Located in Talladega County, Alabama, Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. The nearest town is Childersburg, about 8.1 km (5.0 mi) away (Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge lies NE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge are two locally owned historic landmarks located at Kymulga Park in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. The park is on Grist Mill Road (CR 46) off State Route 76 about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) northeast of the city of Childersburg. Both structures, dating back to the American Civil War, were restored in 1974 and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1976. The Childersburg Heritage Committee purchased the tract in 1988, and with help from the Alabama Historical Commission and the Talladega County Commission, established Kymulga Park. More structural renovations were made as well. There is an admission charge to visit the park, with proceeds being used for upkeep of all structures and nature trails within this historic recreation area. Kymulga Park was acquired by the City of Childersburg in June 2011. It is...From the Wikipedia article “Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kymulga Mill & 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 61° ENE | 7:59 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 118° ESE | 4:42 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:56 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:10 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Kymulga Mill & Covered 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 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 | 4:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:23 AM – 4:43 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:34 PM – 4:04 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:39 PM – 3:49 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:35 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:02 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:17 PM – 10:17 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:35 PM – 8:25 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: 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 ≈ 21.12 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 74 | 79 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 108 | 105 | 107 | 103 | 101 | 88 | 78 |
| Low °F | 7 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 55 | 53 | 41 | 28 | 18 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge, closest first.
Cave
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge?
How far is Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge from Childersburg?
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.