Located in Linn County, Oregon, Short Bridge is a covered bridge. The nearest town is Sweet Home, about 18.0 km (11.2 mi) away (Short Bridge lies E of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Short Bridge spans the South Santiam River 12 miles (19 km) east of Sweet Home, Oregon, near the community of Cascadia. The 105-foot (32 m) Howe truss type bridge was built in 1945. It is named for Gordon Short, a long-time area resident. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Short Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Short 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) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 55° NE | 8:59 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 123° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:29 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 52m |
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 Short Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 4:31 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:08 AM – 3:28 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:26 PM – 2:56 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:11 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 11:30 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 9:32 PM | 0.5 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.55 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 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
- 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 Short Bridge, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Wilderness Area
Covered BridgeWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Longbow Organization Group11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Yukwah Campground13.6 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Fernview Group Site16.8 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- House Rock Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Sevenmile24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Short Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Short Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Short Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Short Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Short Bridge?
How far is Short Bridge from Sweet Home?
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.