Sunday River Bridge — a covered bridge in Oxford County, Maine — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bethel, about 10.6 km (6.6 mi) away (Sunday River Bridge lies NNW of town). It dates from 1872. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sunday River Bridge, also known locally as the Artists Bridge, is a historic covered bridge in Newry, Maine. It is located northeast of the Sunday River Ski Resort, adjacent to the crossing of the Sunday River by Sunday River Road, which the bridge formerly carried. Built in 1872, it is one of Maine's few surviving 19th-century covered bridges. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.From the Wikipedia article “Sunday River Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sunday River Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:48 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:59 AM | 55° NE | 8:32 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 123° ESE | 4:07 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:03 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:43 AM | 5:17 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:22 AM | 4:59 AM | 5:44 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 32m |
| July | 4:38 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:49 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:17 PM | 4:05 PM | 4:38 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Sunday River Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 4:04 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 3:00 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:58 PM – 2:28 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 1:04 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 11:04 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 9:05 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.67 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 52% 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 | 51 | 59 | 72 | 76 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 89 | 85 | 78 | 67 | 56 |
| Low °F | -25 | -31 | -23 | 9 | 26 | 34 | 46 | 42 | 31 | 21 | -2 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 |
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.
- Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
- 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 Sunday River Bridge, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
State Park
Covered Bridge
Mountain PassWaterfall
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hastings Campground19.2 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Wild River Campground27 km (17 mi)
- Cold River29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Basin Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sunday River Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Sunday River Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sunday River Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sunday River Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sunday River Bridge?
How far is Sunday River Bridge from Bethel?
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.