College Avenue Bridge — a covered bridge in Gwinnett County, Georgia — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.5 km (2.2 mi) E of Stone Mountain. It dates from 1893. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Washington W. King Bridge, also known as Stone Mountain Covered Bridge and College Avenue Bridge, is a covered bridge in Stone Mountain Park in DeKalb County, Georgia. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.From the Wikipedia article “Washington W. King Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At College Avenue 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) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:27 AM | 61° ENE | 8:51 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 118° ESE | 5:32 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:19 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:10 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 55m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 College Avenue 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 6:18 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 5:36 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:58 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:34 PM – 4:34 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 3:10 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 1:16 AM | 3.3 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 11:09 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:27 PM – 9:07 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.09 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 (59%). 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 | 75 | 78 | 84 | 91 | 96 | 108 | 107 | 105 | 103 | 102 | 85 | 78 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 17 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 57 | 56 | 42 | 29 | 20 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 College Avenue Bridge, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph College Avenue Bridge?
What time is golden hour at College Avenue Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at College Avenue Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from College Avenue Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at College Avenue Bridge?
How far is College Avenue Bridge from Stone Mountain?
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.