Lancaster County Covered Bridges: Self-Guided Driving Tour (2026)
By Best of Lancaster
Lancaster County has more than 25 historic covered bridges — most still carrying traffic, nearly all on exactly the kind of back roads you came here to drive. They're free, they're photogenic, and they thread straight through working Amish farmland. Here's how to do them right.
The Classic East Loop (90 minutes)
Start in Strasburg and work the farmland between Routes 741 and 340. Highlights: the bridges around Paradise and the Pequea Creek crossings, with honor-system farm stands every few miles. This loop pairs naturally with the railroad attractions and finishes near the smorgasbords for dinner.
The North Loop (2 hours)
From Lititz toward Ephrata: Hunsecker's Mill Bridge — the county's longest single-span — plus the Cocalico Creek crossings. Time it for a Friday and end at the Green Dragon market; or pair with the Lititz day trip.
Driving Rules of the Road
- Bridges are one-lane — yield to oncoming traffic and to buggies, always.
- You're sharing every road with horses. Slow early, pass wide and only on straightaways.
- Don't trust GPS blindly — some routes suggest closed or weight-limited bridges; the brown county signage is reliable.
- Best light: golden hour, and October is the postcard month (fall guide) — but midweek mornings have the bridges to yourself.
Do It Without Driving: The Scooter Tour
The most fun version of this entire article is a guided single-seat scooter run that strings the bridges and the farmland together — no navigation required, photo stops built in (runs Mon–Sat; operated by Strasburg Scooters):
Make a Day of It
Bridges in the morning, a buggy ride at midday, family-style dinner at Good N Plenty — then slot the whole day into the weekend itinerary. Coming from out of town, you'll want your own wheels:
