Located in Marion County, Iowa, Hammond Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. The nearest town is Knoxville, about 17.8 km (11.1 mi) away (Hammond Covered Bridge lies SSE of town). It dates from 1894. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hammond Bridge is a historic structure located west of Hamilton, Iowa, United States. It spans North Cedar Creek for 178 feet (54 m). In January 1894, Samuel B. Hammond, for whom the bridge is named, requested that the Marion County Board of Supervisors build a bridge near his property. In April of that year, they examined the site, and in June they contracted with S.F. Collins to build the Howe covered through truss bridge. He completed it later that year. The stream has been channelized so that the truss no longer spans the main water flow. In October 1977, a truck accident closed the bridge for two years, and it reopened in September 1979. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. While it remains in place, a newer span was built to carry the vehicle traffic over the creek.From the Wikipedia article “Hammond Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hammond Covered Bridge 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 57° ENE | 8:49 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 121° ESE | 4:47 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 14m |
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 Hammond Covered 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 | 5:29 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:56 PM – 3:26 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:46 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 11:57 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:57 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:04 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.64 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 44% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 56 | 69 | 79 | 88 | 97 | 103 | 109 | 106 | 101 | 89 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -29 | -13 | -11 | 17 | 29 | 41 | 50 | 46 | 36 | 22 | 7 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
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 Hammond Covered Bridge, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Whitebreast Camp21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- North Overlook Picnic Shelter (Ia)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- South Tailwater Picnic Shelter21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- South Overlook (Ia)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Howell Station21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hammond Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Hammond Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hammond Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hammond Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hammond Covered Bridge?
How far is Hammond Covered Bridge from Knoxville?
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.