Old Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Berkshire County, Massachusetts — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) N of Sheffield. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Old Covered Bridge, also known as the Upper Sheffield Covered Bridge, is a covered bridge on Covered Bridge Lane in Sheffield, Massachusetts. It is a replica of an 1837 lattice truss bridge that was destroyed by fire in 1994. At the time of its destruction it was the oldest covered bridge in Massachusetts. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bridge is open to pedestrians.From the Wikipedia article “Old Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Old Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:18 AM | 57° ENE | 8:34 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 122° ESE | 4:25 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:06 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:26 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Old Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:25 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 3:34 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:03 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 1:43 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 11:42 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:40 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.09 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 64 | 70 | 73 | 87 | 91 | 93 | 100 | 98 | 93 | 86 | 74 | 68 |
| Low °F | -24 | -18 | -15 | 12 | 27 | 34 | 46 | 46 | 34 | 18 | 3 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 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
- 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 Old Covered Bridge, closest first.
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Mountain Peak
Lake
Ghost TownWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Old Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Old Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Old Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Old Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Old Covered Bridge?
How far is Old Covered Bridge from Sheffield?
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.