Located in Monroe County, West Virginia, Laurel Creek Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. The nearest town is Alderson, about 18.4 km (11.4 mi) away (Laurel Creek Covered Bridge lies S of town). It dates from 1911. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Laurel Creek Covered Bridge is a historic covered bridge located near Lillydale, Monroe County, West Virginia. It was built in 1910. The shortest covered bridge in the state, it measures 34 feet, 6 inches long and 13 feet, 2 1/2 inches wide. It has wood siding painted red and a galvanized metal roof. By 1981, it was one of only 17 covered bridges left in West Virginia. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.From the Wikipedia article “Laurel Creek Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Laurel Creek Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 59° ENE | 8:48 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 5:08 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Laurel Creek Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:58 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:20 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:34 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:31 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 8:34 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.71 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 95 | 93 | 78 | 75 |
| Low °F | -5 | -3 | -5 | 20 | 28 | 38 | 49 | 44 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
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 Laurel Creek Covered Bridge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Ghost Town
Wilderness Area
Covered Bridge
CaveGhost Town
WaterfallWaterfall
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Laurel Creek Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Laurel Creek Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Laurel Creek Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Laurel Creek Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Laurel Creek Covered Bridge?
How far is Laurel Creek Covered Bridge from Alderson?
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.