Uhlerstown Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Frenchtown, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Uhlerstown Covered Bridge lies W of town). It dates from 1856.
The Uhlerstown Covered Bridge spans the Delaware Canal in the village of Uhlerstown in Tinicum Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The historic bridge was built in 1856, and was reconstructed using original materials in 1985. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Covered Bridges of the Delaware River Watershed Multiple Property Submission (MPS). It is part of the Delaware Canal and the Uhlerstown Historic District. The bridge was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) in 2002. The bridge was built in 1856 by Mahlon C. Lear and is the only covered bridge that crosses the Delaware Canal. It is next to lock 18 of the canal.From the Wikipedia article “Uhlerstown Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Uhlerstown 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 58° ENE | 8:35 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 121° ESE | 4:37 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Uhlerstown Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:37 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 3:42 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:18 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 1:59 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 11:52 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:54 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 7:52 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.75 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 65 | 73 | 76 | 90 | 89 | 95 | 104 | 101 | 97 | 94 | 78 | 71 |
| Low °F | -7 | -11 | -8 | 21 | 28 | 41 | 49 | 50 | 38 | 24 | 10 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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
- 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.
- Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
- 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 Uhlerstown Covered Bridge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
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State Park
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State Park
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Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Uhlerstown Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Uhlerstown Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Uhlerstown Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Uhlerstown Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Uhlerstown Covered Bridge?
How far is Uhlerstown Covered Bridge from Frenchtown?
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.