Ashtabula County Covered Bridges · covered bridges
Ashtabula County Covered Bridges
Ashtabula County in northeast Ohio holds 19 covered bridges, and 17 of them are still operational for vehicle traffic year-round. The county claims a double record: the longest covered bridge in the United States, the 613-foot Smolen-Gulf (built 2008), and America's shortest drive-through, Liberty Street. The earliest documented remaining spans date to 1867, while a new bridge was built as recently as 2016. The Covered Bridge Festival the second weekend of October (Oct 10-11, 2026) coincides with peak Lake Erie foliage, making it a natural RV touring window.
Best season
Peak in October; the Covered Bridge Festival is the second weekend of October (Oct 10-11, 2026)
Bridges & era
19 covered bridges (17 drive-through) · Built 1867-2016
Where
Ashtabula County, northeast Ohio near Lake Erie
Nearest RV base
Geneva State Park campground on Lake Erie is a solid RV base for looping the county's bridge routes, including the record-setting Smolen-Gulf and Harpersfield spans.
Drive it safely
While many of Ashtabula's bridges still carry traffic, the modern long-span Smolen-Gulf is engineered for vehicles whereas the historic 19th-century spans have strict posted weight and height limits — read every posted sign and do not force a large RV through an old bridge. When in doubt, park and walk; timing for the festival weekend also means heavier crowds and traffic.
Plan the route with the official source: Visit Ashtabula County — Official County Tourism .