Bob White Covered Bridge — a covered bridge in Patrick County, Virginia — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Stuart, about 15.4 km (9.6 mi) away (Bob White Covered Bridge lies N of town). It dates from 1921. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Bob White Covered Bridge, also known as the Lower Covered Bridge or Woolwine Covered Bridge, was a county-owned wooden covered bridge that spanned the Smith River in Patrick County, Virginia, United States. It was located on the old portion of Bob White Road (SR 869) off State Route 8 southeast of the community of Woolwine, about 13 miles (21 kilometers) north of Stuart. Coordinates were 36°46′44.82″N 80°14′51.26″W (36.779117, −80.247572). Built in 1921, the 80-foot (24-meter) bridge was a Queen-post truss construction over two spans. Its WGCB number was 46-68-01. The Bob White Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1973. It was one of two historic covered bridges remaining in Patrick County, maintained by the Patrick County government. The bridge washed away and was destroyed in major flooding on September 29, 2015, and subsequently...From the Wikipedia article “Bob White Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bob White Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 60° ENE | 8:44 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 119° ESE | 5:09 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Bob White Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:24 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:34 PM – 4:04 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:38 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 12:39 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:38 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 99 | 98 | 100 | 96 | 96 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | 0 | -2 | 2 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 26 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
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.
- 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 Bob White Covered Bridge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointWaterfall
State ParkScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Rock Castle Gorge Backcountry Camping8.5 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Rocky Knob Campground10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Goose Point17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Horseshoe Point17.5 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Philpott Park18.8 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bob White Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Bob White Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bob White Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bob White Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bob White Covered Bridge?
How far is Bob White Covered Bridge from Stuart?
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.