Wimer Bridge — a covered bridge in Jackson County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 11.5 km (7.1 mi) N of Rogue River. It dates from 1927. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Wimer Bridge is a covered bridge over Evans Creek in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The version that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1927. This structure, 85 feet (26 m) long, carried East Evans Creek County Road over the creek in the rural community of Wimer. The creek is a tributary of the Rogue River, which it joins at the small city of Rogue River. An earlier covered span, built in 1892 by J. W. Osbourne, crossed the creek at this location, according to local residents and an engineering database. The 1927 bridge replaced the older span. After the 1927 bridge deteriorated, local residents refurbished it in 1962. However, by the mid-1970s the bridge was closed after further decline. Repairs in 1985 led to reopening with an eight-ton limit, later reduced to three tons. Before further repairs were undertaken, the structure...From the Wikipedia article “Wimer Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wimer 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° (NW) 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) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 57° ENE | 8:54 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 122° ESE | 4:43 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:32 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Wimer 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:47 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:57 AM – 3:47 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:08 PM – 3:18 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:56 PM – 1:56 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 11:54 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:50 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 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 66 | 66 | 74 | 82 | 89 | 101 | 104 | 106 | 103 | 93 | 79 | 58 |
| Low °F | 7 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 30 | 37 | 43 | 45 | 36 | 27 | 20 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.9 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 7.7 | 10.9 |
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
- 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 Wimer Bridge, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
State Park
Ghost Town
Covered Bridge
Ghost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wimer Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Wimer Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wimer Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wimer Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wimer Bridge?
How far is Wimer Bridge from Rogue River?
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.