Locust Creek Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The nearest town is Marlinton, about 21 km (13 mi) away (Locust Creek Covered Bridge lies SW of town). It dates from 1870. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Locust Creek Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. It is located approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) outside Hillsboro. The bridge is now for pedestrian traffic only.From the Wikipedia article “Locust Creek Covered Bridge (West Virginia)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Locust 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 59° ENE | 8:48 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 5:05 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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 | 8:17 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Locust 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 23° 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:56 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:20 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 4:01 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:34 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:32 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 54% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 69 | 71 | 78 | 81 | 98 | 92 | 97 | 95 | 94 | 91 | 77 | 74 |
| Low °F | -6 | -5 | -4 | 19 | 26 | 38 | 48 | 45 | 36 | 25 | 13 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
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
- 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.
- Shoot from the stream bank to show the bridge, the water and its reflection together.
- 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 Locust Creek Covered Bridge, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Wilderness Area
State Park
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hopkins Mountain Fireman'S Cabin14.9 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Blue Meadow17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Blue Bend Rec Area17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Day Run Campground21 km (13 mi)
- Lake Sherwood22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Locust Creek Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Locust Creek Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Locust Creek Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Locust Creek Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Locust Creek Covered Bridge?
How far is Locust Creek Covered Bridge from Marlinton?
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.