Smith Rapids Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Iron County, Wisconsin. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) E of Park Falls. It dates from 1991.
Wikidata describes it as: “covered bridge in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin, USA”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Smith Rapids Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 54° NE | 8:55 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 124° SE | 4:19 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:27 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 03m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:32 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 43m |
| July | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:26 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:46 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:47 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:27 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:52 PM | 8h 41m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Smith Rapids Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:17 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:08 AM – 4:18 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:36 PM – 2:26 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:07 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 11:10 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:07 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 42 | 52 | 73 | 78 | 84 | 89 | 100 | 94 | 91 | 80 | 69 | 57 |
| Low °F | -43 | -28 | -31 | -1 | 24 | 38 | 44 | 38 | 28 | 14 | -10 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Smith Rapids Covered Bridge, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Smith Rapids151 m · reservable
- Smith Rapids Pavilion160 m · reservable
- Twin Lakes (Wi)9.1 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Sailor Lake Pavilion10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Sailor Lake11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Smith Rapids Covered Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Smith Rapids Covered Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Smith Rapids Covered Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Smith Rapids Covered Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Smith Rapids Covered Bridge?
How far is Smith Rapids Covered Bridge from Park Falls?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.