Discover 10 Gorgeous Covered Bridges in Alabama

Alabama is a southern state with over 100,000 miles of streams and rivers flowing through it. As a result, people have constructed various bridges in the Yellowhammer State to travel over those obstacles. Fortunately, the builders had a flair for design, leading to some beautiful structures. Take a look at the most gorgeous, covered bridges in Alabama. Find out where they are located, how long they are, and more!

1. Kymulga Mill and Covered Bridge

The Kymulga Grist Mill and Covered Bridge is a 105-foot covered bridge spanning Talladega Creek in Kymulga Park. The park is located in Childersburg, Alabama in Talladega County. The bridge opened in 1861. The structure is one of two covered bridges from the 19^th century that stayed in their original locations. The bridge is one of the one of 11 historical covered bridges in the state.

2. Swann Covered Bridge

The Swann Covered Bridge is a 324-foot-long structure in Cleveland, Alabama. This is one of the most beautiful, covered bridges in Alabama, and it’s also the second-longest in the state overall. Swann Covered Bridge opened in 1933, and it spans the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. Unlike some other bridges on this list, vehicles can cross this structure.

3. Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge

The Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge measures 270 feet long. This covered bridge is the third longest in the state. This structure crosses Crooked Creek in Cullman County, and the bridge is in the Clarkson Covered Bridge Park in Bethel. The structure opened in 1904, and it is another member of the National Register of Historic Places. James W. Legg, the original landowner, lent his name to the bridge.

4. Easley Covered Bridge

The Easley Covered Bridge is a town lattice truss bridge with a single span. A crew led by a man named Forrest Tidwell built this bridge in 1927. The structure crosses the Calvery Prong of the Little Warrior River in Rosa, Alabama. Rosa is in Blount County, a part of Alabama with a few other covered bridges. The bridge has a total length of 95 feet, and it is about 10 feet wide. Drivers can cross this covered bridge in vehicles.

5. Coldwater Covered Bridge

The Coldwater Covered Bridge is in Oxford, Alabama, a part of Calhoun County. The bridge opened in 1850. The structure crosses over an outflow of Oxford Lake. Coldwater Covered Bridge is the oldest covered bridge in Alabama.

Although this county has some of the worst bridges in the state, it’s also home to one of the historic covered bridges in Alabama. Coldwater Covered Bridge is 63 feet long. The bridge is made entirely of wood using a king-post truss and town lattice format. The single-span bridge is open to pedestrian traffic only.

6. Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge

A Confederate Army Captain named William Alexander Campbell Jones designed and built the bridge over the Sucarnoochee River back in 1861. The structure is a town lattice truss bridge measuring 88 feet long. A new bridge replaced the wooden structure in the 1920s. Afterward, the covered bridge was moved to Alamuchee Creek. Then, in 1871, the Sumter County Historical Society moved the bridge once more. This time, the bridge moved to the University of West Alabama in Livingston.

7. Salem Shotwell Covered Bridge

The Salem Shotwell Covered Bridge is one of the most beautiful in the state. A man named Otto Puls built the original bridge in 1900. The structure was a town lattice truss design, and it measured 76 feet long. A powerful storm knocked over a tree that destroyed the bridge in 2005. The City of Opelika rebuilt the bridge using the remaining materials. These days the bridge is only 46 feet long, and it crosses the Rocky Brook in Opelika, Lee County.

8. Horton Mill Covered Bridge

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge is in Blount County, Alabama. This structure crosses the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River in Oneonta, Alabama. The bridge is 220 feet long and 10 feet wide. Horton Mill Covered Bridge is the highest covered bridge that crosses a waterway in the United States. The clearance below the bridge is 70 feet! Like other bridges in the state, this one is a town lattice truss bridge.

9. Waldo Covered Bridge

The Waldo Covered Bridge is another one of the covered bridges in Alabama with a rich history. Originally built in 1858, the bridge measures 115 feet long and spans the Talladega Creek in Waldo. Private owners have taken over the care and maintenance of the bridge. It is not open to the public. Another unique quality of this bridge is its construction style. The bridge includes a Howe truss and queen-post truss combination. This bridge is the second-oldest structure of its kind left in the state.

10. Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge

The Gilliland-Reese Covered bridge is in Gadsden, a city in Etowah County. The bridge is 85 feet long, and it spans a pond near Black Creek. Originally, the bridge was at Gilliland Plantation, but it was moved in 1967 or 1968. Now, it is in Noccalula Falls Park, and it is open for pedestrian traffic.

These are just some of the covered bridges in Alabama. Many other beautiful structures are throughout the state, crossing small bodies of water. The bridges on this list include some of the oldest and longest bridges, but many others have a beautiful style or a unique history.

Summary of Gorgeous Covered Bridges in Alabama