Located in Deschutes County, Oregon, Rock O' the Range Bridge is a covered bridge. The nearest town is Bend, about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) away (Rock O' the Range Bridge lies NNE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Rock O' the Range Bridge, also called the Swalley Canal Bridge, is a bridge located north of Bend, Oregon, U.S., on a street adjacent to U.S. Route 97. It is the only covered span in the state of Oregon on the east side of the Cascade Range. It is also one of very few privately owned covered bridges in Oregon.From the Wikipedia article “Rock O' the Range Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rock O' the Range 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) | 7:09 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 | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 123° ESE | 4:30 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 | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:01 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 Rock O' the Range 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 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:58 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 3:29 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 2:55 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 9:26 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: 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 ≈ 20.0 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
- 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.
- 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 Rock O' the Range Bridge, closest first.
State Park
Volcano
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Cave
State Park
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Driftwood Campground - Deschutes28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Three Creeks Lake Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Three Creeks Meadow Horse Camp28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Three Creeks Meadow Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rock O' the Range Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Rock O' the Range Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rock O' the Range Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rock O' the Range Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rock O' the Range Bridge?
How far is Rock O' the Range Bridge from Bend?
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.