Located in Doddridge County, West Virginia, West Union Covered Bridge is a covered bridge. It sits roughly 17.0 km (10.6 mi) E of Pennsboro. It dates from 1843.
The West Union Covered Bridge (1843), on Middle Island Creek, was a local historical landmark of West Union, West Virginia, USA, until its destruction in a flood in 1950. It was one of more than 100 covered bridges constructed throughout the state in the mid- and late 19th century.From the Wikipedia article “West Union Covered Bridge (West Virginia)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At West Union Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 58° ENE | 8:54 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 25m |
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 West Union Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:30 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:39 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:36 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:52 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 7.0+ 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 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 | 70 | 72 | 79 | 83 | 97 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 99 | 94 | 77 | 69 |
| Low °F | -7 | -3 | 0 | 21 | 25 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 38 | 25 | 12 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 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
- 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 West Union Covered Bridge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph West Union Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at West Union Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at West Union Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from West Union Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at West Union Covered Bridge?
How far is West Union Covered Bridge from Pennsboro?
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.