Belknap Bridge is a covered bridge in Lane County, Oregon. It sits roughly 48 km (30 mi) ESE of Sweet Home. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Belknap Bridge (also McKenzie River Bridge) crosses the McKenzie River near the unincorporated community of Rainbow in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is approximately three miles west of the town of McKenzie Bridge which is named after the bridge. It is the fourth covered bridge built on the site. The bridge is well maintained and open to traffic. The Belknap Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Belknap Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Belknap Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 56° NE | 8:57 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 123° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:26 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 53m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Belknap Bridge, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:02 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 4:29 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:05 AM – 3:35 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:22 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:07 PM – 1:37 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:08 PM – 11:38 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:30 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 68 | 68 | 73 | 86 | 97 | 98 | 106 | 103 | 98 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | 9 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 9.9 |
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
- 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.
- Overcast days keep contrast low between the dark interior and the bright surroundings.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Belknap Bridge, closest first.
National Forest
Hot Spring
Hot SpringHot SpringHot SpringHot Spring
WaterfallWaterfall
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mckenzie Bridge4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Delta4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Mona 4.6 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Lookout Campground And Boat Launch - Willamette4.8 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Horse Creek Group Campground6.4 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Belknap Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Belknap Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Belknap Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Belknap Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Belknap Bridge?
How far is Belknap Bridge from Sweet Home?
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.