Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Cecil County, Maryland — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.6 km (3.5 mi) NNW of North East. It dates from 1860. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge is a Burr arch through truss wooden covered bridge in Bay View, Cecil County, Maryland, United States, close to the town of North East. The bridge was constructed by local Cecil County bridgewright Joseph George Johnson in the autumn and winter of 1860-61 across North East Creek. The bridge was erected adjacent to and upstream of Samuel Gilpin's mills and dam and crosses the millpond formed by it. This bridge has a span of 100 feet (30 m) and a total length of 119 feet (36 m) with its shelter panel overhangs, is 13.5 feet (4.1 m) wide, and is closed to all vehicular traffic. The structure was restored in 1959 by the State Roads Commission and the Historical Society of Cecil County. In 2010 the bridge was rehabilitated by engineers Wallace, Montgomery & Associates, LLP; contractor Kinsley Construction; and specialist bridgwrighting subcontractors,...From the Wikipedia article “Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 58° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Gilpin's Falls 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 5 (suburban sky), 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:26 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:06 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.08 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 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 67 | 72 | 77 | 91 | 90 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 0 | -1 | -3 | 25 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 30 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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
- 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.
- Autumn foliage peaks are the most popular time — visit on weekdays to avoid crowds.
- 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 Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge, closest first.
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Beach
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge?
How far is Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge from North East?
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.