace King Memorial Bridge — a covered bridge in Chambers County, Alabama — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Valley, about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) away (Horace King Memorial Bridge lies SE of town). It dates from 2004.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Horace King Memorial 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 242° (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) | 7:45 AM | 90° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:34 AM | 61° ENE | 8:53 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 118° ESE | 5:39 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:36 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:58 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 00m |
Local time (America/Kentucky/Louisville), 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 Horace King Memorial Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 6:00 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 6:21 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 4:43 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 3:19 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 1:17 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 11:22 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:31 PM – 9:21 PM | 0.8 | 17° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.76 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 (58%). 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 | 92 | 101 | 106 | 105 | 107 | 104 | 103 | 88 | 79 |
| Low °F | 4 | 20 | 22 | 31 | 42 | 55 | 58 | 56 | 45 | 29 | 21 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 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.
- 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.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Eagleview Park11.7 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- R Shaefer Heard Day Use12.0 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Hardley Creek Park12.0 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- R Shaefer Heard12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Anderson Park14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Horace King Memorial Bridge?
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.