It’s easy to enjoy Ohio’s covered bridges. These historic structures hearken to a time when life was simpler, and they are often found in picturesque settings off the well-traveled road. Check out these beautiful covered bridges in Ohio for a relaxing and fun jaunt outdoors!
Why Did They Build Covered Bridges?
Covered bridges are structures, typically spanning a waterway, that are built with a wooden frame or truss. Wood was used as a less expensive building material, but is prone to rotting. Weather conditions, like you see in the east and midwest US, can facilitate rot over time. The coverings preserved the wooden structure underneath.
Building A Quest Around Covered Bridges in Ohio
We were looking for some low-key places to visit that were close to our home since we were not able to travel during quarantine. Jason happened upon Rock Mill, and we decided to visit for a quick opportunity to take a short walk. This site provided a quiet experience and a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature while learning about the area’s history.
Immediately after our visit to Rock Mill, we looked up additional covered bridges in the area and decided that we would make a quest out of visiting all of the ones that we could get to in our area. As we add to these visit, we will continue to update this post. At the bottom of this post, there is a link to a comprehensive list of Covered Bridges in Ohio for even more serene places to visit.
Columbiana County Covered Bridges
Teegarden-Centennial Covered Bridge
Address: 35703 Eagleton Rd, Salem, OH
This bridge was built in 1876 and restored in 2003 and spans the Little Beaver Creek. There is parking across the street from the bridge, and you are able to access it by walking up a short incline.
Fairfield County Covered Bridges
We were pleasantly surprised to find that there were several covered bridges in Fairfield County, Ohio. In fact, there is a Covered Bridge Trail in Fairfield County that features 17 historic covered bridges. While we haven’t visited them all yet, you can see several of them in a well-structured day of driving through the county. Perhaps even take a picnic to enjoy as several of these bridges are in low-density areas where you can sit out and enjoy a nice day. Here are the bridges that we have visited.
Rock Mill Bridge
Address: 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster, OH
The Rock Mill Covered Bridge is located at Stebelton Park at Rock Mill in Lancaster. I absolutely love the sights provided of Rock Mill, a mill with a huge waterwheel that you can see from the bridge. The Bridge spans the Hocking River which flows actively below. This is one of my favorites!
Johnston Bridge
Address: 7636 Clearcreek Rd SW, Lancaster, OH
The Johnston Bridge is located near the entrance of Two Glaciers Park and is the longest-surviving covered bridge on public property.
Hannaway Bridge
Address: 7636 Clearport Rd. SW, Lancaster, OH
This covered bridge is located right off of the road. There isn’t a parking lot per se, but you can pull off of Clearport Rd into a grassy, gravel area. The bridge was most recently restored in 2017.
Zeller-Smith Bridge
Address: 100 Lockville Rd, Pickerington, OH
The Zeller-Smith Bridge is currently located in Sycamore Creek Park and spans Sycamore Creek connecting from the area next to the ‘American Ninja Warrior’ training area to the lovely Sycamore Park Arboretum. The Arboretum is a nice treat for those that want a short, flat grassy stroll combined with visiting an historic covered bridge.
Mink Hollow Bridge
Address: 2340 Meister Rd. SW, Lancaster, OH
The Mink Hollow Covered Bridge sits at Arney Run Park. Of the bridges that we visited, this one was the most difficult to get to and did not seem to have a clear place to park. It spans Arney Run.
Franklin County Covered Bridges
Bergstresser / Dietz Bridge
Address: 627 Washington St, Canal Winchester, OH
The Bergstresser / Dietz Covered Bridge spans the Little Walnut Creek in Canal Winchester. There is a small pull off of the road where 2-3 cars can park. The bridge is easily accessed from this pull off and there are a number of short trails along the creek that visitors can explore.
Knox County Covered Bridges
Bridge of Dreams
Address: 15791 Main St, Gann, OH
The Bridge of Dreams is the third-longest covered bridge in the US. Coincidentally, it is also the second longest in Ohio. At 370 feet, this bridge was originally built as a railroad bridge, spanning the Mohican River. You can park by the Mohican River, and walk up a brief incline to the Mohican Valley trail which the Bridge is now a part of. Hikers and bikers traverse this beautiful and well-maintained bridge.
Pickaway County Covered Bridges
Blackburn/Wesner Bridge
Address: Slate Run Metro Park 1375 St. Rte. 674 North, Canal Winchester, OH
The Blackburn/Wesner Bridge is accessible from the Covered Bridge trail at Slate Run Metro Park. There is ample parking right next to the trailhead. The trail is an easy gravel and grass trail that is pretty flat and easy to access.
Conclusion
Enjoy these beautiful Ohio covered bridges! We’ll continue to add to our list as we visit more. In the meantime, this resource contains a comprehensive listing of covered bridges in Ohio and provides even more opportunities to explore! Also, if you’re in the Central Ohio area, you might enjoy checking out some of the other parks in the area in this post. Happy Exploring!
Pin to Visit Again! Pin to Visit Again!
