Frederick County Covered Bridges – Maryland Road Trip
Did you know that there are only six covered bridges left in the state of Maryland — three of which are in Frederick County? Frederick County covered bridges are absolutely lovely and this Maryland county is home to three historic covered bridges, all of which are included in the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. These bridges—the Utica, Loy’s Station, and Roddy Road Bridge —are all located within twelve miles of each other, making this an easy driving tour if you happen to be in the area. Not only are these bridges visually appealing, but they are also structurally unique, with each bridge employing a different truss system to maintain its integrity.
If you’re headed to Gettysburg National Military Park, these three covered bridges are a great way to break up the drive on the way there or back!
Table of Contents
- Map of the Covered Bridges in Frederick County Maryland
- When to visit the Frederick County covered bridges?
- Roddy Road Covered Bridge
- Loy's Station Covered Bridge
- Utica Covered Bridge
- Other information
Map of the Covered Bridges in Frederick County Maryland
Here is a map of the three covered bridges you can see on this drive:
As you can see, this is a short detour off of I-15 and takes you down some Maryland country roads. The bridges are all within about 12 miles of each other, so it won’t take you too long to see them, if you have a little bit of extra time.
When to visit the Frederick County covered bridges?
You can visit them all year, but I think the best time to visit these bridges would be in the fall. There’s just something about covered bridges and fall that seem to go hand-in-hand! I visited these bridges in early spring.
Roddy Road Covered Bridge
Address:
14760 Roddy Rd.
Thurmont, MD 21788
The Roddy Road Covered Bridge is the northernmost bridge on the Frederick County covered bridges list and likely will be either your first or your last stop on this covered bridge driving tour. It was built by the Roddy family in 1856. The bridge spans Owens Creek and features a single kingpost truss. Over the creek, it spans 40 feet, making it Maryland’s shortest covered bridge. This single kingpost truss is the oldest design used in bridge construction, typically used for shorter spans like this one.
Unfortunately, the Roddy Road bridge has experienced multiple instances of damage. In March 1992, an oversized truck took down the roof and truss. The bridge was damaged again in May 2016 by another oversized vehicle. Unfortunately, in June 2016, a subsequent incident with an oversized truck led to such severe damage that the bridge had to be completely reconstructed. The bridge is now a replica of what it once was. Now, clearance bars have been installed at the bridge’s entrances to alert drivers.
At the Roddy Road Covered bridge, you’ll find a lovely park, with playground equipment, restrooms and a picnic area.
RELATED: Want more Maryland history? Check out my post on the Thomas Stone National Historical Site
Loy’s Station Covered Bridge
Address:
13506 Old Frederick Rd.
Rocky Ridge, MD 21788
Originally built in 1880, the Loys Station Covered Bridge also spans over Owens Creek, but it’s over twice the size of the Roddy Road bridge, clocking in at a 90-foot span. Its design features a multiple kingpost wood truss. This design works for bridge span distances up to one hundred feet.
Unfortunately, this bridge was also damaged, though not by oversized vehicles. In 1991, the bridge was the target of an insurance fraud scheme when a pickup truck was deliberately set on fire while parked on the bridge. The resulting damage necessitated a complete reconstruction. The newly rebuilt bridge reopened to traffic on July 4, 1994 and thankfully no more damage to the bridge has occurred since then. *knocks on wood*
Loys Station Covered bridge is also located at a park, with playground equipment, grills, picnic tables and horseshoe pits.
Utica Covered Bridge
Address:
7720 Utica Rd.
Thurmont, MD 21788
The last bridge of the Frederick County covered bridges driving tour is the Utica Covered Bridge, which crosses Fishing Creek. The bridge is over 100 feet in length and has a Burr arch truss design.
Originally, the Utica Bridge crossed the Monocacy River at the location now occupied by the Devilbiss Bridge. However, it was severely damaged in the 1889 flood. The portion of the bridge that survived was dismantled, transported by wagon to Utica, and reassembled over Fishing Creek. The bridge was damaged in 2021 by another oversized truck, but it has since been repaired and re-opened for traffic.
There is no park or amenities at this bridge and it is difficult to pull over to take a photo. Even though you’re out in rural Maryland, there’s still quite a bit of traffic going down these roads, so you’ll have to use caution if you want to photograph the Utica Covered Bridge.
Other information
As you’ve read above, these bridges have been damaged in the past by drivers ignoring weight and height restrictions. Normal passenger vehicles are totally fine and won’t have any issue, but you should know that they each have a weight limit of 30,000 lbs. The Roddy Road covered bridge has a height limit of 8 feet 6 inches, while Utica is restricted to vehicles 9 feet 6 inches. Loy’s Station has no height restrictions.
If you’re going to photograph the bridges, exercise caution! The roads in this area are narrow and visibility can be limited for motorists when they cross the bridges.
