Whites Bridge is a covered bridge in Kent County, Michigan. The nearest town is Lowell, about 9.7 km (6.0 mi) away (Whites Bridge lies NNE of town).
Whites Bridge (alternatively White's Bridge) is a 120-foot-long (37 m) Brown truss covered bridge, originally erected in 1869 in Keene Township, Michigan, United States, near Smyrna on the Flat River. Carrying Whites Bridge Road across the Flat River, it is located north of the Fallasburg Bridge and south of Smyrna. The original bridge was among the area's best-known 19th century structures. The bridge was completely destroyed by fire, on the morning of July 7, 2013 (police deemed the case arson). In July 2016, approval was granted for rebuilding a replica bridge, which was completed in April 2020.From the Wikipedia article “Whites Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Whites Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:45 AM | 90° E | 7:54 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 56° ENE | 9:25 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:29 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:10 AM | 122° ESE | 5:10 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
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 | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 8:55 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:32 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:23 PM | 9:58 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:19 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:16 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:34 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:53 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 01m |
Local time (America/Detroit), 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 Whites Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:22 AM – 6:12 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:28 AM – 4:08 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:40 PM – 3:40 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:29 PM – 2:19 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:34 PM – 12:14 AM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:30 PM – 10:20 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.83 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 July as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 54 | 62 | 80 | 78 | 87 | 89 | 95 | 95 | 92 | 85 | 74 | 64 |
| Low °F | -17 | -27 | -16 | 9 | 24 | 35 | 44 | 42 | 35 | 24 | 10 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
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
- 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 Whites Bridge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Whites Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Whites Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Whites Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Whites Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Whites Bridge?
How far is Whites Bridge from Lowell?
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.