Potter's Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Hamilton County, Indiana — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Noblesville, about 3.1 km (1.9 mi) away (Potter's Covered Bridge lies NNE of town). It dates from 1871. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Potter's Covered Bridge, also known as Potter's Bridge and Potter's Ford Bridge, is a historic covered bridge located in Potter's Bridge Park in Noblesville, Indiana. It was built in 1871, and is a Howe truss structure measuring 260 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 20 feet tall. The single span bridge rests on limestone abutments and has walls clad in vertical board siding. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Potter's Bridge Park has been home to the Potter's Bridge Fall Festival, occurring every October, for over 20 years. In 1860, William Potter commissioned the bridge to be built. In 1971, the bridge was leased to the Parks and Recreation Department of Hamilton County and the park that hosts the bridge opened in 1999. In 2007, a historical marker was installed by the Indiana History Bureau on 19401 North Allisonville Road, Noblesville.From the Wikipedia article “Potter's Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Potter's Covered 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (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) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:56 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:16 AM | 58° ENE | 9:17 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:03 AM | 121° ESE | 5:22 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 19m |
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 | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:46 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:13 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:32 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:35 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:56 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:45 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:12 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:32 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 20m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Potter's Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | 5:51 AM – 6:01 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:01 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 5:19 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 1:03 AM – 4:33 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:18 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:10 PM – 2:40 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 12:44 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:27 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:36 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.56 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 64 | 69 | 81 | 82 | 92 | 104 | 104 | 96 | 98 | 90 | 77 | 70 |
| Low °F | -19 | -18 | -1 | 21 | 24 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
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.
- 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 Potter's Covered Bridge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Potter's Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Potter's Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Potter's Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Potter's Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Potter's Covered Bridge?
How far is Potter's Covered Bridge from Noblesville?
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.