Do you love taking photographs of covered bridges as much as I? If yes, visit Pennsylvania to see the Covered Bridges of Bedford County. They have a large number of covered bridges, all within one easily accessible county. Bedford County is home to 14 covered bridges, all in beautiful settings begging you to photograph them. Kayla and I, on a recent road trip through Pennsylvania, opted to do the self-driving tour. This tour passes by and through 9 of the 14 covered bridges of Bedford County.
We picked up a brochure with the driving instructions at the Bedford County Visitors Bureau. The visitor’s bureau was easy to find in their quaint downtown decorated for the Fourth of July. The gentlemen in the visitor’s center were very helpful, showing us maps of all the bridges to see and the easiest route to drive. Once we were all set with directions, we headed out to find our first covered bridge.
Claycomb Covered Bridge
The Claycomb Covered Bridge is the first one on our driving tour, and you pass it on the right when you are driving into town. It is at the entrance of the Old Bedford Village, a little historic village that you can visit. This bridge moved to its current location in 1975.
Bowser Covered Bridge
Bowser Bridge, built-in 1880, is still beautiful today, spanning Bob’s Creek. Although it is no longer used to drive over. A modern bridge is built right next to it now. There is a little parking area next to the road for you to get out and take photos.
Snooks Covered Bridge
Snooks Covered Bridge, built in 1882 and refurbished in the 1990s, looks older than it should. The paint is peeling, and it has a feeling of neglect. This bridge needs some TLC from the county but still photographs well (from a distance).
Kniseley Covered Bridge
Kniseley Covered Bridge is one of my favorites. It is built in the 1880s and spans Dunnings Creek. Even though the bridge is privately owned, it is in a very picturesque setting. The low walls give a great view of the creek below.
Ryot Covered Bridge
Ryot Covered Bridge was rebuilt in 2002 due to a previous fire. This bridge is difficult to get a decent photo due to being at a high traffic intersection. Or at least the day we were there, it was. But, the daring get the shot and Ryot Covered Bridge spanning over Dunnings Creek was worth it.
Cuppett Covered Bridge
Cuppett Covered Bridge is one of the oldest-looking bridges we saw on our tour. Built in 1882, this is only a walk across the bridge. However, I would be careful while entering the area. Kayla saw a couple of snakes slither under the bridge when we walked up. With several trees around the bridge, this one should be amazing in the fall to photograph.
Colvin Covered Bridge
The Colvin Covered Bridge, built in 1866 and refurbished in 1997, spans the Shawnee Creek. This is a narrow bridge and road leading up to it. There is a little pull-off on the left side with a bit of path to walk down to get a better picture of the bridge.
Turner Covered Bridge
Turner Covered Bridge is another county-owned bridge that needs some TLC. This bridge is tucked back behind a farm on a gravel road, so not very visible, which might explain the graffiti throughout the inside. Although at the center, you are treated to some lovely views of the creek.
Herline Covered Bridge
Herline Covered Bridge is the longest covered bridge in Bedford County, spanning 136ft. This bridge is a bit difficult to get a good shot of the whole bridge since it is right next to the houses. You will have to climb through some trees and rocks on the opposite side to capture the photo above.
The driving tour took us about an hour and a half. As I mentioned earlier, we only saw 9 out of the 14, but these are the easiest to navigate. If you have more time to spend here, definitely hunt for the rest of the covered bridges of Bedford County. These covered bridges were a joy to find and shoot, and I would love to see these again in the fall to capture all the colors.
Have you photographed the Covered Bridges of Bedford County? Have you found any other covered bridges that are just as photo-worthy as these? I would love to hear where you found them.
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