Mauretta B. Thomas Pinedale Memorial Bridge — a covered bridge in Navajo County, Arizona — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Linden, about 8.9 km (5.5 mi) away (Mauretta B. Thomas Pinedale Memorial Bridge lies WNW of town). It dates from 1976.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mauretta B. Thomas Pinedale Memorial 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 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) | 6:25 AM | 90° E | 6:33 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:10 AM | 61° ENE | 7:37 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:10 AM | 89° E | 6:19 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 118° ESE | 5:16 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:25 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:19 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:05 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:21 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:03 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:16 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 5:40 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:38 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:54 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:13 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 53m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 Mauretta B. Thomas Pinedale Memorial Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:13 AM – 5:03 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:11 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:14 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:20 PM – 3:20 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:16 PM – 1:56 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:41 PM – 11:51 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:54 PM – 9:54 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:11 PM – 7:51 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (55%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 67 | 70 | 80 | 87 | 97 | 102 | 102 | 99 | 97 | 87 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | -8 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 27 | 38 | 51 | 50 | 36 | 17 | 13 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 |
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 Mauretta B. Thomas Pinedale Memorial Bridge, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lewis Canyon3.0 km (1.8 mi) · reservable
- Gentry Group Campground6.0 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area Campground17.7 km (11.0 mi)
FAQ
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.