Charming Crossings

(Mike Briner/Alamy)

A covered bridge played a supporting role in one of Hollywood’s most intense and fleeting love stories: The Bridges of Madison County, which still inspires visitors to seek out Iowa’s Roseman Covered Bridge. (It ranks higher on TripAdvisor than John Wayne’s nearby birthplace.)

Embodying a simpler time in American life, wooden covered bridges like Roseman began springing up across the country in the early 1800s. You’ll find them in state and national parks, amid the rolling hills of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, and in popular leaf-peeping corners of New England.

The structures are often referred to as “kissing bridges” since their enclosed domes provide lovers with just the right amount of privacy. Yet it was practicality that inspired their construction. Covered bridges made it possible to cross rivers, lakes, and valleys, and before the advent of air-conditioning, they provided local residents a cool break from summer heat (some even fished from their decks).

Only about 10 percent of covered bridges have stood the test of time, among them, Wawona Covered Bridge in Yosemite National Park and Maine’s Artist’s Bridge—one of the state’s most photographed and painted sites. It’s worth taking the scenic route to find them.

to see the country's most charming covered crossings.

West Cornwall Covered Bridge, Cornwall, Conn.

(Norman Eggert/Alamy)

Leaf peepers flock to Housatonic Meadows State Park—Connecticut’s only stretch of the Appalachian Trail—for riverside camping and hiking amid 10,000 acres of foliage. As you drive past the park, keep an eye out for West Cornwall Covered Bridge, a red wooden landmark designed by Connecticut native Ithiel Town.

Humpback Covered Bridge, Covington, Va.

(Gene Ahrens/Alamy)

The center of Humpback Covered Bridge makes an unusual arc shape, reaching four feet higher at its middle than at either end. Built in 1857, Virginia’s oldest still-standing covered bridge has become a popular photo-op for tourists and wedding parties alike. Other historic attractions in the Shenandoah Valley include two .

Roseman Covered Bridge, Winterset, Iowa

(Danita Delimont/Alamy)

Meryl Streep fans will recognize Roseman Covered Bridge from The Bridges of Madison County. Photographer Robert Kincaid, played by Clint Eastwood, seeks out this 107-foot crossing (one of six countywide) while in town for an assignment. And Francesca Johnson (Streep) invites him to dinner by tacking a note on the bridge—igniting one of Hollywood’s most memorable love affairs.

Artist’s Bridge, Newry, Maine

(Mike Briner/Alamy)

Maine’s covered bridges first appeared in the mid-1800s to pave the way for horse-drawn caravans. Before fire, flood, and ice took their toll, the state counted 120 of these historic structures; only nine still stand. While Artist’s Bridge—constructed in 1872 above the Sunday River near the town of North Bethel—is no longer open to traffic, it remains one of Maine’s most photographed and painted sites.

Flume Covered Bridge, Franconia Notch, N.H.

(ClassicStock/Alamy)

With walls of granite rising up to 90 feet high, the Flume is a natural gorge and waterfall formed nearly 200 million years ago. During the Ice Age, it was masked by glaciers that later melted into a bubbling brook. Large rock formations mark the Pemigewasset River, which is ornamented by the distinctive Flume Covered Bridge (est. 1886) and its adjacent footbridge for hikers.

Wawona Covered Bridge, Yosemite National Park, Calif.

(Russ Bishop/Alamy)

Spanning the South Fork of the Merced River, Wawona Covered Bridge features Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir but initially lacked one key element: a roof. In the 1880s, the Wawona Hotel’s owners—a trio from Vermont supposedly homesick for a bit of New England—covered the bridge. It provided a direct route to Yosemite Valley for local horse and pedestrian traffic; today, visitors can walk the stretch once traversed by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

A. M. Foster Covered Bridge, Cabot, Vt.

(EcoPhotography.com / Alamy)

Vermont’s cheese trail offers roughly 280 miles of sharp cheddar, creamy Gorgonzola, and herby chèvre. Hit the road, and you’ll likely end up near the Cabot Creamery and A. M. Foster Covered Bridge, which spans a ravine in the middle of farmland. It’s a comparative newcomer to these parts, designed in 1988 by resident Richard Spaulding to replicate the 19th-century Orton Bridge.

Horton Bridge, Amnicon Falls State Park, Wis.

(Erin Bates)

A trek through Amnicon Falls State Park delivers a close-up perspective on geologic arrangements formed by earthquakes half a billion years ago. Prehistoric rocks mix with volcanic material along the scenic River Trail, winding past mini pools, cascades, and waterfalls. For the best view, take to the Horton Bridge over the Lower Falls. And keep a lookout for deer and coyote.

Campbell’s Covered Bridge, Landrum, S.C.

(Bob Pardue - SC/Alamy)

South Carolina’s only remaining covered bridge is short and sweet—a cheery red pinewood structure measuring 38 feet across Beaverdam Creek. Bordered by the Greenville County Recreation District, the bridge makes a romantic backdrop for picnics, especially come autumn. It’s named for the former owner of a nearby corn gristmill.

For the complete list of America's Most Beautiful Covered Bridges, visit .

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