Shimanek Bridge — a covered bridge in Linn County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.5 km (5.9 mi) S of Stayton. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Shimanek Bridge is a covered bridge near Scio in Linn County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Thomas Creek – Shimanek Covered Bridge in 1987. The bridge, 130 feet (40 m) long, was completed in 1966. Replacing a similar structure severely damaged by the Columbus Day Storm of 1962, it is the fifth bridge at this location. The fourth bridge had been built in 1927, and the first is thought to have dated to 1861. Carrying Richardson Gap Road, the bridge crosses Thomas Creek about 2 miles (3 km) east of Scio. It is the longest covered bridge in Linn County and the newest. A county crew renovated the structure in 2002, repairing damage caused by a flood in 1996. In November 2015, the bridge was closed for repairs after an inspection revealed "serious decay". Temporary repairs were expected to take weeks. More substantial repairs...From the Wikipedia article “Shimanek Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Shimanek 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) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 55° NE | 9:01 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 123° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 48m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 49m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Shimanek Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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 | 3:13 AM – 4:33 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:11 AM – 3:31 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:30 PM – 2:50 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:14 PM – 1:34 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:34 PM | 0.5 | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.94 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 28% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 68 | 68 | 73 | 86 | 97 | 98 | 106 | 103 | 98 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | 9 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 9.9 |
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
- 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.
- Many covered bridges still carry traffic; stay off the roadway and watch for vehicles.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Shimanek Bridge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Shimanek Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Shimanek Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Shimanek Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Shimanek Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Shimanek Bridge?
How far is Shimanek Bridge from Stayton?
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.