1. Home
  2. Covered Bridges
  3. Pennsylvania
  4. Lancaster County
  5. Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge
40.0242° N76.2015° WBortle 5New York

Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It sits roughly 4.8 km (3.0 mi) NNW of Strasburg.

The Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge was a covered bridge located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1855. In 1962 the bridge was used in the construction of the Willow Hill Covered Bridge to supplement the Miller's Farm Covered Bridge from which the Willow Hill covered bridge is derived. It was located on the border between Pequea Township and Providence Township.From the Wikipedia article “Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Strasburg
4.8 km (3.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
September
54% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:50 PM
sunset 6:27 PM

Light at Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:21 AM
Sunset
6:19 PM
Golden hour AM
7:04 AM – 7:58 AM
Golden hour PM
5:42 PM – 6:36 PM
Blue hour AM
6:53 AM – 7:04 AM
Blue hour PM
6:36 PM – 6:47 PM
Full darkness
7:50 PM – 5:52 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:33 PM / 1:18 AM
Day length
10h 58m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:09 AM90° E7:17 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:37 AM58° ENE8:38 PM302° WNW73°15h 01m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:53 AM89° E7:04 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:24 AM121° ESE4:43 PM240° WSW27°9h 19m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:56 AM7:26 AM8:07 AM4:23 PM5:04 PM5:34 PM9h 38m
February6:31 AM6:59 AM7:37 AM5:03 PM5:41 PM6:09 PM10h 42m
March6:50 AM7:17 AM7:53 AM6:36 PM7:12 PM7:39 PM11h 55m
April6:00 AM6:28 AM7:04 AM7:07 PM7:43 PM8:11 PM13h 16m
May5:20 AM5:50 AM6:29 AM7:35 PM8:14 PM8:44 PM14h 23m
June5:03 AM5:36 AM6:17 AM7:55 PM8:36 PM9:09 PM15h 00m
July5:17 AM5:49 AM6:29 AM7:54 PM8:34 PM9:05 PM14h 45m
August5:48 AM6:17 AM6:54 AM7:26 PM8:03 PM8:32 PM13h 46m
September6:19 AM6:46 AM7:22 AM6:40 PM7:15 PM7:43 PM12h 29m
October6:48 AM7:16 AM7:52 AM5:50 PM6:27 PM6:54 PM11h 11m
November6:22 AM6:51 AM7:31 AM4:10 PM4:50 PM5:19 PM9h 59m
December6:50 AM7:20 AM8:03 AM3:58 PM4:41 PM5:12 PM9h 21m

Local time (America/New York), 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 Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
February5:12 AM – 5:22 AM0.211°SE → SE
March4:22 AM – 5:42 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:20 AM – 4:40 AM2.321°SE → S
May12:24 AM – 3:54 AM3.521°SE → S
June10:39 PM – 3:29 AM4.821°SE → SSW
July10:31 PM – 2:01 AM3.521°S → SW
August9:45 PM – 12:05 AM2.321°S → SW
September8:48 PM – 9:58 PM1.218°SSW → SW
October7:57 PM – 8:07 PM0.211°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 19.81 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 September as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F64737788919510310196937871
Low °F-9-12-821284149493824111
Precip. (in)2.93.03.43.84.14.94.94.54.94.43.23.7

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 Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Peak fall color is the classic season; winter snow and spring blossoms are less crowded alternatives.
What time is golden hour at Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:50 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:27 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:52 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Daniel Good's Fording Covered Bridge from Strasburg?
About 4.8 km (3.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.