I never thought that I would spend time traveling and visiting covered bridges in Western Ohio until I passed through one. I was on my way home from work when I decided on a whim that I should take a much longer, less-traveled route. Instead of driving through the US-Highway, I took a dirt road that winds through a forest. Guided by Google Map, I drove 35 mph. Everything around me was green, until something dark brown caught my attention at a distance. I thought it was house and I was heading to a dead end. But as I drove closer, I realized that it was a covered bridge!
After seeing and driving through the covered bridge, I looked online for some more and found that there are a number of historic covered bridges just in Western Ohio alone. So for the past weekends, I drove to each one of them and learned their history.
Here they are…
1. Germantown Covered Bridge
This was built in 1870. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Germantown Covered Bridge crosses the Little Twin Creek.
Location: Germantown, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: 39°37’35” N, 84°21’54” W
Google Map Link
This bridge is the only of its kind in the United States with an inverted bowstring through truss, like that of a suspension bridge. Others even claimed that this is the only existing covered bridge of its kind in the world!
See the bridge in 360 degrees. Use your mouse to scroll and zoom in.
2. Charleton Mill Road Covered Bridge
Built in 1882 by Henry Hebble. It was renovated in 2013.
Location: Greene County, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: 39°43’42” N, 83°52’12” W
Google Map Link
The one-way lane bridge is on Charleton Mill Road in Wilberforce, Ohio. It crosses over Massies Creek.
3. Engle Mill Road Covered Bridge
Built in 1877 by the Smith Bridge Co. Spanning 136 feet, the bridge is now close to vehicular traffic. There are only a few dozens of covered bridges like this in the United States that are made of Smith Truss.
Location: Greene County, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: 39°34’55” N, 83°55’18” W
Google Map Link
See the bridge in 360 degrees. Use your mouse to scroll and zoom in.
4. Stevenson Road Covered Bridge
Built in 1877 and spans 95 feet. It carried vehicular traffic until 2003. It is one of the few Smith truss bridges left in the United States. The Smith Bridge company manufactured the bridge using various patents of the company, secured by the founder Robert W. Smith. Robert died in 1898 at age 65, leaving behind a legacy of unique covered bridges. The present bridge was the result of rehabilitation in 1975.
Location: Greene County, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: 39°44’07” N, 83°53’56” W
Google Map Link
The bridge crosses over Massies Creek on Stevenson Road. It is only open to pedestrians.
5. Glen Helen Covered Bridge
It is also called the Cemetery Road Covered Bridge. Built in 1886 by Henry Hebble and renovated in 1975. It crosses over Yellow Springs Creek inside Glen Helen Nature Preserve.
Location: Greene County, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: 39°47’07” N, 83°52’37” W
Google Map Link
Since it is only open to pedestrians, the bridge is hard to find because it is not along the main road. Your GPS would lead you to a small and limited parking space along the road. You need to walk a hundred meters or so, through the greens, to see the bridge.
See the bridge in 360 degrees. Use your mouse to scroll and zoom in.
6. Richard P. Eastman Hyde Road Covered Bridge
This is not an old bridge. Built in 2014, the bridge crosses over Little Miami Scenic Trail on E Hyde Road.
Location: Yellow Springs, Greene County, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: 39°47’07” N, 83°53’12” W
Google Map Link
There is no place to park here. The road is too narrow for side parking. The only way to spend time and see the bridge is to park somewhere else and walk though the trail that leads to the bridge.
7. Corwin M. Nixon Covered Bridge
Built in 1982, it is named after a local politician Corwin M. Nixon. With a span of 167 feet, it crosses the Little Miami River.
Location: Wayne Township, Warren County, Ohio
GPS Coordinates: N 39 29.856, W 84 06.129
Google Map Link
This was the only picture I took. The bridge is part of the Caesar Creek Gorge State Nature Preserve. To see the bridge, you have to park quite far from it and there was no way to be near it without walking along the highway, which was quite dangerous.
8. Leslie Rothman Covered Bridge
I tried looking for this bridge after seeing the others nearby. However, I found out that this is inside a private land (an orchard?) and there was no way for tourists to see this without asking for permission.
Wanna see more of Ohio? Travel and see these sights.
Nearby attractions.
– Inman Trail Inside Glen Helen Nature Preserve
– Unique Stay at Old and Historic Grinnell Mill Bed & Breakfast
Ready To Travel?
Have you visited these covered bridges? Or are you interested in visiting them? Leave your comments below.
See more travel search tags: Ohio Travel, Ohio, Western Ohio, Travel Western Ohio, Nature Preserve, Wright Brothers, Ohio Attractions, Things to See in Ohio, Unique Things To See in Ohio, Places to See in Ohio, Parks in Ohio
