Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge was built in 1906 and currently resides in Sycamore Creek Park in Pickerington, Ohio
  1. Home
  2. Covered Bridges
  3. Ohio
  4. Fairfield County
  5. Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge
39.8807° N82.7469° WBortle 6New York

Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Fairfield County, Ohio

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Wdzinc · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Fairfield County, Ohio, Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. It sits roughly 700 m SE of Pickerington. It dates from 1906.

Nearest town
Pickerington
700 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
September
46% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:16 PM
sunset 6:53 PM

Light at Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:47 AM
Sunset
6:46 PM
Golden hour AM
7:30 AM – 8:24 AM
Golden hour PM
6:08 PM – 7:02 PM
Blue hour AM
7:20 AM – 7:30 AM
Blue hour PM
7:02 PM – 7:13 PM
Full darkness
8:16 PM – 6:18 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:58 PM / 1:46 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
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 Zeller-Smith 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:35 AM90° E7:43 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:03 AM58° ENE9:04 PM302° WNW74°15h 00m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:19 AM89° E7:30 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:50 AM121° ESE5:10 PM240° WSW27°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:22 AM7:51 AM8:33 AM4:49 PM5:31 PM6:00 PM9h 39m
February6:57 AM7:25 AM8:02 AM5:30 PM6:07 PM6:35 PM10h 43m
March7:17 AM7:43 AM8:19 AM7:02 PM7:38 PM8:05 PM11h 55m
April6:26 AM6:54 AM7:30 AM7:33 PM8:09 PM8:37 PM13h 15m
May5:46 AM6:17 AM6:56 AM8:01 PM8:39 PM9:10 PM14h 22m
June5:30 AM6:03 AM6:43 AM8:21 PM9:02 PM9:35 PM14h 59m
July5:44 AM6:16 AM6:55 AM8:20 PM8:59 PM9:31 PM14h 44m
August6:15 AM6:44 AM7:21 AM7:52 PM8:29 PM8:58 PM13h 46m
September6:46 AM7:13 AM7:48 AM7:06 PM7:42 PM8:09 PM12h 29m
October7:15 AM7:42 AM8:18 AM6:16 PM6:53 PM7:20 PM11h 11m
November6:48 AM7:17 AM7:57 AM4:36 PM5:16 PM5:45 PM10h 00m
December7:16 AM7:46 AM8:29 AM4:25 PM5:08 PM5:38 PM9h 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 Zeller-Smith 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
February5:38 AM – 5:48 AM0.211°SE → SE
March4:48 AM – 6:08 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:46 AM – 5:06 AM2.321°SE → S
May12:50 AM – 4:20 AM3.521°SE → S
June11:05 PM – 3:55 AM4.821°SE → SSW
July10:57 PM – 2:27 AM3.521°S → SW
August10:11 PM – 12:31 AM2.321°S → SW
September9:14 PM – 10:24 PM1.218°SSW → SW
October8:23 PM – 8:33 PM0.211°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.04 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 46% average cloud cover) and January 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 °F7073818392991039998948069
Low °F-8-6621274050483826110
Precip. (in)2.62.93.43.94.14.13.82.93.13.22.93.1

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

  • 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 Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge, closest first.

Hizey Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Hizey Covered Bridge5.0 km away · Fairfield County
Hartman No 2 Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge7.0 km away · Fairfield County
Bergstresser/Dietz Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Bergstresser/Dietz Covered Bridge8.2 km away · Franklin County
Ety Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Ety Covered Bridge9.4 km away · Fairfield County
Rock Mill Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Rock Mill Covered Bridge15 km away · Fairfield County
Blackburn Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Blackburn Covered Bridge16 km away · Pickaway County
WonderlandGhost Town
Wonderland17 km away · Franklin County
Franklin Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Franklin Park Conservatory20 km away · Franklin County
John Bright Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
John Bright Covered Bridge21 km away · Fairfield County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge?
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 Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:16 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:53 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:18 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge?
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 Zeller-Smith Covered Bridge from Pickerington?
About 700 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.