Located in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska, Bridgeview Drive is a covered bridge. The nearest town is Anchorage, about 16.4 km (10.2 mi) away (Bridgeview Drive lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bridgeview Drive the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 32° (NNE) at the June solstice and 143° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 328° (NNW) in June to 217° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 52° in summer but only 5° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:01 AM | 89° E | 8:14 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:22 AM | 32° NNE | 11:41 PM | 328° NNW | 52° | 19h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:44 AM | 88° E | 8:01 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:13 AM | 143° SE | 3:43 PM | 217° SW | 5° | 5h 30m |
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 | 9:00 AM | 9:56 AM | 11:42 AM | 2:36 PM | 4:22 PM | 5:18 PM | 6h 26m |
| February | 7:56 AM | 8:42 AM | 9:49 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:32 PM | 9h 05m |
| March | 7:34 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:14 AM | 7:04 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:44 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:20 PM | 10:09 PM | 14h 42m |
| May | 4:04 AM | 5:13 AM | 6:24 AM | 9:29 PM | 10:39 PM | 11:49 PM | 17h 26m |
| June | — | 4:23 AM | 5:48 AM | 10:13 PM | 11:38 PM | — | 19h 15m |
| July | 3:22 AM | 4:53 AM | 6:11 AM | 10:00 PM | 11:18 PM | 12:49 AM | 18h 25m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:57 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:54 PM | 15h 50m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:23 PM | 9:07 PM | 12h 56m |
| October | 7:58 AM | 8:42 AM | 9:44 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:33 PM | 10h 07m |
| November | 8:14 AM | 9:05 AM | 10:31 AM | 2:58 PM | 4:24 PM | 5:16 PM | 7h 19m |
| December | 9:07 AM | 10:08 AM | — | — | 3:42 PM | 4:44 PM | 5h 34m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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 ≈ 20.57 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 63% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 40 | 40 | 52 | 62 | 70 | 81 | 83 | 80 | 67 | 56 | 43 | 39 |
| Low °F | -25 | -20 | -21 | -1 | 15 | 33 | 39 | 35 | 19 | -1 | -18 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Bridgeview Drive, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Botanical GardenScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bridgeview Drive?
What time is golden hour at Bridgeview Drive?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bridgeview Drive?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bridgeview Drive?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bridgeview Drive?
How far is Bridgeview Drive from Anchorage?
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.