Oregon has the largest collection of historic covered bridges in the western part of the United States, with over 50 covered spans. These timber bridges were often covered to protect them from the weather. The remaining examples of this obsolete bridge construction technology, generally located in pastoral rural settings, provide one of the most significant tourist attractions in the state.
For the geocachers among us, I have found caches at over 20 of these bridges on the Oregon Covered Bridge Tours.
Explore and Discover Oregon History
Allow the Oregon Association of Independent Inns to share local examples of Oregon History then take the road less traveled along Oregon’s Backroads.
Willamette Valley Bed And Breakfast – Great Places To Start
** Can you guess which covered bridge is featured in the photo? Answer at the end of this post.
We took a road trip to seek out some of the 20 covered bridges in Lane County, a county that has the distinction of possessing more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi. Seventeen of these bridges are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
- Irish Bend Covered Bridge
We started our journey in Eugene, Oregon and headed east on Hwy 58, finding 6 historic covered bridges along the way. You could easily do them in one day using an Oregon Independent Inn as your home base. Take a couple of days to discover all Lane County has to offer.
Oregon Independent Inns invite you to explore our historic destinations. The heyday of covered bridge building in Oregon occurred between 1905 and 1925 when there were an estimated 450 covered bridges in the state. By 1977, this number had dwindled to 56. All but one of these historic bridges can be found west of the Cascade Range. The Rock O’ The Range, Covered Bridge is just north of Bend. The others can be found in the Willamette Valley and west toward the Oregon Coast near many Oregon Independent Inns. Plan our next authentic adventure along the backroads of Oregon.
The Oregon Association of Independent Inns offers a wide variety of inns, from a small guest cottage or two-room bed and breakfast to a larger country inn, dude ranch or historic hotel.
Oregon Association of Independent Inns are ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved member of the Oregon Association of Independent Inns.
Since 1989, the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild has served as a statewide information network for its member properties, providing a unified voice for the industry with state regulatory and tourism agencies.
Now known as The Oregon Association of Independent Inns, we’re the same trusted organization, with a new name, a fresh look, and an expanded focus on independent lodging properties beyond traditional bed and breakfasts. Member properties represent a wide range of accommodations, from small guest cottages, cabins, and intimate two-room B&Bs to larger country inns, boutique hotels and dude ranches.
** If you guessed Goodpasture Bridge on the McKenzie River you were correct
