There is something so charming about covered bridges!
Living in Pennsylvania, we see covered bridges often, sometimes on our daily commute. But even seeing them every day doesn’t diminish their appeal.
Although their numbers keep dropping, several covered bridges remain near Philadelphia. Some are over 150 years old! And they continue to charm visitors and residents alike.
The guide below shares ten covered bridges near Philadelphia, a little bit of their history, and the best way to see them up close. So, let’s start planning your next covered bridge tour!
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History of Covered Bridges in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is home to the most remaining covered bridges in the United States! Although Lancaster County holds the record for the most in the state, there are plenty of covered bridges near Philadelphia to enjoy.
The first covered bridge in the United States was built in Philadelphia in 1800, across the Schuylkill River at 30th Street. According to estimates, Pennsylvania had almost 1500 covered bridges at one point. Now, the state has just over 200 remaining.
10 Beautiful Covered Bridges Near Philadelphia
Thomas Mill Covered Bridge
Location: 8901 Forbidden Drive in Philadelphia (inside Wissahickon Valley Park)
The Thomas Mill Covered Bridge is well-known because it is the only remaining covered bridge in a major city in the United States!
This red beauty shines as a highlight inside Wissahickon Valley Park (one of our favorite hiking spots) and provides visitors with one of the ways to cross Wissahickon Creek within the park.
The Thomas Mill bridge, built in 1855 using the Howe truss design, is 86.5 feet long and 18.66 feet wide. It was renovated in 1939 and again in 2000 and is now a pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
Park at the Bells Mill Roas West parking lot on Bells Mills Road, then walk south on Forbidden Drive about a half-mile to see the Thomas Mill Covered Bridge.
Bartram Covered Bridge
Location: 4298 Goshen Road in Newtown Square
The Bartram Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge of the thirty that were once in Delaware County. It’s also one of the shortest bridges on this list!
At thirty-feet long, the Burr truss bridge crosses the Crum Creek, connecting Delaware and Chester County. The bridge is no longer open to any traffic, vehicular or pedestrian, but still stands as a reminder of the past.
It was built in 1860 and named for Mordecai Bartram, an adjacent landowner. Not sure if there is any relation to John Bartram of Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia.
Park along Boot Road, just east of the bridge, to walk up and get a closer look at the bridge and historic marker.
Gibson-Harmony Hill Covered Bridge
Location: 1183 Harmony Hill Road in West Bradford Township
Built in 1872, the Gibson-Harmony Hill Covered Bridge is a 78-foot-long Burr truss bridge. It spans the Brandywine Creek and is one of the many covered bridges in Chester County.
The Gibson-Harmony Hill Bridge is only open to vehicular traffic. However, there is a small parking area next to the bridge where you can get out and take photos.
Larkin Bridge
Location: Station and Graphite Mine Roads in Chester Springs
The Larkin Bridge was originally built one mile from its current location across Marsh Creek.
Built in 1854, the Burr truss bridge has been relocated not once but two times in its lifetime. It was first moved to Marsh Creek State Park in 1972 and then dismantled and moved to its current location in 2006. Now, the 60-foot-long bridge is a fun feature along a neighborhood trail in Chester Springs.
The Larkin Bridge is a feature on a pedestrian trail that follows Graphite Mine Road. The closest parking lot to the trail is at Eagle Village on Pottstown Pike.
Knox Covered Bridge
Location: 300 Yellow Springs Rd in Malvern (inside Valley Forge National Historical Park)
You’ll recognize the 65-foot-long Knox Covered Bridge if you’ve hiked along the Valley Creek Trail at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
Originally called the Valley Forge Dam Bridge, it was built in 1851 and rebuilt in 1865 after being destroyed in a flood. A tree severely damaged it in August 2024, closing the bridge for almost two months.
Knox Covered Bridge is open to vehicular traffic. To see the bridge up close, park at the Yellow Springs lot on Wilson Road and take the walking path towards the bridge.
Rapps Dam Covered Bridge
Location: 1133 Rapps Dam Road in Phoenixville
At 105 feet long, the Rapps Dam Covered Bridge is one of the longest bridges on this list (second to only the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge).
The bridge was built in 1866, and like many bridges on this list, it is a double Burr arch-truss bridge. It’s named after George Rapp, who owned a grist mill nearby.
Rapps Dam Covered Bridge is for vehicular traffic only. However, you can park at French Creek Heritage Park and walk the short distance to see the bridge close up.
‘Trolley Stop’ Skippack Covered Bridge
Location: 4042 Skippack Pike in Skippack (at the back of the parking lot)
Like Delaware County, Montgomery County once had over 30 covered bridges. Now, none of the historic bridges remain.
However, a newer bridge, the “Trolley Stop” Bridge in Skippack Village, fills the void left by the other bridges. Built in 1997, the 31-foot-long bridge spans the West Branch Skippack Creek and provides visitors access to the Skippack Trail.
Although it’s not a historic bridge, there are some nods to the past, such as a sign on the bridge stating, “Walk Your Horses or Pay a Two Dollar Fine,” and a sign inside the bridge advertising blacksmiths in Greenville.
The Trolley Stop Bridge has both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Park in the lot next to the bridge to see it up close.
Pine Valley Covered Bridge
Location: 229 Keeley Avenue in New Britain
The Pine Valley Covered Bridge (also known as Iron Hill Bridge) is located in the heart of Bucks County, just outside of Doylestown. It is one of two town truss bridges on this list (the other is the Van Sandt Covered Bridge).
At 81 feet long, it spans Pine Run, a tributary of Neshaminy Creek. It was built in 1842, making it the oldest bridge on this list and the second oldest in Bucks County.
Pine Valley Covered Bridge is for vehicular traffic only. However, you can park at Covered Bridge Park and take a paved trail across Pine Run to get a closer look at the bridge.
Van Sandt Covered Bridge
Location: 264 Covered Bridge Road in New Hope
The Van Sandt Covered Bridge is the only bridge on this list that isn’t easily accessible by foot, so you just have to enjoy it while driving through.
It was built in 1875, is 86 feet long, and crosses Pidcock Creek, not far from Bowman’s Hill Tower and downtown New Hope.
Some people claim the bridge is haunted by the spirit of a woman who killed her child and then herself. If you visit at night, listen for her crying out.
There is no parking near Van Sandt Covered Bridge.
Schofield Ford Covered Bridge
Location: 386 Swamp Road in Newtown (inside Tyler State Park)
The longest bridge on this list is the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge. It is 170 feet long and spans Neshaminy Creek inside Tyler State Park, one of our favorite state parks near Philadelphia.
Although the original bridge was built in 1873, arsonists burned it down in 1991. Volunteers, contractors, and government agencies rebuilt it in six years. Now, it’s a popular spot within the park.
To reach the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge, park at the Covered Bridge Parking lot on Swamp Road and take the steps down to the trail. It’s about 1000 feet from the parking lot to the bridge.
Honorable Mention: Knight’s Bridge in Lorimer Park
Location: 183 Moredon Road in Huntingdon Valley
Possibly the smallest covered bridge in Pennsylvania, Timothy Egger and Troop 72 of Abington reconstructed Knight’s Bridge as an Eagle Scout project.
This tiny covered bridge is about 15-20 feet long and crosses a crevasse next to Pennypack Creek. Its bright red paint brings a splash of color among the green trees and brown rocks.
Knight’s Bridge is pedestrian only. You can follow the trail to the Ranger Station, cross over Pennypack Creek, and find the small covered bridge to the right.
Map of Covered Bridges Near Philadelphia
Wrapping Up Covered Bridges Near Philadelphia
If you drive further into Chester County and Bucks County, you’ll find even more covered bridges. Both counties have driving tours for their bridges, which can be a fun way to spend a beautiful spring or fall day.
For more covered bridges, head out to Lancaster County, which has more covered bridges than any other county in Pennsylvania. Or take the covered bridges tour in Bedford County.
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