Lehigh Valley Covered Bridge Tour
Spring has sprung! Hand-in-hand with the warming of the weather is the need to spend more time exploring the outdoors. So get out there and explore! See the historic places in your area that you may have never thought of visiting. Luckily you live in the Lehigh Valley where there are plenty of fun and unique things to do on a spring day. One of those things is a tour of the historic covered bridges in the Lehigh Valley area.
What Are Covered Bridges?
Covered bridges are a historic relic many of which have been abandoned or are no longer in use. In Pennsylvania there are 200 covered bridges still standing, the most in the United States, with seven of those in the Lehigh Valley. The first covered bridge in the United States was also built in Pennsylvania by a carpenter from Massachusetts all the way back in 1805.
Bridges were built with barn-like covers to preserve the structure of the bridge from the weather. The wooden bridges themselves were more protected from the elements with a roof over them.
Each bridge has a unique story and comes from a different moment in time. Some are still travelled and some are not. All of the covered bridges still standing in the Lehigh Valley were constructed in the mid-1800s and are a great way to travel back in time a bit without, you know, traveling back in time.
The Covered Bridge Tour
The Covered Bridge Tour is something you can take up on your own and in your own car. Simply follow the map and drive to each bridge! The 50 mile ride gives you a chance to see the scenic parts of the Lehigh Valley and enjoy a peaceful drive. Each bridge location has its own history you can find in a brochure about the tour. Many of the locations also have scenic surroundings which you can enjoy.
The tour starts at the Bogert’s Bridge in Allentown, a pedestrian-only structure built in 1841. This is thought to be one of the oldest covered bridges in the state. The area around the bridge is picturesque and Little Lehigh Creek is a popular fishing spot with locals.
From there you will travel to Manassas Guth Bridge (1858) in South Whitehall, Wehr’s Covered Bridge (1841) in South Whitehall, Rex’s Covered Bridge (1858) in North Whitehall, Geiger’s Covered Bridge (1860) in North Whitehall, Schlicher’s Covered Bridge in North Whitehall, and finally Kreidersville Covered Bridge (1839) in Allen Township.
For more information as well as the route for the tour click here.
Happy touring!
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