Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Lee County, Alabama — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) N of Opelika.
The Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge, also known as the Pea Ridge Covered Bridge, is a locally owned wooden covered bridge that spans Rocky Brook in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is located halfway down Park Road (formerly the east end of 7th Avenue) at Opelika Municipal Park, which is off North 5th Street in the city of Opelika. Coordinates are 32°39′33.46″N 85°22′52.94″W (32.659294, -85.381372). Originally built in 1900, the 43-foot (13-meter) bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-41-B, formerly 01-41-04. The bridge was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on January 25, 1977. It was destroyed by a fallen tree in 2005 at its original location near Salem, then rebuilt in 2007 at Opelika Municipal Park. The bridge is maintained by the Opelika Kiwanis Club and the City of Opelika.From the Wikipedia article “Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Salem-Shotwell 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) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 61° ENE | 7:53 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:40 AM | 118° ESE | 4:40 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 | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:53 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 14h 17m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:21 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:05 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 Salem-Shotwell 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 6 (bright 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 | 4:11 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:38 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:19 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:34 PM – 3:44 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:30 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:58 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:13 PM – 10:23 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:32 PM – 8:22 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.01 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
- 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.
- Autumn foliage peaks are the most popular time — visit on weekdays to avoid crowds.
- 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 Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge?
How far is Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge from Opelika?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, OpenStreetMap contributors, 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.