Covered Bridge Tour Southern Route

Covered Bridge Tour Southern Route

1 hour long

26 miles

Start at the Brandon Visitor Center at 4 Grove St. (Route 7).

Turn right (south) out of the driveway

Mile point          

0.1          Turn right on Pearl Street (next to Post Office)

1.3          Sanderson Bridge – Brandon

This bridge was originally built in 1840 but was rebuilt at the turn of the 21st century. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Sanderson Bridge is Brandon’s only remaining covered bridge and crosses Otter Creek. The bridge style is a Town lattice truss. Notice the pedestrian lanes on either side of the interior, a feature unique to this bridge among all the bridges on the tour.

1.4          Barn Opera is on the left. Although the exterior resembles a working barn, the interior contains surprising craftsmanship in Brandon’s new, beautiful opera home.

1.7          Turn left on Short Swamp Road

2.3          Notice the Crown Point Road Marker on the left. This is one of three markers you’ll see on the drive today, recognizing a supply route that was built through Vermont in 1759 extending from Lake Champlain to the Connecticut River during the French and Indian War. The road was later important during the Revolutionary War and then after the war, used to bring new settlers to Vermont.

2.7          Turn left on Hacks Sawmill Road

3.3          Turn left on High Pond Road

4.6          At the stop, continue straight on Florence Road (becomes West Creek Road in Pittsford)

8.5          At the intersection with Kendall Hill Road, bear right. (A quick note: the long flat approach to the next bridge on Depot Hill Road is prone to flooding in high water, so consider this as you start your tour. If you have concerns that the road may be closed, turn left here on Kendall Hill Road back to Route 7 South and continue south to Kamuda’s Country Market and pick up the tour notes from there (Mile 11.2).

8.9          At the intersection with Whipple Hollow Road, stay straight on West Creek Road under the railroad trestle.

9.9          Turn left on Depot Hill Road

10.3        Depot Bridge – Pittsford

Depot Bridge was built in 1840 and crosses Otter Creek. The style of bridge is Town lattice truss and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Continue east to Route 7, stopping between the Lake Sunapee Bank and Keith’s Country Store.

11.1        Turn right on Route 7

11.2        Turn right onto Elm Street beside Kamuda’s Country Market

12.4        Cooley Bridge – Pittsford

This bridge was built in 1849 by Nicholas M. Powers and is a Town lattice truss style. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge crosses Furnace Brook.

13.3        Intersection with Gorham Bridge Road. Gorham Bridge is immediately on your right.

Gorham Bridge – Pittsford-Proctor Town Line

Crossing the Otter Creek, Gorham Bridge was built in 1842 by Abraham Owen and Nicholas M. Powers, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge is a Town lattice truss bridge.

13.3        Turn left on Gorham Bridge Road

13.8        At the stop, turn left on Route 3

15.7        Turn left onto Route 7 North (beside Mobil station) and continue through the village of Pittsford.

18.0        Turn left onto Kendall Hill Road (also called Florence Truck Route)

18.7       On the right is Hammond Bridge – Pittsford

This bridge, crossing the Otter Creek, was built in 1842 by Asa Norse in the Town lattice truss style and is currently open to foot traffic only. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take note of the second Crown Point Road Marker on this tour, just beside the bridge.

Continue west on Kendall Hill Road

19.0        Turn right on West Creek Road

22.9        Turn right on Union Street

23.1        Notice the Crown Point Road Marker on your right, the third on this tour.

Of note in this section : The modern bridge crossing Otter Creek just after the Des Marais Farm is the site of the former Dean Covered Bridge, which was destroyed by arson in 1986. It was a lattice truss covered bridge built in 1840 and is still listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

25.8        Route 7, Central Park, Brandon  (Turn left for another .2 mile to reach the downtown parking lot and the opportunity to split this tour with a meal or snack break at one of the many downtown eateries.

Click each image below to enlarge!