Located in Lake County, Indiana, Crown Point Bridge, Indiana is a covered bridge. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) SSW of Crown Point. It dates from 1878.
The Crown Point Bridge is a covered bridge in the city of Crown Point in the U.S. state of Indiana. Originally built over the Little Flatrock River, two miles south of Milroy, Rush County, Indiana (Section 24, Township 12 North, and Range 9 East), the Milroy or Shelbourne Covered Bridge was built by Archibald M. Kennedy & Sons in 1878. Highway improvements in 1933 displaced the bridge, and it was moved to Crown Point, Indiana. John Wheeler led the preservation effort, having the structure dismantled, moved, and erected in the Lake County Fairgrounds over a gully. The bridge is a single-span Burr Arch Truss. It has an 85-foot-long (26 m) span; with a 10-foot (3.0 m) portal at each end, its total length is 105 feet (32 m). The bridge has a clearance 16 feet (4.9 m) wide by 14 feet (4.3 m) high.From the Wikipedia article “Crown Point Bridge, Indiana”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Crown Point Bridge, Indiana the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 57° ENE | 8:27 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 121° ESE | 4:24 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 11m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 12m |
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 Crown Point Bridge, Indiana, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:18 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:27 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:05 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 1:35 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 11:35 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 9:35 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 7:41 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.79 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 62 | 64 | 80 | 80 | 92 | 98 | 103 | 96 | 95 | 86 | 74 | 68 |
| Low °F | -24 | -15 | -8 | 21 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 49 | 38 | 22 | 12 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
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
- 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.
- Overcast days keep contrast low between the dark interior and the bright surroundings.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Crown Point Bridge, Indiana, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Sand DunesSand DunesSand DunesSand DunesSand DunesSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Crown Point Bridge, Indiana?
What time is golden hour at Crown Point Bridge, Indiana?
Where does the sun rise and set at Crown Point Bridge, Indiana?
Can you see the Milky Way from Crown Point Bridge, Indiana?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Crown Point Bridge, Indiana?
How far is Crown Point Bridge, Indiana from Crown Point?
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.