Oquawka Wagon Bridge — a covered bridge in Henderson County, Illinois — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.2 km (2.6 mi) S of Oquawka. It dates from 1865. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Oquawka Wagon Bridge is a covered bridge located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Oquawka in Henderson County, Illinois. The wooden bridge was built in 1866, replacing an earlier bridge called the Eames Bridge; the bridge structure cost $2,125, while its stone abutments cost $2.40 per perch. The bridge carried a road over Henderson Creek until 1935, when the state government moved the roadway; in the following year, the bridge became a pedestrian bridge, and the state opened a picnic area in its vicinity. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.From the Wikipedia article “Oquawka Wagon Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oquawka Wagon Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 58° ENE | 8:40 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 121° ESE | 4:40 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 28m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 06m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 50m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 15m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Oquawka Wagon Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 3:49 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:58 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 7:56 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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 ≈ 21.51 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 66 | 72 | 79 | 85 | 94 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 103 | 93 | 77 | 71 |
| Low °F | -28 | -11 | -5 | 18 | 32 | 44 | 51 | 46 | 35 | 20 | 9 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Oquawka Wagon Bridge, closest first.
State Park
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oquawka Wagon Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Oquawka Wagon Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oquawka Wagon Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oquawka Wagon Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oquawka Wagon Bridge?
How far is Oquawka Wagon Bridge from Oquawka?
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.