Covered Bridges in Bedford County Pennsylvania

BEDFORD COUNTY COVERED BRIDGES

Bedford County is blessed with 14 covered bridges. Few places have covered bridges set in more picturesque settings and with more variety than in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. These structures were built approximately 100 years ago by craftsmen who worked almost entirely by hand, making structures that would withstand the rain, snow and hard use of the travelling public.
The county's bridges range in length from the 136 foot Herline Bridge near Manns Choice, PA to the Palo Alto bridge south of Hyndman. It is only 56 feet long. Twelve of the spans are Burr-truss bridges, so named after their designer, Theodore Burr. These bridges are held in place by a set of trusses that interact with an arch that spans the length on each side. The simpler Kingpost truss bridges can't span the great lengths achieved by the Burr truss arch system.

A lot of people ask, "Why did they cover the bridges?". One answer is that wooden bridges with exposed superstructures can rot ... covering and roofing them protects them from the weather so they'll last longer.

Pictured above is the Covered Bridges of Bedford County Poster. Available for sale ... click here for more info.

Here's a list of all 14 Covered Bridges in Bedford County. Click on the name of the bridge for a photgraph and for a description, including length of span, when it was built, etc.

Jackson's Mill Covered Bridge

Felten's Mill Covered Bridge

Hewitt Covered Bridge

Palo Alto Covered Bridge

Herline Covered Bridge

Turner's Covered Bridge

Colvin Covered Bridge

Cuppett's Covered Bridge

Ryot Covered Bridge

Dr. Kniseley Covered Bridge

Snook's Covered Bridge

Bowser/Osterburg Covered Bridge

Claycomb Covered Bridge

Hall's Mill Covered Bridge

Pictured above is one of eight available notecards.
Click here for more info.

Want a little driving tour?
This one takes about 90 minutes, and along the way, you'll see 8 covered bridges and also the elusive Gravity Hill. Gravity hill is an area where the laws of physics do not apply. Cars roll uphill, water runs uphill ... but do ducks fly upside down there? You'll have to be the judge of that.

Start your driving tour at Old Bedford Village, on Business Rt. 220, just
1 1/2 miles north of the downtown of Bedford. Here, you'll see the Claycomb Covered Bridge, which was moved from Reynoldsdale to this location in 1975. Upon leaving this bridge, turn left onto Business Rt. 220 north. Staying straight on Business Rt. 220, drive for about 4 miles and turn left onto Rt. 56 west. Drive 6 miles on Rt. 56 and turn right onto Reynoldsdale Road and then immediately left onto Fish Hatchery Road. Drive 1 mile to the site of the 1882 Snooks Covered Bridge. Drive through the bridge and turnaround just on the other side. Backtrack and return to the intersection of Rt. 56. Turn right onto Rt. 56 west and drive 8/10 mile. Put your turn signal on early and be aware of oncoming traffic. Turn left onto Dunnings Creek Rd. On your right sits the 1880's Dr. Kniseley Covered Bridge. From here continue in the same direction (away from Rt. 56). After 2 4/10 miles, you will pass the site of the Ryot Covered Bridge on your right. Lost to fire in 2002, Bedford County Commissioners committed to rebuild this structure. The bridge was rebuilt and reopened to traffic in 2004. Continue in the same direction (passing the Ryot Bridge). 6/10 mile past this site you will come to a stop sign at a "T." Turn right onto Crissman Road. This road will come to an intersection with Rt. 96. Turn left onto Rt. 96 south. After driving about 1 2/10 miles, you'll see the 1882 Cuppett Covered Bridge on your left. Continue your tour in the same direction on Rt. 96 south for 1 3/10 miles further, through the town of New Paris. This is the point in the tour where you need to decide if you want to visit the often talked about, but seldom found, Gravity Hill. (If you are in an RV or perhaps hauling a trailer, you may want to skip Gravity Hill, because turning back around may be a problem.) To visit Gravity Hill turn right onto Bethel Hollow Road (just crossing a regular bridge with a paved surface and metal sides). If you want to pass on Gravity Hill, skip the next paragraph.

After turning onto Bethel Hollow Road , drive 6/10 miles … bear left at the "Y" in the road (stay on the "main" road). After another 1½ miles, you'll come to an intersection that has a stop sign (for oncoming traffic only). Bear right onto this road and drive 2/10 mile and look for the letters "GH" spray painted on the road. Go past the first "GH" about 1/10 mile and stop before you get to the second spray painted "GH". This is it. As you strain your ears to hear the laws of physics breaking, put your car in neutral (after checking behind you for oncoming traffic, of course) and take your foot off the brake. Your car will roll, uphill. There is a second, unmarked Gravity Hill, just 3/10 mile past the second, spray painted, "GH". Look for the telephone pole with the number "69". Stop beside this pole and defy gravity once again. When you and your loved ones have been sufficiently awestruck, you can head for the small turn around area just 1/10 mile further (it'll be on your left). You should return, back the way you came, to Rt. 96. Turn right onto Rt. 96 south.

Continue on Rt. 96 south for 4 miles to the town of Schellsburg. You'll come to a traffic light and the intersection of Rt. 30. Turn right onto Rt. 30 west. Drive 1 block and take your first left at the "Colvin Covered Bridge" sign. Drive 1/2 mile down this road. The Colvin Covered Bridge was built in 1866. It was refurbished in 1997. Drive through the Colvin Covered Bridge and continue on for 2 8/10 miles (stay straight on this road ... the road is narrow and twisted and you'll think your not on the right one, but you are). Drive to a stop sign and turn left onto SR 3019. Go 1 3/10 miles and turn left onto Rt. 31 east. Drive an additional 2 miles and look in the distance to your left for the Turner's Covered Bridge and turn left onto Faupel Rd. (this is a gravel road). Continue down this road and drive through the bridge to a turn around. Return to Rt. 31. Carefully look both ways and turn left, onto Rt. 31 east. Drive 3 8/10 miles to the town of Manns Choice. Turn left at the blinking stop light and you'll still be on Rt. 31 east. Drive about 1 mile and turn left onto Watson Road. Drive ½ mile down this road to the 1906 Herline Covered Bridge. The Herline is the longest covered bridge in Bedford County. It was refurbished in 1996. Continue through the bridge and turn to the right on SR 4007. Drive 2 2/10 miles to the intersection of Rt. 30.

When you return to Rt. 30, you can turn left onto Rt. 30 west to return to Schellsburg or, if you want to return to Bedford, Everett or Breezewood, turn right onto Rt. 30 east.

We have a brochure, complete with information on our covered bridges, listing construction dates, locations, etc. Call us at 1-800-765-3331 and we'll send you a free copy. Or ... e-mail us by clicking on the "Contact Us" button below.

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