Located in Muskingum County, Ohio, Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. It sits roughly 8.9 km (5.5 mi) ESE of South Zanesville. It dates from 1875.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 58° ENE | 9:00 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 121° ESE | 5:07 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:29 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:35 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:45 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 5:12 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:46 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:00 PM – 3:50 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:52 PM – 2:32 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 12:27 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 8:30 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 ≈ 21.16 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 50% 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 | 70 | 72 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 100 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 95 | 77 | 69 |
| Low °F | -7 | -3 | -1 | 22 | 26 | 39 | 49 | 48 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.6 |
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 Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge, closest first.
State Park
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge?
How far is Philo-Duncan Falls Covered Bridge from South Zanesville?
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.