Visiting the Historic Covered Bridges of Berks County, Pennsylvania By Jim Cheney
Berks County, Pennsylvania, is home to five of the most scenic covered bridges remaining in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Several of the bridges also have a look to them that’s rare among other PA covered bridges, making these great ones to visit even if you have seen many of the state’s other bridges.
The Berks County’s covered bridges are located throughout the county with bridges that are easy to access from both downtown Reading and I-78.
The bridges below are listed in a clockwise direction as if you were visiting them all from downtown Reading. However, the bridges can be easily visited in the opposite direction, or even just enjoyed one or two at a time when you are visiting a portion of the county.
Here are the five remaining historic covered bridges in Berks County, PA.
WERTZ'S COVERED BRIDGE
Wertz’s Covered Bridge is the closest covered bridge to Reading, PA, and is located on the grounds of the Berks County Heritage Center. Also known as Red Covered Bridge, this is the longest single-span covered bridge in the state with a length of 204 feet. It’s also the longest covered bridge in Berks County. Wertz’s Covered Bridge was built in 1867 and spans Tulpehocken Creek. Today, it is only open to foot traffic.
Getting There: Wertz’s Covered Bridge is located on the park grounds of the Berks County Heritage Center. Visitors are welcome to visit the bridge from dawn to dusk. The bridge is located west of downtown reading and can be found at the following address: 1102 Red Bridge Rd, Reading, PA 19605.
Park in the heritage center’s parking lot and walk the trails the short distance back to the bridge. The bridge itself is located at the following coordinates: 40.369052, -75.979097.
Continue reading Visiting the Historic Covered Bridges of Berks County, Pennsylvania by Jim Cheney, by clicking on Uncovering PA. Jim's original photos of Berks County's five covered bridges also appear on his Uncovering PA website.
When time allows, follow Pennsylvania's Americana Region's Covered Bridge Tour.