Hixon Crossing Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Deschutes County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) WNW of Bend.
Wikidata describes it as: “covered bridge in Deschutes County, Oregon, USA”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hixon Crossing Covered 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 238° (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) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 56° NE | 8:53 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 123° ESE | 4:31 PM | 238° WSW | 22° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:07 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:02 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:02 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Hixon Crossing Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 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 6 (bright 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:55 AM – 4:35 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:00 AM – 3:30 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:16 PM – 2:56 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:02 PM – 1:32 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 11:34 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:27 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.44 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 24% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). July 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 | 65 | 65 | 77 | 84 | 94 | 100 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 88 | 72 | 58 |
| Low °F | -8 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 17 | 3 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
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.
- Autumn foliage peaks are the most popular time — visit on weekdays to avoid crowds.
- 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 Hixon Crossing Covered Bridge, closest first.
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Volcano
Covered Bridge
WaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfall
National Forest
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Three Creeks Lake Campground19.9 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Driftwood Campground - Deschutes20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Three Creeks Meadow Horse Camp21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Three Creeks Meadow Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Soda Creek Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hixon Crossing Covered Bridge?
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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.