Hall's Bridge (Sheeder Hall Bridge) on the NRHP since April 23, 1973. About 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Chester Springs at Sheeder Road and Birch Run spanning Eas
  1. Home
  2. Covered Bridges
  3. Pennsylvania
  4. Chester County
  5. Hall's Bridge
40.1475° N75.6208° WBortle 5New York

Hall's Bridge Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Chester County, Pennsylvania

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Smallbones · CC0 · source

Hall's Bridge is a covered bridge in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The nearest town is Chester Springs, about 5.8 km (3.6 mi) away (Hall's Bridge lies N of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hall's Bridge, also known as Sheeder-Hall Bridge, is an historic, wooden covered bridge which is located in East Vincent Township and West Vincent Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.From the Wikipedia article “Hall's Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Chester Springs
5.8 km (3.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
September
52% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:47 PM
sunset 6:24 PM

Light at Hall's Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:19 AM
Sunset
6:17 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:56 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:34 PM
Blue hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:34 PM – 6:44 PM
Full darkness
7:47 PM – 5:49 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:31 PM / 1:16 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 Hall's 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 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:07 AM90° E7:15 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:34 AM58° ENE8:36 PM302° WNW73°15h 02m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:51 AM89° E7:01 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:22 AM121° ESE4:41 PM240° WSW26°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
January6:54 AM7:24 AM8:05 AM4:20 PM5:01 PM5:31 PM9h 38m
February6:29 AM6:57 AM7:35 AM5:01 PM5:38 PM6:06 PM10h 42m
March6:48 AM7:15 AM7:51 AM6:34 PM7:10 PM7:37 PM11h 54m
April5:57 AM6:25 AM7:02 AM7:05 PM7:41 PM8:09 PM13h 16m
May5:17 AM5:48 AM6:27 AM7:33 PM8:12 PM8:42 PM14h 24m
June5:01 AM5:33 AM6:14 AM7:53 PM8:34 PM9:07 PM15h 01m
July5:14 AM5:46 AM6:26 AM7:52 PM8:32 PM9:04 PM14h 45m
August5:46 AM6:15 AM6:52 AM7:24 PM8:01 PM8:30 PM13h 47m
September6:17 AM6:44 AM7:20 AM6:37 PM7:13 PM7:40 PM12h 29m
October6:46 AM7:14 AM7:50 AM5:47 PM6:24 PM6:52 PM11h 11m
November6:20 AM6:49 AM7:29 AM4:07 PM4:47 PM5:16 PM9h 58m
December6:48 AM7:18 AM8:02 AM3:55 PM4:38 PM5:09 PM9h 20m

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 Hall's 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—-2°—
February5:19 AM – 5:19 AM0.011°SE → SE
March4:30 AM – 5:40 AM1.217°SE → SSE
April2:28 AM – 4:38 AM2.220°SE → S
May12:23 AM – 3:53 AM3.521°SE → S
June10:38 PM – 3:28 AM4.821°SE → SSW
July10:30 PM – 2:00 AM3.521°S → SW
August9:43 PM – 12:03 AM2.320°S → SW
September8:45 PM – 9:55 PM1.217°SSW → SW
October7:54 PM – 8:04 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 ≈ 19.5 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 °F65737690899510410197947871
Low °F-7-11-82128414950382410-3
Precip. (in)2.93.13.53.83.94.94.94.54.84.43.53.9

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.
  • 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 Hall's Bridge, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Hall's 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 Hall's Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:47 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:24 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:50 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Hall's 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 Hall's 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 Hall's 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 Hall's Bridge from Chester Springs?
About 5.8 km (3.6 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.