Fairfield County, Ohio, southeast of Columbus, once had 279 covered bridges, the most timber truss bridges of any Ohio county, according to the Fairfield County Park District. Visit Fairfield County, the county visitors bureau, said in 2021 that 17 are left, more original covered bridges than any other Ohio county. Wikipedia's list of covered bridges in Ohio puts the county's count at 18. The county seat is Lancaster, Ohio. This guide covers Ohio only; for the Pennsylvania county with a similar name, see our Lancaster County, PA guide.
This guide groups the 11 Fairfield County bridges in our directory that are open to visitors into four drives by area, starting in the city of Lancaster. Each table lists its bridges in a sensible order to drive them, with a map link for every stop. None of them carries cars today, so plan to park and walk. Three more of our listings are on private land and one has collapsed; they are under Other bridges.
Quick facts
- Oldest build date: McCleery Covered Bridge, built in 1864, the earliest date for the county on Wikipedia's Ohio list. It was rebuilt on its present site over Fetters Run in Lancaster in May 2006.
- Longest: Johnston Covered Bridge, a 98 ft Howe truss over Clear Creek, built in 1887. Dale J. Travis's index gives the same length for Charles Holliday Covered Bridge in Millersport.
- Still where they were built: Hanaway, Johnston, Mink Hollow and Rock Mill stand on their original sites, according to the Fairfield County Park District, and all four are in its parks.
- On a college campus: John Bright #2 Covered Bridge, built in 1881 by Aug Borneman and Sons, was moved from Poplar Creek to the Ohio University Lancaster campus. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.
- No drive-through bridges: every public bridge in this guide is closed to cars. Most now stand in parks or on trails.
Lancaster: Alley Park and the bike path
Three bridges in and near the city of Lancaster, Ohio. Start south of downtown at George Hutchins, which was rebuilt over part of Lake Loretta in Alley Park, a Lancaster city park, in 2000 for the county bicentennial. Park in the lot and walk to the bridge. Then head north to the Lancaster bike path, where McCleery crosses Fetters Run beside Arbor Valley Drive. John Bright #2 also crosses Fetters Run, on the Ohio University Lancaster campus, where it serves as the gateway to the Lancaster Festival concerts.
| Bridge | Township | Built | Length | Crosses | Access | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Hutchins | Alley Park, Lancaster | Lake Loretta (first built over Clear Creek) | Walk only | Map | ||
| McCleery | Lancaster bike path | 1864, rebuilt 2006 | 52 ft | Fetters Run | Walk only | Map |
| John Bright #2 | Pleasant Twp., Ohio University Lancaster campus | 1881 | 75 ft | Fetters Run | Walk only | Map |
Clear Creek loop: south of Lancaster
Three bridges south of Lancaster, all in Fairfield County Park District parks that are open year round from dawn to dusk. Mink Hollow, built by Jacob R. "Blue Jeans" Brandt, is the main feature of Arney Run Park on Meister Road. Farther south, Johnston is the first thing you see at the main entrance to Two Glaciers Park on McDonald Road. It was bypassed in about 1990 and is now open to walkers only. Hanaway is also part of Two Glaciers Park, but you reach it from Clearport Road, where it stands bypassed beside the road.
| Bridge | Township | Built | Length | Crosses | Access | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mink Hollow | Hocking Twp., Arney Run Park | 1887 | Arney Run | Walk only | Map | |
| Johnston | Madison Twp., Two Glaciers Park | 1887 | Clear Creek | Walk only | Map | |
| Hanaway | Madison Twp., Two Glaciers Park | 1901 | Clear Creek | Bypassed, beside Clearport Road | Map |
Northwest: Rock Mill to Pickerington
Three bridges between Lancaster and Pickerington, each in a park. Start at Rock Mill, a 37 ft queenpost bridge by Jacob R. "Blue Jeans" Brandt over a gorge of the Hocking River, in Stebelton Park at Rock Mill beside the historic Rock Mill gristmill. Head north to Lockville Canal Park, where Hartman #2 crosses the dry bed of the Ohio and Erie Canal. End in Pickerington at Zeller-Smith, which crosses Sycamore Creek in Sycamore Creek Park.
| Bridge | Township | Built | Length | Crosses | Access | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Mill | Bloom Twp., Stebelton Park at Rock Mill | 1901 | 37 ft | Hocking River | Walk only | Map |
| Hartman #2 | Lockville Canal Park, near Carroll | 1888 | 48 ft | Ohio and Erie Canal (dry bed) | Walk only | Map |
| Zeller-Smith | Violet Twp., Sycamore Creek Park, Pickerington | 1906 | 79 ft | Sycamore Creek | Walk only | Map |
East: Rushville and Millersport
Two bridges on the county's eastern side, both now away from public roads. R.F. Baker, built in 1871, now crosses a pond behind the athletic field at Fairfield Union High School, west of Rushville. Charles Holliday, built by J.W. Buchanan in the late 1890s, stands at the southeast edge of Millersport on the Sweet Corn Festival grounds, reached through Gate 4.
| Bridge | Township | Built | Length | Crosses | Access | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R.F. Baker | Richland Twp., Fairfield Union High School | 1871 | 66 ft | A pond | Walk only, on school grounds | Map |
| Charles Holliday | Walnut Twp., Millersport | Walk only, on the Sweet Corn Festival grounds | Map |
Other Fairfield County bridges
Three of our listings are on private land: Hizey Covered Bridge (1891), on a private driveway off Tollgate Road northeast of Pickerington; Shreyer Covered Bridge (1891), on a farm in Liberty Township west of Baltimore; and Jon Raab Covered Bridge (1891), on private land off Ireland Road east of Lancaster. They are on private property. Do not enter without the owner's permission.
Roley School Covered Bridge, built in 1899 by J.W. Buchanan, stood at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in Lancaster until it collapsed in a storm in 2016. The Fairfield County Park District now owns it, keeps it dismantled in storage and plans to rebuild it at a site still to be chosen. There is nothing to see at the fairgrounds.
The Shade, or Waterloo, Covered Bridge south of Sugar Grove collapsed in March 2022, according to Dale J. Travis.
Tips for visiting
- Park and walk. None of these bridges carries cars. Use the park lots at Alley Park, Arney Run Park, Two Glaciers Park, Lockville Canal Park, Stebelton Park and Sycamore Creek Park.
- Find Hanaway from Clearport Road. It is part of Two Glaciers Park, but the park's main entrance on McDonald Road leads to Johnston, not Hanaway.
- Check the hours. Arney Run Park and Two Glaciers Park are open year round from dawn to dusk.
- Mind the school and festival grounds. R.F. Baker is behind the athletic field at Fairfield Union High School, so visit outside school hours. Charles Holliday is on the Sweet Corn Festival grounds in Millersport.
- Respect private land. Hizey, Shreyer and Jon Raab are on private property. Stay on public roads and obey posted signs.
- Get the county guide. Visit Fairfield County offers a Covered Bridge Trail Guide online and at its visitor center at 128 N. Broad St. in Lancaster.
Sources: Fairfield County Park District: Our Covered Bridges, Visit Fairfield County: Historic Bridges in Fairfield County, Wikipedia: List of covered bridges in Ohio, Dale J. Travis: Ohio covered bridges
See every Ohio bridge on our Ohio page, read the Ashtabula County guide, or browse the full index by state.