Spotting Covered Bridges on a Pennsylvania Road Trip

I have an obsession. I’m addicted to travel brochures. And what better way to get my fix than to pop into an Interstate Welcome Center, right? Full of brochures, maps and guides, the travel ideas and possibilities are endless.

This past week, I was traveling through Pennsylvania along I-79 North. It’s a stretch of road that I’ve traveled on many times in the past few weeks and honestly, it bored me. I needed a change of scenery. When I saw a sign for a welcome center, I knew just what to do.

I walked up to the attendant and asked for suggestions of attractions that were near the interstate, but I was very specific. I told her exactly what type of attractions I was looking for. When I mentioned covered bridges she pulled a special brochure and sheet of paper out of her files that wasn’t placed on the walls when the other brochures. I had struck gold.

She handed me a list of covered bridges, listed by exit number with turn by turn directions. Perfect for a Pennsylvania road trip.

The first covered bridge I stopped at in Greene County, White Bridge, was near the Welcome Center and less than five minutes off I-79 in Pennsylvania. The turn by turn directions made it easy to locate and it was visible from a main road. With plenty of parking to pull off and stop to take pictures, it also appeared to be a scenic location for a quiet picnic lunch.

The White Covered Bridge was built in 1919 and at 66 feet in length, it is the longest bridge in Greene County.

Directions from I-79 North to the White Covered Bridge:

If you are heading north on I-79, take Exit 7. At the end of the ramp, turn right. Follow Kirby Road to the end of the road, turn right. The White Bridge is on Roberts Run Road, the first road to the right

Back on the interstate and a few more miles down the road, I pulled off to find the Lippincott/Cox Bridge, also in Greene County. Located on the edge of Lippincott, you won’t find as much space to get off the road here and the location isn’t as quiet as the White Bridge location.

Built in 1943, at 27 feet in length, this bridge is the shortest covered bridge in Greene County. Interesting, this bridge was constructed during the war years when steel was hard to come by.

Directions from I-79 North to the Lippincott/Cox Covered Bridge:

Heading north on I-79, take Exit 19 and turn right. Follow PA-221 for 3 miles. The bridge is on the right.

I had time for one more stop and found Hughes Bridge in Washington County.

This bridge is almost visible from the interstate so it’s an easy on/off. The road doesn’t appear to be heavily traveled and there is an area near the bridge where you can pull off, park and get out to take some pictures. This bridge sets off the road and while I believe pedestrians can walk to the bridge, the gate was locked on the day I was there so I admired the bridge from afar.

Built in 1889, this bridge is 55 feet in length and thought to have replaced an earlier bridge in the same location following a flood in 1888. It is also home to the Annual Covered Bridge Festival site.

Directions from I-79 North to the Hughes Covered Bridge:

From I-79 North, take Exit 23 and turn left at the end of the ramp. Take the first road on the left, visible from the ramp. The bridge is on the left less than a mile down the road.

Are you planning a Pennsylvania road trip? You may want to stop at one or all of the covered bridges along I-79. This online pdf of the Covered Bridges Driving Tour of Washington and Greene Counties can help you find them.