Chiselville Covered Bridge - Arlington, Vermont
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43.0722° N73.1332° WBortle 3New York

Chiselville Covered Bridge Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Bennington County, Vermont

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–304°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Chiselville Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Bennington County, Vermont. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) E of Arlington. It dates from 1870.

The Chiselville Covered Bridge is a covered bridge over the Roaring Branch of the Batten Kill in Sunderland, Vermont. It bears a sign reading "One Dollar Fine for Driving Faster Than a Walk on This Bridge."From the Wikipedia article “Chiselville Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Arlington
1.7 km (1.1 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
52% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:33 PM
sunset 6:11 PM

Light at Chiselville Covered Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:13 AM
Sunset
6:03 PM
Golden hour AM
6:55 AM – 7:52 AM
Golden hour PM
5:24 PM – 6:21 PM
Blue hour AM
6:44 AM – 6:55 AM
Blue hour PM
6:21 PM – 6:32 PM
Full darkness
7:38 PM – 5:39 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:26 PM / 12:59 AM
Day length
10h 51m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
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 Chiselville Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (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 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:57 AM90° E7:05 PM271° W47°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:14 AM56° ENE8:36 PM304° NW70°15h 22m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:40 AM89° E6:52 PM271° W47°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:22 AM122° ESE4:21 PM238° WSW23°9h 00m

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
January6:50 AM7:22 AM8:06 AM3:59 PM4:43 PM5:15 PM9h 21m
February6:22 AM6:51 AM7:31 AM4:44 PM5:24 PM5:53 PM10h 33m
March6:37 AM7:06 AM7:43 AM6:21 PM6:59 PM7:27 PM11h 53m
April5:42 AM6:11 AM6:49 AM6:57 PM7:35 PM8:05 PM13h 24m
May4:57 AM5:30 AM6:11 AM7:29 PM8:09 PM8:42 PM14h 39m
June4:38 AM5:13 AM5:57 AM7:51 PM8:34 PM9:10 PM15h 21m
July4:53 AM5:27 AM6:09 AM7:49 PM8:31 PM9:05 PM15h 04m
August5:28 AM5:59 AM6:38 AM7:18 PM7:57 PM8:28 PM13h 58m
September6:04 AM6:33 AM7:10 AM6:27 PM7:05 PM7:33 PM12h 32m
October6:38 AM7:07 AM7:45 AM5:33 PM6:11 PM6:40 PM11h 05m
November6:15 AM6:46 AM7:28 AM3:48 PM4:30 PM5:01 PM9h 44m
December6:46 AM7:18 AM8:04 AM3:33 PM4:19 PM4:51 PM9h 01m

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 Chiselville Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
March4:34 AM – 5:24 AM0.814°SSE → SSE
April2:38 AM – 4:18 AM1.717°SSE → S
May12:40 AM – 3:20 AM2.718°SSE → S
June10:52 PM – 2:52 AM4.018°SSE → SSW
July10:41 PM – 1:31 AM2.818°S → SSW
August9:46 PM – 11:26 PM1.717°S → SSW
September8:42 PM – 9:32 PM0.814°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.33 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 (76%). 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 °F596875828694979290786965
Low °F-32-24-195263244443320-2-21
Precip. (in)2.52.93.03.63.84.94.44.13.74.53.23.7

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 Chiselville Covered Bridge, closest first.

Arlington Green Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Arlington Green Covered Bridge8.0 km away · Bennington County
Wilderness Area
Lye Brook Wilderness9.6 km away · Bennington County
Equinox MountainMountain Peak
Equinox Mountain11 km away · Bennington County · 1,116 m
Wilderness Area
Glastenbury Wilderness12 km away · Bennington County
Eagleville BridgeCovered Bridge
Eagleville Bridge15 km away · Washington County
Stratton MountainMountain Peak
Stratton Mountain17 km away · Windham County · 1,193 m
Stratton Mountain Lookout TowerFire Lookout
Stratton Mountain Lookout Tower17 km away · Bennington County
Shushan BridgeCovered Bridge
Shushan Bridge17 km away · Washington County
Rexleigh BridgeCovered Bridge
Rexleigh Bridge19 km away · Washington County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Chiselville 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 Chiselville Covered Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:33 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:11 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:45 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Chiselville Covered Bridge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Chiselville Covered Bridge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chiselville 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 Chiselville Covered Bridge from Arlington?
About 1.7 km (1.1 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.