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The Best Oregon Covered Bridges

Oregon’s Covered Bridges are a wooden architectural gem and a heritage of the past. Oregon is famous for its bridges. We have added some of the most interesting to our Itinerary around this state. When choosing, we were guided by the attractiveness of covered bridges as photographic objects. So, below, in our opinion, are the most beautiful covered bridges in Oregon.

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Oregon Covered Bridges -Grave Creek

How many covered bridges are in Oregon?

You can find 48 historic covered bridges in Oregon. It’s the largest concentration of wooden-covered bridge construction of any state in the West. We have visited around 10 so far. We share our favorites with you below. But used be around 450 covered bridges in Oregon between 1905 and 1925.
And most of the covered bridges of Oregon are in Lane County. You can find a list of all 48 Oregon bridges on Wikipedia. Most of the bridges were restored, and only a few still allow vehicular traffic. Furthermore, most of Oregon’s covered bridges are on the National Register of Historic Places.

So, suppose you plan an Oregon Rod Trip from Portland to Crater Lake National Park. In this case is worth adding some stops in Lane County, Linn County, and Willamette National Forest to admire some of the best-covered bridges of Oregon.

Why are some bridges covered in Oregon?

The bridges were built by the first pioneers with simple hand tools. A tree from dense Oregon forests was used for the construction. Douglas fir was great to bridge construction. Furthermore, to increase bridges’ useful life, timber trusses were used. This way, bridges were protected from the damp.

It was a time of horse-drawn wagons and elegant carriages. It was a time of long dresses with corsets and cowboy duels. The first covered bridges were built in the early 1850s. Construction continued into the 1950s. The increasingly popular road traffic, heavy loads, large transports, and technological development meant that wooden bridge construction was ended. And the focus was on more durable iron bridges.

What is the purpose of the cover on a covered bridge?
After rain or snow, the wood was becoming dangerously slippery, especially in Oregon, when there is high air humidity for a large part of the year. So, the cover over the bridges was to protect against slipping so that the horse-drawn wagons would not fall into the river.

So, if you want to step back in time to imagine the sound of horses’ hooves on wooden bridges, add covered bridges to your Oregon Itinerary.

More about these historical structures you will learn in the books below.

Oregon Covered BridgesOregon's Covered BridgesOregon Covered BridgesOregon Road & Recreation Atlas
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Oregon Covered Bridges – Grave Creek Bridge

Grave Creek Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in Josephine County, Sunny Valley. It was built in 1920 and is the oldest one we have seen so far in Oregon. It has 105 feet in length.
GPS coordinates are 42.636097°N 123.377638°W

Oregon Covered Bridges - Grave Creek Bridge

Oregon Covered Bridges – Larwood Bridge

Larwood Bridge is our favorite covered bridge in Oregon. The wood is white, and light-exposed truss side openings are perfect for photos there. It is in Linn County, near Crabtree, at Roaring River’s confluence, and Crabtree Creek. It was built in 1939 and had 105 feet in length.
The Larwood Bridge is one of three covered bridges across Crabtree Creek in Linn County.
Furthermore, it’s open to cars. The area is amazing, with the Larwood Wayside Park beside the bridge. So, it’s a perfect place to stop and rest during an Oregon road trip.
GPS coordinates are 44.630678°N 122.740921°W

Oregon Covered Bridges - Larwood Bridge
Oregon Covered Bridges - Larwood Bridge
Larwood Bridge in Oregon

Oregon Covered Bridges – Hannah Bridge

Hannah Bridge from 1936 also is in Linn County, near Scio. The other name is Thomas Creek Bridge. It has 105 feet in length.
GPS coordinates are 44.712067°N 122.718420°W

Oregon Covered Bridges - Hannah Bridge

Oregon Covered Bridges – Shimanek Bridge

Shimanek Covered Bridge, aka Thomas Creek, was built in 1966. Its location is in Linn County, near Scio. It has 105 feet in length. Actually, the first bridge was built at this place as early as 1861. Then replaced in 1891 and 1904, then again in 1921 and 1927 after damaging floods, and one last time in 1966. Furthermore, a dark red color characterizes it. We love it.
GPS coordinates are 44.715673°N 122.804398°W

Shimanek Bridge
Oregon Covered Bridges - Shimanek Bridge

Oregon Covered Bridges – Sandy Creek Bridge

Sandy Creek Bridge is a footbridge of 60 feet in length. Furthermore, it’s one of the oldest covered bridges in Oregon we have seen so far. It was built in 1921, so it is 100 years old! And it still looks pretty! It is in Coos County, near Sandy Creek’s confluence with the Middle Fork Coquille River. GPS coordinates are 43.00637°N 123.89177°W.

Oregon Covered Bridges - Sandy Creek Bridge

Oregon Covered Bridges – Currin Bridge

Currin Bridge is from 1925 and has 105 feet in length. Actually, it was built in 1883 and was replaced in 1925. The bridge has an unusual look – it is red on the sides and white on the front and back. It’s open to pedestrians. It is a covered bridge in Lane County, near Cottage Grove. Furthermore, in Lane County remains, 19 covered bridges. So, if you are an interested history of covered bridges is worth adding Lane County to your Oregon itinerary.
The GPS coordinates are 43.7930389°N 122.9964583°W.

Oregon Covered Bridges - Currin Bridge

Oregon Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway

If you like cycling and have more time, you can do the great bike route and see the most beautiful covered bridges in Lane County. There are 19 bridges.
Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway route totals 36 miles (57.94 km). And it is a moderate route for an all-day cycling excursion. A scenic bikeway begins and ends in the All-America City of Cottage Grove, Oregon. It can be easily shortened. Furthermore, this route is also a great idea for families who love active holidays.

During this trip, you can admire Cottage Grove Covered Bridge, Chambers Bridge, Dorena Covered Bridge, Stewart Bridge, and more.

Finally, details you will find in the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway Map and the route description.

Oregon Covered Bridges - Currin Bridge

Cottage Grove Covered Bridge Tour Route

The Cottage Grove Covered Bridge Tour Route is a laid-back, easy, 20-mile journey through beautiful Lane County. This is one of Oregon’s many officially designated scenic drives, along with the National Scenic Byways and Oregon State Scenic Byways. Furthermore, you’ll see a half-dozen covered bridges as you travel along the Dorena Lake and the Row River.

Furthermore, it’s also possible to extend your drive by heading north (east) toward Eugene. You will find more covered bridges in Lookout Point Lake and Fall Creek Lake.

So, if you are a fan of bridges, consider an Oregon Covered Bridges Road Trip. If you would like to see pictures of the rest of Oregon’s covered bridges, we recommend this article.

Oregon Covered Bridges - Larwood Bridge

If you are planning an Oregon road trip, check out our articles below. Maybe it will inspire you to visit these places. So, our best places in Oregon are:

Larwood Bridge

17 Comments

  1. I didn’t realize there were so many covered bridges in Oregon! I grew up in New England so they’re a somewhat common site but I love seeing examples from the west coast. They’re absolutely gorgeous, I really loved the classic looks like the Grave Creek and Currin bridges.

  2. The covered bridges are so Instagram-worthy. I was wondering why they are covered until you explained about protecting them from getting damped and slippery due to rain. Well, that makes sense. However, they are so visit-worthy.

  3. I had to cancel my road trip through Northern
    California and Oregon this summer due to wildfires. I had no idea there are 48
    covered bridges in Orgon! I was aware of and had the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway on
    my map but added a few of the others. Thank you for these

  4. Oregon is on my must-visit list for this year. A friend bought a place up there and we’re going to visit. The covered bridges remind me of the book, The Bridges of Madison County.  An interesting fact on why bridges are covered. 

  5. I’m learning so much from your blog. Didn’t know covered bridges were a thing and that there are so many of them in Oregon. They are all so beautiful and kind of remind me of horse stables, but I think I like the red one most.

  6. I had no idea that covered bridges like these existed! What a great photography opportunity – I love what you did with the portraits. These would make for such a lovely scenic drive.

  7. Love these traditional bridges, they remind me of similar ones I have seen on my travels around New Zealand. It was an interesting read about a topic I knew nothing about – they are not something we have here in the UK.

  8. I always wondered what the purpose was for covered bridges, now I know! We don’t have too many that I know of where I am from, but it’s cool that Oregon still has 48 remaining. It is a nice piece of history preserved in time. 

  9. Thanks for sharing the history behind these covered bridges! It’s interesting to know the context of these structures so it brings more meaning to what we’re seeing. The bridges are of course a beautiful sight today too. 

  10. Very Interesting. I never thought about why some bridges were covered before. I always thought they had a nice aura and small town charm. Thanks for the informative post.

  11. Wow, we have a few amazing bridges here, it looks like a great place to explore. Cottage Grove Covered Bridge Tour Route caught my interest, this looks worth exploring. I will save this post for future writing. Very well written and compiled article.

  12. Since we did not see any of the 48 covered bridges in Oregon, that is definitely a reason to seek some out on our next trip.  I do love the romance and throw back to another time that covered bridges represent.  If they were meant to stop wagon wheels from slipping, it was interesting to see so many bridges only partially covered.

  13. I’m obsessed with covered bridges. These ones in Oregon are so beautiful and some of them are even still in use. How cool is that!

  14. I didn’t know that Oregon was famous for its bridges – and 48 is a good number, obviously. However, they seem quite similar at a first glance – the difference lies probably in the details?! Oregon is one of the parts of the US I’d be interested in visiting – let’s see when I can cross that bridge 😉

  15. These are so cute! My fave on this list is probably the last one, Currin, as it’s a bit unique. Were there any that were quite different from the others?

  16. Portland, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful cities in Ore. My hometowns, where I was born and spent my childhood, are Phoenix and Baltimore. However, I currently live in San Francisco. And I fly to Baltimore and Phoenix twice a year, rent a car, and just feel nostalgic when I drive around the city.

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