Ammonoosuc River at Littleton, New Hampshire.
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44.3056° N71.7733° WBortle 5New York

Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton) Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Grafton County, New Hampshire

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–305°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Artaxerxes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton) — a covered bridge in Grafton County, New Hampshire — is a popular subject for landscape photographers.

Nearest town
Littleton
300 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
September
56% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:25 PM
sunset 6:05 PM

Light at Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton)

Live
Sunrise
7:09 AM
Sunset
5:56 PM
Golden hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:49 AM
Golden hour PM
5:16 PM – 6:14 PM
Blue hour AM
6:39 AM – 6:51 AM
Blue hour PM
6:14 PM – 6:26 PM
Full darkness
7:33 PM – 5:33 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:23 PM / 12:50 AM
Day length
10h 47m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton) 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:51 AM90° E6:59 PM271° W46°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:04 AM55° NE8:35 PM305° NW69°15h 32m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:35 AM89° E6:47 PM271° W46°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:21 AM123° ESE4:11 PM237° WSW22°8h 51m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:48 AM7:20 AM8:06 AM3:48 PM4:34 PM5:06 PM9h 14m
February6:18 AM6:48 AM7:29 AM4:36 PM5:16 PM5:46 PM10h 28m
March6:32 AM7:00 AM7:39 AM6:15 PM6:53 PM7:22 PM11h 53m
April5:34 AM6:04 AM6:43 AM6:52 PM7:31 PM8:02 PM13h 27m
May4:47 AM5:21 AM6:03 AM7:26 PM8:08 PM8:41 PM14h 46m
June4:27 AM5:03 AM5:48 AM7:49 PM8:34 PM9:10 PM15h 30m
July4:42 AM5:18 AM6:01 AM7:46 PM8:30 PM9:05 PM15h 12m
August5:20 AM5:51 AM6:31 AM7:14 PM7:54 PM8:25 PM14h 03m
September5:58 AM6:27 AM7:05 AM6:21 PM7:00 PM7:29 PM12h 33m
October6:33 AM7:02 AM7:42 AM5:25 PM6:05 PM6:34 PM11h 02m
November6:12 AM6:44 AM7:27 AM3:38 PM4:22 PM4:53 PM9h 38m
December6:44 AM7:17 AM8:05 AM3:22 PM4:09 PM4:43 PM8h 53m

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 Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton), 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March4:40 AM – 5:20 AM0.713°SSE → SSE
April2:37 AM – 4:07 AM1.516°SSE → S
May12:43 AM – 3:13 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:00 PM – 2:30 AM3.517°SSE → SSW
July10:45 PM – 1:15 AM2.517°S → SSW
August9:46 PM – 11:16 PM1.516°S → SSW
September8:39 PM – 9:09 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 20.47 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 56% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F506070758387899283766555
Low °F-27-32-217243343412820-4-22
Precip. (in)2.63.03.03.84.25.34.54.33.65.03.73.9

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

  • 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 Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton), closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Cleveland Mountain Overlook12 km away · Grafton County · 398 m
Echo LakeLake
Echo Lake16 km away · Grafton County · 591 m
Franconia NotchMountain Pass
Franconia Notch16 km away · Grafton County
Waterfall
Bridalveil Falls17 km away · Grafton County · 661 m
Profile LakeLake
Profile Lake18 km away · Grafton County · 592 m
Cannon MountainMountain Peak
Cannon Mountain18 km away · Grafton County · 1,228 m
Old Man of the MountainRock Formation
Old Man of the Mountain18 km away · Grafton County
Waterfall
Hawthorne Falls18 km away · Grafton County · 924 m
Mount LafayetteMountain Peak
Mount Lafayette19 km away · Grafton County · 1,600 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton)?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Peak fall color is the classic season; winter snow and spring blossoms are less crowded alternatives.
What time is golden hour at Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton)?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:25 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:05 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:42 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton)?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton)?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton)?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Riverwalk Covered Bridge (Littleton) from Littleton?
About 300 m in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata. 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.