Oakachoy Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Coosa County, Alabama. It sits roughly 13.7 km (8.5 mi) SW of Alexander City. It dates from 1915. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Oakachoy Covered Bridge (sometimes spelled 'Okachoy'), also known as the Thomas Covered Bridge, was a county-owned wooden covered bridge which spanned Oakachoy Creek in Coosa County, Alabama, United States. It was located in a remote area on the dirt portion of Newman Road off State Route 259 northeast of the community of Nixburg, about 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) southwest of Alexander City. Built in 1916, the 56-foot (17-meter) bridge was a modified Queen-post truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01–19–01. The Oakachoy Covered Bridge was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on October 28, 1977. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 1990. It was one of the shortest covered bridges built in Alabama. The Oakachoy Covered Bridge was burned down by vandals on June 2, 2001, ending the existence of the only...From the Wikipedia article “Oakachoy Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oakachoy 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 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 61° ENE | 7:56 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:44 AM | 118° ESE | 4:43 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 | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:55 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 5:49 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:10 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:07 PM | 10h 00m |
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 Oakachoy 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:13 AM – 5:03 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:20 AM – 4:40 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:21 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:00 PM – 12:20 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:15 PM – 10:25 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:24 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 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 (60%). 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 | 80 | 83 | 88 | 98 | 105 | 103 | 108 | 105 | 104 | 89 | 79 |
| Low °F | 3 | 20 | 22 | 31 | 40 | 55 | 58 | 56 | 45 | 30 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 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
- 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 Oakachoy Covered Bridge, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oakachoy Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Oakachoy Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oakachoy Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oakachoy Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oakachoy Covered Bridge?
How far is Oakachoy Covered Bridge from Alexander City?
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.