Located in Tuolumne County, California, Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. It sits roughly 11.2 km (7.0 mi) SSE of Copperopolis.
The Byrne's Ferry bridge was a historic cantilevered covered bridge across the Stanislaus River between Calaveras County and Tuolumne County, California. Originally built during the California Gold Rush, the bridge was located on the O'Byrne's Ferry road between Chinese Camp and Copperopolis. Until the mid-20th century, it was one of the last remaining covered bridges in the state; the bridge was destroyed in 1957 (after an unsuccessful attempt to move it) to make way for the construction of Tulloch Dam.From the Wikipedia article “Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 59° ENE | 8:29 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:16 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.01 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 11% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 76 | 79 | 88 | 97 | 110 | 113 | 119 | 115 | 115 | 105 | 87 | 75 |
| Low °F | 25 | 28 | 31 | 35 | 41 | 45 | 53 | 52 | 49 | 41 | 28 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
- 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 Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Ghost Town
State Park
Natural Arch
Cave
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tuttletown Recreation Area11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Glory Hole Recreation Area13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Coyote Point26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge?
How far is Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge from Copperopolis?
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.