Swan Creek Greenway Trail is a covered bridge in Limestone County, Alabama. The nearest town is Athens, about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) away (Swan Creek Greenway Trail lies ENE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Swan Creek Greenway Trail 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 61° ENE | 8:05 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 118° ESE | 4:41 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Swan Creek Greenway Trail, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:39 AM – 4:39 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:43 PM – 4:03 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:50 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 2:15 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:20 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:22 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.16 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 82 | 85 | 93 | 105 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 4 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 29 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
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
- 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.
- Many covered bridges still carry traffic; stay off the roadway and watch for vehicles.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Swan Creek Greenway Trail, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Swan Creek Greenway Trail?
What time is golden hour at Swan Creek Greenway Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Swan Creek Greenway Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Swan Creek Greenway Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Swan Creek Greenway Trail?
How far is Swan Creek Greenway Trail from Athens?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.