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40.4392° N78.2042° W347 mBortle 3New York

Arch Spring Natural Bridge Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Blair County, Pennsylvania · 347 m (1,138 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Arch Spring Natural Bridge — a natural arch in Blair County, Pennsylvania at about 347 m (1,138 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.6 km (1.6 mi) S of Williamsburg.

Elevation
347 m
1,138 ft
Nearest town
Williamsburg
2.6 km (1.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
55% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:57 PM
sunset 6:34 PM

Light at Arch Spring Natural Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:30 AM
Sunset
6:27 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 8:07 AM
Golden hour PM
5:50 PM – 6:44 PM
Blue hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
6:44 PM – 6:55 PM
Full darkness
7:58 PM – 6:00 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:42 PM / 1:26 AM
Day length
10h 57m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
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 Arch Spring Natural Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:17 AM90° E7:25 PM271° W49°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:43 AM58° ENE8:47 PM303° WNW73°15h 04m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:01 AM89° E7:12 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:33 AM121° ESE4:50 PM239° WSW26°9h 17m

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

Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:05 AM7:35 AM8:17 AM4:29 PM5:11 PM5:41 PM9h 36m
February6:39 AM7:07 AM7:45 AM5:10 PM5:48 PM6:16 PM10h 41m
March6:58 AM7:25 AM8:01 AM6:44 PM7:20 PM7:47 PM11h 54m
April6:07 AM6:35 AM7:12 AM7:15 PM7:52 PM8:20 PM13h 17m
May5:26 AM5:57 AM6:36 AM7:44 PM8:23 PM8:54 PM14h 25m
June5:10 AM5:43 AM6:24 AM8:04 PM8:45 PM9:19 PM15h 03m
July5:24 AM5:56 AM6:36 AM8:03 PM8:43 PM9:15 PM14h 47m
August5:55 AM6:24 AM7:02 AM7:35 PM8:12 PM8:41 PM13h 48m
September6:27 AM6:54 AM7:30 AM6:48 PM7:24 PM7:51 PM12h 29m
October6:57 AM7:24 AM8:01 AM5:57 PM6:34 PM7:02 PM11h 10m
November6:31 AM7:00 AM7:40 AM4:16 PM4:57 PM5:26 PM9h 57m
December6:59 AM7:30 AM8:13 AM4:05 PM4:48 PM5:19 PM9h 18m

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 Arch Spring Natural Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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—-2°—
February5:30 AM – 5:30 AM0.011°SE → SE
March4:41 AM – 5:51 AM1.217°SE → SSE
April2:40 AM – 4:50 AM2.220°SE → S
May12:35 AM – 3:55 AM3.321°SE → S
June10:51 PM – 3:31 AM4.721°SSE → SSW
July10:42 PM – 2:12 AM3.521°S → SW
August9:55 PM – 12:05 AM2.220°S → SW
September8:57 PM – 10:07 PM1.217°SSW → SW
October8:05 PM – 8:05 PM0.011°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 ≈ 21.28 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). 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 °F647076829194949592887470
Low °F-11-12-11923374546362192
Precip. (in)2.62.93.03.54.14.23.83.53.93.52.83.2

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 natural arch

  • At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
  • Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
  • Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
  • Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.

Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Arch Spring Natural Bridge, closest first.

Canoe Creek State ParkState Park
Canoe Creek State Park7.7 km away · Blair County
Scenic Viewpoint
Coffee Run Overlook14 km away · Huntingdon County · 273 m
Trough Creek State ParkState Park
Trough Creek State Park14 km away · Huntingdon County
Scenic Viewpoint
Entriken Bridge Overlook14 km away · Huntingdon County · 252 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Hawns Overlook16 km away · Huntingdon County · 239 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Ridenour Overlook16 km away · Huntingdon County · 302 m
Tytoona CaveCave
Tytoona Cave19 km away · Blair County
Cave
Indian Caverns25 km away · Huntingdon County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Arch Spring Natural Bridge?
September 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. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at Arch Spring Natural Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:57 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:34 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:01 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Arch Spring Natural Bridge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Arch Spring Natural Bridge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Arch Spring Natural 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 Arch Spring Natural Bridge from Williamsburg?
About 2.6 km (1.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.