Utica Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Frederick County, Maryland — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) NW of Walkersville. It dates from 1850. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Utica Road Covered Bridge is a Burr truss wooden covered bridge located near Lewistown, Maryland. Originally built in 1834, it spanned the Monocacy River at the Devilbiss Bridge crossing. An 1889 flood damaged the bridge and the surviving half was moved to Fishing Creek in 1891. Like the nearby Loys Station Covered Bridge, a pier was inserted at the middle of the bridge to halve its span. The Utica Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.From the Wikipedia article “Utica Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Utica 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) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 58° ENE | 8:41 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 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 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Utica Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | 5:17 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:13 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:12 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 ≈ 20.02 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 68 | 76 | 78 | 89 | 91 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 78 | 72 |
| Low °F | -3 | -10 | -5 | 22 | 29 | 42 | 52 | 52 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- Many covered bridges still carry traffic; stay off the roadway and watch for vehicles.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Utica Covered Bridge, closest first.
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Rock Formation
Lake
Covered BridgeWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Misty Mount13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Camp Round Meadow13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Adirondack Shelters15.4 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Poplar Grove Youth Group Campground15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Owens Creek Campground16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Utica Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Utica Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Utica Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Utica Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Utica Covered Bridge?
How far is Utica Covered Bridge from Walkersville?
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.