Gallon House Bridge — a covered bridge in Marion County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Silverton, about 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away (Gallon House Bridge lies NNW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Gallon House Bridge (also Gallonhouse Bridge) is a wooden covered bridge spanning Abiqua Creek in rural Marion County, Oregon, United States, built in 1916. The 84-foot-long (26 m) bridge derived its name during prohibition when it was a meeting place for bootleggers and moonshiners. The bridge was swept off its footings in the December 1964 flood, but was restored immediately after. Gallon House Bridge is about 2 miles (3 km) north-northwest of the city of Silverton west of Oregon Route 214 on Gallon House Road.From the Wikipedia article “Gallon House Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gallon House Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (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 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 55° NE | 9:02 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 123° ESE | 4:33 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Gallon House Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:23 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:33 PM – 2:43 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 1:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:24 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.61 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 July as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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.
- Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
- 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 Gallon House Bridge, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Three Bears Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Aquila Vista Recreation Site25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Cedar Grove Campground25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gallon House Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Gallon House Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gallon House Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gallon House Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gallon House Bridge?
How far is Gallon House Bridge from Silverton?
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.