September 30, 2025 8:43 PM | Cornish-Windsor Bridge

Aurora Over the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge

With a third night of aurora activity happening, I was once again racking my brain to find an epic location. Cornish-Windsor was on my bucket list and only a bit over two hours away. I arrived a little before sunset, giving myself time to shoot it in daylight and get a feel for the composition I wanted. Once I found my spot, I set up the camera and sat in my car, frantically watching the Katahdin webcam for darkness. If you ever want to know whether the aurora is happening, or just want something mesmerizing to watch, that webcam is worth checking out.

I was pretty sure I could see pink with some green at the horizon, but it could have been wishful thinking. As the sky got darker, the pink and green got brighter. That’s when I went to check the camera, and sure enough, it could see it too. I was so excited. I usually judge the brightness of the lights by looking at the camera screen before it takes a picture; if I can see it showing up there, I know I can see something with my eye. It never got as intense as it did in May or on October 10th 2025, but I could make out faint white pillars moving around. I can’t explain why, but the thrill of seeing that is addictive. It never gets old.

I didn’t stay too long. I had other locations I was hoping to shoot that night, and as the storm died down a little, I made my way south.

About the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge

The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge is the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world, stretching roughly 460 feet across the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont. It’s actually the fourth bridge built on this site; the first crossing went up in 1796, and each of the next two was washed away by floodwaters before the current bridge was finally completed in 1866. It uses a wooden lattice-truss design patented by architect Ithiel Town, with load-bearing joints held together by wooden pegs instead of iron. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge remains open to vehicle traffic today, making it one of the rare covered bridges in New England you can still drive straight through, aurora chasers included.