Hillsboro Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Fleming County, Kentucky — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Owingsville, about 15.6 km (9.7 mi) away (Hillsboro Covered Bridge lies NE of town). It dates from 1860. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hillsboro Covered Bridge, known locally as the "Hillsboro-Grange City Covered Bridge", spans Fox Creek in Fleming County adjacent to Kentucky Route 111, 13.6 miles (21.9 km) southeast of Flemingsburg, Kentucky. Probably built in the late 1860s, it was discontinued in 1968 when it was replaced fifty yards (46 m) upstream by a concrete bridge. The bridge's timbers are of yellow pine with double shouldered braces. A single 94-foot (29 m) span, it was probably built by the same contractor who constructed Ringos Mill Covered Bridge several miles up Fox Creek. Abutments are of red stone and corrugated sheet metal covers the roof and sides. The bridge was originally double-sided with yellow poplar. The bridge is a good example of Theodore Burr's 1814 patented truss design that employs multiple kingposts. Patent bridges were the "bread and butter" of early engineers who typically...From the Wikipedia article “Hillsboro Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hillsboro Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:12 AM | 59° ENE | 9:02 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 120° ESE | 5:18 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:53 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Hillsboro Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 5:32 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:50 AM – 6:10 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 5:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:45 AM – 4:35 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:57 PM – 4:07 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:50 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 12:49 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 10:44 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:26 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.52 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 47% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 70 | 73 | 82 | 86 | 97 | 103 | 109 | 103 | 102 | 96 | 82 | 71 |
| Low °F | -4 | -6 | 8 | 21 | 28 | 41 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 26 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 |
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 Hillsboro Covered Bridge, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cave Run Dam Tailwater18.4 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
- Twin Knobs Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Boat Gunnel Group Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Claylick Boat-In Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hillsboro Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Hillsboro Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hillsboro Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hillsboro Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hillsboro Covered Bridge?
How far is Hillsboro Covered Bridge from Owingsville?
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.