Wawona Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Mariposa County, California — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Yosemite National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 20 km (13 mi) NNE of Ahwahnee. It dates from 1868. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Wawona Covered Bridge is a covered bridge spanning the South Fork Merced River near Wawona, California, in Yosemite National Park. The open bridge (without the covering) was built by Galen Clark, the steward of what was then called the Yosemite Grant, in 1868, without its cladding. The open bridge was a component of Clark's proposed new road from Wawona to the Yosemite Valley. Clark was unable to complete the road, which he sold to the Washburn Group of investors along with his stopover lodging (Clark's Station) in 1874. In mid-1875 the Washburn Group completed the road to Yosemite Valley. It is one of twelve remaining covered bridges in California.From the Wikipedia article “Wawona Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wawona 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) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 59° ENE | 8:24 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Wawona 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 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:16 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:10 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 67 | 72 | 86 | 91 | 96 | 91 | 90 | 82 | 74 | 62 |
| Low °F | -9 | -7 | -4 | -3 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 34 | 23 | 14 | -9 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Wawona Covered Bridge, closest first.
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Fire LookoutWaterfall
Fire Lookout
LakeWaterfallWaterfall
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Wawona Horse Campsites220 m · reservable
- Wawona Campground3.9 km (2.4 mi) · reservable
- Summerdale Campground5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Bridalveil Creek Campground14.1 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Kelty Meadow14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
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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.