A photo of the Jack's Creek Covered Bridge in Patrick County, Virginia, taken by M.L. Devall in December 2004.
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36.7643° N80.2736° WBortle 3New York

Jack's Creek Covered Bridge Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Patrick County, Virginia

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: November
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Mld74 at en.wikipedia · Public domain · source

Jack's Creek Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Patrick County, Virginia. It sits roughly 13.7 km (8.5 mi) N of Stuart. It dates from 1914. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Jack's Creek Covered Bridge, also known as the Upper Covered Bridge, is a county-owned wooden covered bridge that spans the Smith River in Patrick County, Virginia, United States. It is located on Jack's Creek Road (SR 615) off State Route 8 just south of the community of Woolwine, about 11 miles (18 km) north of Stuart. Built in 1914 (some sources say 1916), the 48-foot (15 m) bridge is a queenpost truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 46-68-02. The Jack's Creek Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1973. It is the only historic covered bridge remaining in Patrick County, maintained by the Patrick County government.From the Wikipedia article “Jack's Creek Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Stuart
13.7 km (8.5 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
November
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:11 PM
sunset 6:46 PM

Light at Jack's Creek Covered Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:34 AM
Sunset
6:39 PM
Golden hour AM
7:18 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
6:04 PM – 6:56 PM
Blue hour AM
7:07 AM – 7:18 AM
Blue hour PM
6:56 PM – 7:06 PM
Full darkness
8:06 PM – 6:08 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:44 PM / 1:43 AM
Day length
11h 06m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
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 Jack's Creek 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:26 AM90° E7:33 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:03 AM60° ENE8:44 PM301° WNW77°14h 41m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:10 AM89° E7:20 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:31 AM119° ESE5:09 PM241° WSW30°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:05 AM7:33 AM8:12 AM4:50 PM5:29 PM5:57 PM9h 55m
February6:44 AM7:10 AM7:46 AM5:26 PM6:02 PM6:28 PM10h 51m
March7:07 AM7:33 AM8:07 AM6:54 PM7:29 PM7:55 PM11h 56m
April6:21 AM6:48 AM7:22 AM7:21 PM7:56 PM8:22 PM13h 08m
May5:46 AM6:15 AM6:51 AM7:45 PM8:22 PM8:51 PM14h 08m
June5:32 AM6:02 AM6:41 AM8:04 PM8:42 PM9:13 PM14h 40m
July5:45 AM6:14 AM6:52 AM8:03 PM8:41 PM9:11 PM14h 26m
August6:12 AM6:39 AM7:15 AM7:38 PM8:14 PM8:41 PM13h 35m
September6:38 AM7:04 AM7:38 AM6:56 PM7:30 PM7:56 PM12h 26m
October7:03 AM7:29 AM8:04 AM6:11 PM6:46 PM7:12 PM11h 17m
November6:32 AM7:00 AM7:38 AM4:35 PM5:13 PM5:41 PM10h 13m
December6:58 AM7:27 AM8:07 AM4:27 PM5:07 PM5:36 PM9h 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 Jack's Creek 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:09 AM – 5:39 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:25 AM – 6:05 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April2:17 AM – 5:07 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:24 AM – 4:24 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:34 PM – 4:04 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:28 PM – 2:38 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:49 PM – 12:39 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:58 PM – 10:38 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October8:12 PM – 8:42 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
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 ≈ 21.53 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F7375808492999810096968172
Low °F0-2222324353503726146
Precip. (in)3.03.43.54.24.44.44.74.24.23.63.43.6

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Jack's Creek Covered Bridge, closest first.

Bob White Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Bob White Covered Bridge2.8 km away · Patrick County
Waterfall
Smith River Falls7.3 km away · Patrick County · 799 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Grassy Knoll Overlook9.1 km away · Floyd County · 1,046 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Grassy Knoll Parking Area12 km away · Patrick County · 902 m
Waterfall
White Falls14 km away · Patrick County · 308 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Round Meadow Overlook14 km away · Patrick County · 854 m
Fairy Stone State ParkState Park
Fairy Stone State Park16 km away · Henry County
Waterfall
Great Falls of Dan17 km away · Patrick County · 608 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Shortts Knob Overlook18 km away · Floyd County · 765 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Jack's Creek Covered Bridge?
November 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 Jack's Creek Covered Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:11 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Jack's Creek Covered Bridge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Jack's Creek Covered Bridge?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jack's Creek 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 Jack's Creek Covered Bridge from Stuart?
About 13.7 km (8.5 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.