Watson Mill Bridge State Park is a state park in Madison County, Georgia. It sits roughly 6.3 km (3.9 mi) SE of Comer. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Watson Mill Bridge State Park is a 1,018-acre (4.12 km2) Georgia state park located near Comer and Carlton on the South Fork of the Broad River. The park is named for the Watson Mill Bridge the longest original-site covered bridge in Georgia, which spans 229 feet (70 m) across the South Fork of the Broad River. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Watson Mill Covered Bridge and Mill Historic District. The bridge, built in 1885, is supported by a Town lattice truss system held together with wooden pegs also known as trunnels. Georgia once had over 200 covered bridges, but only 20 now remain. The park also offers a scenic nature trail and a new hiking/riding trail that winds through the thick forests and along the rivers edge.From the Wikipedia article “Watson Mill Bridge State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Watson Mill Bridge State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:22 AM | 61° ENE | 8:48 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 118° ESE | 5:28 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 6:04 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Watson Mill Bridge State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 6:13 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 5:31 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:44 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 4:30 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 3:06 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 1:02 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 11:05 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 9:02 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 72 | 75 | 81 | 86 | 92 | 108 | 107 | 103 | 100 | 100 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 3 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 34 | 49 | 55 | 54 | 40 | 27 | 18 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 5.7 |
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 state park
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Watson Mill Bridge State Park, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Watson Mill Bridge State Park?
What time is golden hour at Watson Mill Bridge State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Watson Mill Bridge State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Watson Mill Bridge State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Watson Mill Bridge State Park?
How far is Watson Mill Bridge State Park from Comer?
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.