Waldo Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Talladega County, Alabama — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Talladega, about 9.5 km (5.9 mi) away (Waldo Covered Bridge lies SE of town). It dates from 1858.
The Waldo Covered Bridge, also known as the Riddle Mill Covered Bridge, is a privately owned wood & metal combination style covered bridge that spans Talladega Creek in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It is located off State Route 77 just south of the town of Waldo, about 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) southeast of Talladega. Coordinates are 33°22′44.78″N 86°01′43.87″W (33.379106, −86.028853). Built in 1858, the 115-foot (35 m) bridge is a combination of Howe truss and Queen-post truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-61-02. The Waldo Covered Bridge is currently eligible for addition to the National Register of Historic Places. It is the second oldest surviving covered bridge in the state, although it is also the only one not being maintained.From the Wikipedia article “Waldo Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Waldo 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) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 61° ENE | 7:58 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:45 AM | 118° ESE | 4:41 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
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 | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:50 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:09 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 57m |
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 Waldo 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 | 4:23 AM – 5:03 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:32 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.2 | 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 | 8:16 PM – 10:16 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.7 | 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 ≈ 21.14 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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Waldo Covered Bridge, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Scenic ViewpointWaterfall
Wilderness AreaScenic Viewpoint
State ParkScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Waldo Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Waldo Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Waldo Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Waldo Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Waldo Covered Bridge?
How far is Waldo Covered Bridge from Talladega?
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.