Washington County has 23 covered bridges, according to Visit Washington County PA, the county's tourism office. With the 7 in neighboring Greene County, the two counties have 30. Most are short queenpost and kingpost spans on farm roads in the county's western and southern townships.

All 23 are in our directory. This page is the practical map version: it groups them into five driving areas, each listed in an order you can drive, with a map link for every stop. For the history and stories behind the bridges, read our guide to Washington County's covered bridges. Of the 23, 14 are queenpost trusses, 8 are kingposts and one is a Burr arch.

Quick facts

• Longest: Longdon Covered Bridge, 67 ft over the Templeton Fork of Wheeling Creek in West Finley Township.
• Earliest dated: Erskine Covered Bridge, built by William Gordon in 1845 over Middle Wheeling Creek. Several bridges have no known build date.
• Only Burr arch: Bailey Covered Bridge over Tenmile Creek, dated 1889 and rebuilt in 1999 after a fire.
• Shortest: Krepps Covered Bridge and McClurg Covered Bridge, 24 ft each.
• Can you drive through? Of the 23 bridges we list, 18 are open to traffic, 4 are walk only and 1 is on private property.
• Festival: The Washington and Greene Counties Covered Bridge Festival is held the third weekend of September at nine bridge sites.

Mingo Creek Park and Pigeon Creek: the east side

Four bridges in the northeast of the bridge country, between Nottingham, Somerset and North Bethlehem townships. Start in Mingo Creek County Park, where Henry and Ebenezer both cross Mingo Creek, then drive southwest to Wright and Leatherman on the north and south branches of Pigeon Creek. All four carry traffic.

Tenmile Creek and Morris Township: the south

Three bridges in the southern townships. Hughes and Bailey cross Tenmile Creek in Amwell Township near Amity, about a mile apart. Hughes is open to walkers only; Bailey, the county's only Burr arch, carries traffic. Continue west to Day on Short Creek in Morris Township, which puts you on the way to the Wheeling Creek forks.

Wheeling Creek forks: West Finley, East Finley and Donegal

Nine bridges, the biggest cluster in the county, in the far southwest corner near the West Virginia line. They cross the Templeton, Robinson and Middle forks of Wheeling Creek and their small tributaries, mostly on quiet township roads, and several of those roads are gravel. Start with the East Finley group (Wyit Sprowls, Sprowls and Plants), swing south to Longdon and Crawford, then work north through Danley, Erskine and Mays. End at Brownlee in Donegal Township, which is walk only. Every other bridge on this loop carries traffic.

Buffalo Creek and Meadowcroft: Blaine and Jefferson townships

Two bridges on the drive north. Sawhill crosses Buffalo Creek in Blaine Township and carries traffic. Pine Bank stands over a ravine inside Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village near Avella. It is walk only, the village charges admission, and the bridge is several hundred yards from the visitors center, so check Meadowcroft's season and hours before you go.

The north: Mount Pleasant and Hanover townships

Four bridges in the county's northern townships. Krepps crosses Raccoon Creek in Mount Pleasant Township. Lyle, McClurg and Jackson's Mill are in Hanover Township, the county's northwest corner. McClurg is walk only; the other three carry traffic.

Other bridges

Ralston Freeman Covered Bridge, a 1915 kingpost over Aunt Clara's Fork of Kings Creek in Hanover Township, is privately owned and stands at the end of dead end Ralston Road north of Paris. It is on private property, so do not trespass.

Every bridge in the tourism office's count of 23 is on this page. Greene County's covered bridges, just to the south, are on our Pennsylvania page.

Tips for visiting

• Expect gravel. Several bridges, including Longdon and Sprowls, are on gravel township roads. Drive slowly and allow extra time.
• Check weight limits. Most of these spans are small and posted for light vehicles. Leave RVs and trailers behind and read the sign at each portal.
• Pull off with care. Parking is a few cars at most at many bridges. Never block the road or a farm lane.
• Plan around the festival. The covered bridge festival on the third weekend of September brings crowds to nine of the bridges. Visit then for the events, or another weekend for quiet roads.
• Get the official guide. The county tourism office publishes a covered bridges driving guide with directions to every bridge.

Sources: Visit Washington County PA: Covered Bridge Festival sites, Washington County Covered Bridges Driving Guide (PDF), Uncovering PA: Washington County covered bridges

See every Pennsylvania bridge on our Pennsylvania page, compare designs on covered bridges by truss type, or browse the full index by state.