McCafferty Road Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Clermont County, Ohio. It sits roughly 11.9 km (7.4 mi) NNE of Williamsburg. It dates from 1877.
The McCafferty Road Covered Bridge, in Brown County, Ohio, is a historic covered bridge built in 1877. Located in the unincorporated community of Vera Cruz, it spans the East Fork of the Little Miami River. It was built in 1877 by the Smith Bridge Company. In 2021 it was open for traffic, and is unpainted.From the Wikipedia article “McCafferty Road Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McCafferty Road Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (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) | 7:40 AM | 90° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:11 AM | 59° ENE | 9:06 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 120° ESE | 5:17 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:37 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:34 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:01 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 26m |
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 McCafferty Road 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:43 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:52 AM – 6:12 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:49 AM – 5:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 4:31 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 4:05 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 12:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:17 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:28 PM – 8:38 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: 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 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 45% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 80 | 82 | 87 | 95 | 100 | 98 | 96 | 93 | 79 | 68 |
| Low °F | -12 | -9 | 5 | 20 | 26 | 40 | 49 | 48 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 |
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.
- 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 McCafferty Road Covered Bridge, closest first.
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State Park
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Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph McCafferty Road Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at McCafferty Road Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at McCafferty Road Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from McCafferty Road Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at McCafferty Road Covered Bridge?
How far is McCafferty Road Covered Bridge from Williamsburg?
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.