19 Beautiful Bridges Drive through Oregon’s Willamette Valley and you’ll encounter covered bridges in almost every direction. Dotting the region are 19 historic bridges spanning rushing creeks. Many of these are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, delighting photographers, history buffs and sightseers. Nowhere will you find a higher concentration than around Cottage Grove, 23 miles (37 km) south of Eugene. There, six beautifully preserved structures create the perfect road trip with a 20-mile (32-km) Cottage Grove Covered Bridge Tour Route connecting all six bridges. Each bridge tells a story of a bygone era when transportation and communication across a broad and rugged region could not be taken for granted. Start your journey at the Centennial Covered Bridge, an 84-foot (26-m) pedestrian span crossing the Coast Fork of the Willamette River — ideal for planning your self-guided tour. Other nearby bridges include the 78-foot (24-m) Chambers Railroad Covered Bridge, first built in 1925. The Currin Covered Bridge, with its red and white siding and corrugated-metal roof, is closed to car and pedestrian traffic but is still a beautiful spot as it crosses the rushing Row River. The 105-foot (32-m) Dorena Covered Bridge leads to a picturesque park and access to a swimming hole. Lane County’s oldest remaining bridge, the 90-foot (27-m) Mosby Creek Covered Bridge, was first constructed in 1920. Beyond this concentrated collection, Oregon boasts additional covered bridges scattered throughout the Willamette Valley and Coast Range areas. Notable examples include the state’s longest bridge — the 180-foot (55-m) Office Covered Bridge near Westfir, 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Eugene — and the Goodpasture Covered Bridge, spanning the McKenzie River in Vida where a ferry crossing once stood. Oregon’s second longest at 165 feet (50 m), the Goodpasture Bridge, just 21 miles (34 km) east of Eugene on Highway 126, is known for 10 Gothic-style louvered windows on each side and crisp white paint, making it one of the most iconic bridges in the state. The Earnest Covered Bridge appeared in the 1965 Jimmy Stewart film “Shenandoah.” Travel Lane County | EugeneCascadesCoast.org | 541.484.5307 19 EXPLORE Mosby Creek Covered Bridge NATALIE INOUYE
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