Posted in Maine
June 05, 2019
This Day Trip Takes You To 6 Of Maine’s Covered Bridges And It’s Perfect For A Scenic Drive
Maine is one of the most scenic states in New England. From the quaint general stores to the beauty of our forests and seaside, you could easily spend a beautiful day in Maine just looking at the things around you. While there’s plenty from which to choose, we especially love the covered bridges here. To see a number of them at once, head to this region for a wonderfully scenic drive. Check out the map at the end of the article and click here for the full driving directions.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
You'll start your journey at the Presumscot River where you'll find this stunner of a bridge. It's been reconstructed, but the original 79-footer was built in 1843. Destroyed by a fire in 1973, the replica was opened in 1976. Today it connects the towns of Gorham and Windham.
To help folks cross the Ossipee River, this bridge was built in 1859. It was a collaboration between the towns of Porter and Parsonsfield. While the 152-foot bridge has since been shut to traffic now that there's a newer version just downriver, it's still ones of the most scenic in the state.
This beauty was built in 1868 and its claim to fame might be that it's Maine's shortest covered bridge. While little, at 70 feet, it comes in handy when you want to cross the Ellis River!
Your next stop is one of Maine's most beloved bridges. It's commonly referred to as "Artist's Bridge" in recognition of the artists who have been coming here for years to paint it and photograph it. While you can't cross it in your car (it's been closed to traffic since 1958), the 87-foot structure is still one of the state's most famous covered bridges. It's located about four miles northwest of North Bethel close to Routes 2 and 26.
Next it's onto a bridge that allows traffic, which means you can cross it just like they did in the old days! The bridge was finished in 1857 and it spans about 110 feet across a portion of the Saco River on Route 302. Being just 3 miles northwest of East Fryeburg means you can check out some of the shops and restaurants in town for a little snack break.
Lastly, it's on to Lincoln Plantation to see Bennett Bridge. This 93 foot bridge was built in 1901 and crossed the Magalloway River. It's been closed to traffic since 1985, but we love it for a nice photo op spot. It's about 1.5 miles south of Wilson Mills.
You’ll start this beautiful drive at Babb’s Covered Bridge. Address: Hurricane Road, Gorham, ME 04038.
For more bridge goodness, check out this covered bridge hike in Maine.
