Are you like us in the sense that you may or may not be a covered bridge enthusiast? When it comes to covered bridges in Indiana, there is definitely no shortage! Parke County, Indiana, is otherwise known as the covered bridge capital of the world! It’s got 31 covered bridges in total, but for today, we’ll pay a visit to eight of our favorites. If you’d like to see the Indiana covered bridges map with directions, you can do so on Google Maps.
Parke County is very unique; there are no other counties in Indiana with nearly as many epic, historic covered bridges.
In total, Parke County is the proud home of 31 covered bridges. Some of them date as far back as the 1850s! We'll begin our journey in the town of Rockville, where it won't take terribly long to reach our first bridge.
McAllister's Bridge is a fantastic testament to the ingenuity of the Hoosier State.
McAllister's Covered Bridge was built in 1914 and extends over Little Raccoon Creek. It's 126 feet long and absolutely gorgeous! From here, head south on Bridgeton Road to find the next bridge on our adventure.
take a look at the McAllister Covered Bridge in this aerial footage of the historic bridge from Jake Crippin:
Next, you'll encounter Neet Bridge.
Neet Bridge was built in 1904 and, like McAllister's Bridge, it was constructed over Little Raccoon Creek. It's 126 feet long and a lively red color. Once you've had your fill, continue on Bridgeton Road.
Soon enough, you'll come across Bridgeton Bridge, which makes sense, considering you're traveling on Bridgeton Road.
Bridgeton Bridge is the newest bridge we'll see on our journey; it was built in 2006 and is 245 feet in length. It goes over Big Raccoon Creek - not to be confused with Little Raccoon Creek.
The beautiful Roseville Bridge is next on our trip.
During the warmer months, the landscape surrounding this bridge is covered in wildflowers. Roseville Bridge was built in 1910 and extends 263 feet, making it the longest bridge on this list. Once you've soaked in the majesty, head to Wabash Street.
Enjoy some footage of the historic Roseville Bridge, another one of our favorite covered bridges near Mecca, Indiana, in this video from takowaleful:
Take Wabash until it turns into Raccoon Street. You'll find Mecca Bridge on Arabia Road nearby.
Mecca Bridge was built in 1873, which means it's the oldest bridge on this list. Like other bridges throughout Parke County, it goes over Big Raccoon Creek. We're beginning to notice a trend in terms of where these bridges are located! Our next bridge is a little different, though. Heading north on Arabia Road, you'll run into...
Phillips Bridge!
This rickety old bridge in Parke County was constructed in 1909. It's not about that Big Raccoon Creek life - this bridge rests over Big Pond Creek. It's 43 feet long and the shortest bridge of our trip, but don't let its relatively small size fool you - it's beautiful!
Our next stop is the lovely Sim Smith Bridge, which you'll find by following the W 40 N.
Sim Smith is another super-old bridge that made the list, having been built in 1883. It was built over Leatherwood Creek and extends 84 feet in length.
Finally, we reach our last bridge - Melcher Bridge.
Don't let its position on this list fool you - Melcher Bridge is a treasure. It is one of several covered bridges near Montezuma, IN in Park County. It was built in 1896 and seems like a sibling of the Sim Smith Covered Bridge. Both go over Leatherwood Creek, and Melcher Covered Bridge is just one foot shorter, at 83 feet long.
Here is an update about the Melcher Bridge and the plans to restore the bridge so it can be enjoyed for years to come:
The good news is that if you’re not quite satisfied by stopping at just eight bridges, no worries – there are 23 more you can check out! There are so many covered bridges in Indiana that it’s quite difficult to choose just a few to visit at any given time, especially for those of us who just really, really love these rustic, historic monuments. The Google Map linked above is editable, so you can add or remove any Indiana covered bridges that you’d like to.
Have you ever taken a covered bridges road trip through Indiana or any other state? If not, it's time to rent an RV and hit the open road!
Which covered bridges near you are you drawn to? Tell us about your favorites in the comments section!
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