Located in Jackson County, Oregon, Lost Creek Bridge is a covered bridge. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) ESE of Eagle Point. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Lost Creek Bridge is a covered bridge near the unincorporated community of Lake Creek, in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The site is about 15 miles (24 km) east-northeast of Medford. At 39 feet (12 m) long, the structure is the shortest historic covered bridge in Oregon. It carries Lost Creek Road over Lost Creek, a tributary of Little Butte Creek. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. In that same year, it was closed to vehicle traffic. A newer concrete bridge runs parallel to the wooden bridge and serves as a bypass. Anecdotal accounts and limited evidence suggest that the bridge might have been built as early as 1878. If confirmed, this would make it the oldest standing covered bridge in the state. The Oregon Department of Transportation says that the official construction date of 1919 may actually refer to a renovation of an...From the Wikipedia article “Lost Creek Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lost Creek Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 57° ENE | 8:51 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 122° ESE | 4:41 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Lost Creek Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:54 AM – 3:44 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:53 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 11:51 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:47 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.48 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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 Lost Creek Bridge, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Hot Spring
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Willow Prairie Cabin15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Willow Prairie Horsecamp15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Campground (Or)17.9 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Big Elk Guard Station18.3 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- Whiskey Springs Campground18.5 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lost Creek Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Lost Creek Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lost Creek Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lost Creek Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lost Creek Bridge?
How far is Lost Creek Bridge from Eagle Point?
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.