Imagine the clip-clop sound of a horse’s hoofs against the wooden plank echoing off the wooden walls of a covered bridge while birds caw in the distance and a country stream gently flows underneath.
The charms and nostalgia of 150-year-old, historic wood bridges fill the countryside of Lancaster, Pa. Here the Amish ride their horse drawn buggies across covered bridges in the same way they did some 50, 100, or 200 years ago.
Pennsylvania has 200 wooden covered bridges and more than any other state. Lancaster County is home to 38 of them. They are scattered across the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside and provided a memory to days gone by.
Here are five must-see covered bridges that will make your next trip to Lancaster a journey you’ll never forget:
Lime Valley Covered Bridge
Straddling the Pequea Creek in Willow Street, Pa., the Lime Valley Covered Bridge stands majestically on two field-stone approaches. What makes this covered bridge so wonderful to see is the nearby Lime Valley Mill which was built in 1846 and used for milling up until 1972. Farmers first settled this are of Lancaster County in 1720.
The Lime Valley covered bridge is 103 feet long and was built in 1871. You’ll find it on South View Road and one-half mile south of the intersection with Lime Valley Road.
Hunsecker Mill Covered Bridge
Hunsecker Mill Is another covered bridge that seems to have nine lives. Workers salvaged the bridge after the flood waters created by Hurricane Agnes carried it down the Canestoga River in 1972. Then the flood waters of Hurricane Irene washed out the approaches to the bridge in 2011. Repairs are planned.
Hunsecker Mill remains a covered bride worth seeing because it’s one of the few that are not red stained. Hunsecker Mill retains its natural wood finish.
You’ll find this 180-foot-long covered bridge on Hunsecker Road, and about two miles north of Route 23 near Zook’s Corner in the northern Amish Country of Lancaster County.
Pinetown Covered Bridge
Nestled in the northern Amish Country of Lancaster County, the Pinetown Covered Bridge lies across Conestoga Creek about a mile south of Pennsylvania State Route 23 and Route 272 on Bridge Road.
Pinetown was built in Built by Elias McMellen in 1867 for $4500 Kenneth W. Collins, author of “Covered Bridges of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
It’s a favorite covered bridge of mine because it’s a beautiful redwood covered bridge that’s cloaked by the orange, red and yellow colors of changing leaves each fall. It’s also a very easy covered bridge to travel to.
However, Pinetown has lived a troubled life. Local Amish famers rebuilt the bridge after Hurricane Agnes waged her fury in 1972. Now the bridge lies damaged from the wrath of Hurricane Irene which dropped torrential rains across much of Pennsylvania in 2011. You are no longer able to drive across the bridge, but you may walk across it.
Erb’s Bridge
Venturing out to Erb’s Bridge in the early morning hours is the best time for me. I like to arrive to this covered bridge early in the morning when the dew lies fresh on the grass and the waters of Hammer Creek lie still and reflect this covered bridge in all its glory, surrounded by quiet farmer’s fields.
You’ll find Erb’s Bridge on a gentle bend on Erb’s Bridge Road and about 2.5 miles north of Rothsville which is on Pennsylvania Route 272.
Forry’s Mill Covered Bridge
The Forry’s Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1869 by Elias McClellan to carry Bridge Valley Road across Chickie’s Creek in Marietta, Pa. It’s located about a half-mile north of Route 23.
Forry’s Mill is so unique because of its stark contrast to a nearby 20th Century housing complex that lies just a few hundred feet away. While the brisk modern world whizzes past, this covered bridge stands as a reminder of quieter times when the pace of life was not so hectic.
