Union County covered bridges turn back roads into history tour

Hassenplug Covered Bridge still carries cars across Buffalo Creek in Mifflinburg, anchoring a Union County back-road drive that doubles as a live history lesson. The route includes trail access between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg and enough nearby stops to make the outing feel like a full day in the county rather than a detour through it. The broader tri-county region has 17 covered bridges, according to the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau, and the route is built around back roads, historic towns, and local food and drink.

Start in Mifflinburg with the bridge that sets the tone

Hassenplug Covered Bridge is the anchor stop for a Union County bridge loop. Built in 1825, it is 80 feet long, uses a Burr Arch Truss, and crosses Buffalo Creek in Mifflinburg. It is Pennsylvania’s oldest covered bridge and the oldest drivable covered bridge in the United States, according to American Covered Bridges, and the National Park Service lists it in the National Register database under transportation significance with NRHP ID 80003641.

It is also a working bridge, not just a preserve behind a fence. Hassenplug remains open to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, but it carries a 6-ton weight limit. A 2022 restoration replaced the steel grate floor with historically authentic wood planks.

The setting around it makes the stop easy to fold into a wider Mifflinburg visit. The bridge sits near Koon’s Trail, which gives you a way to step off the road and look back at the creek and structure itself. The nearby Mifflinburg Buggy Museum and Rusty Rail Brewing Company add two very different reasons to stay in town, one tied to local heritage and the other to a meal or drink after the bridge circuit begins.

Use the other spans to build a compact county loop

Union County’s other covered bridges give the route its variety. Factory Covered Bridge, also known as Horsham Covered Bridge, is the most accessible of the county’s spans and sits just off Interstate 80 near White Deer Creek. Built in 1880, it uses both King and Queen trusses and was repaired in 1954 and 1976.

Hayes Covered Bridge, built in 1882, gives the route a different feel near Mifflinburg. At 63 feet long and built with a Kingpost Truss, it is shorter and more compact than Hassenplug, and its bypass road lets traffic flow around the span while preserving the bridge itself.

Hubler Covered Bridge brings Lewisburg into the circuit. Built in 1850, it is 33 feet long and sits on the grounds of Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, which gives it one of the most unusual settings in the county.

Millmont Red Covered Bridge is the largest of the group and the best reminder that the route can end on a quieter note. Built in 1855, it stretches 131 feet across Penns Creek and is no longer open to motor vehicles, although foot traffic is permitted. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, like the other county bridges that appear in the Union County Covered Bridges multiple property listing.

Pair the bridge drive with trail time and town stops

The Buffalo Valley Rail Trail is an easy companion to the bridge route. At 9.3 miles long, it runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, making it a natural add-on whether you want a bike ride, a walk, or just a break from the car. The trail begins and ends at the visitors center and passes through peaceful back roads, the historic Sodom School, an octagonal one-room schoolhouse, and historic covered bridges.

In Mifflinburg, Hassenplug pairs naturally with the Buggy Museum and Rusty Rail Brewing Company. In Lewisburg, the bridge and the historical society’s archives and research services add another heritage stop. In Millmont, the foot-traffic-only bridge shifts the visit toward walking the span and taking in the creekside setting.

Why the bridges feel like one story instead of five separate stops

The bridges belong to a linked preservation framework, not a random collection of old spans. Hassenplug, Hayes, Factory, and Hubler are part of the Union County Covered Bridges multiple property listing, and Millmont Red is also on the National Register, which places all of them inside the National Register of Historic Places, the federal list of places considered worthy of preservation.

The Union County Historical Society, based in Lewisburg, maintains local history archives and research services. It connects the bridges to courthouse records, manuscripts, and publications tied to transportation, river towns, and rural development.