Pumping Station Bridge — a covered bridge in Polk County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Dallas, about 5.4 km (3.4 mi) away (Pumping Station Bridge lies W of town). It dates from 1916.
The Pumping Station Bridge was a covered bridge spanning Rickreall Creek, near Ellendale, Oregon, in the United States. The bridge collapsed during a flood on November 24, 1986. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1979. The bridge was removed from the NRHP in 1987 after the collapse.From the Wikipedia article “Pumping Station Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pumping Station 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 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:36 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 | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:11 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:07 PM | 8h 48m |
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 Pumping Station 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:17 AM – 4:37 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:36 PM – 2:46 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:29 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:27 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 ≈ 20.36 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 34% 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 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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
- 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.
- Shoot from the stream bank to show the bridge, the water and its reflection together.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Pumping Station Bridge, closest first.
Ghost Town
Waterfall
National Wildlife RefugeWaterfall
Ghost Town
State Park
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pumping Station Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Pumping Station Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pumping Station Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pumping Station Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pumping Station Bridge?
How far is Pumping Station Bridge from Dallas?
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.