Walter F. Ehrnfelt Bridge — a covered bridge in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Middleburg Heights, about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) away (Walter F. Ehrnfelt Bridge lies SW of town). It dates from 1983.
Wikidata describes it as: “covered bridge in Strongsville, Ohio”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Walter F. Ehrnfelt Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 57° ENE | 9:05 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 121° ESE | 5:02 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 11m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:33 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 13m |
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 Walter F. Ehrnfelt Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:56 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.33 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 58% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 62 | 66 | 79 | 79 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 94 | 86 | 76 | 65 |
| Low °F | -10 | -11 | -1 | 18 | 27 | 40 | 49 | 47 | 40 | 29 | 13 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Walter F. Ehrnfelt Bridge, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered BridgeScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Waterfall
LighthouseFAQ
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How far is Walter F. Ehrnfelt Bridge from Middleburg Heights?
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.