Bridgeton in Parke county, IN
Covered bridges have an allure and appeal to a wide variety of people with an interest in exploring. They harken us back to “simpler” times and a spirit of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. And typically being situated over rivers or streams, they are often in picturesque settings that are simply beautiful to look at and photograph.
Six counties in west-central Indiana are home to 49 of the State’s 98 current covered bridges. Parke County bills itself as the covered bridge capital of the world with 31 covered bridges. The surrounding five counties have 18 more: Putnam County (9), Fountain County (3), Vermillion County (3), Montgomery County (2), and Vigo County (1).
If you’re interested in exploring some of these icons of yesteryear, click here for a driving map for bridges in Parke County. For information about other bridges, see a list of all the covered bridges in Indiana, which includes construction dates and bridge design types.
The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival is Indiana’s largest festival and runs for 10 days starting with the second Friday in October. It’s estimated that two million people visit Parke County during the festival. Ten communities throughout the county offer activities for festival-goers. There is no admission charge for the festival, but since parking is limited in some communities, you may want to pay for a closer parking spot.
The festival planners have established several different color-coded driving routes to take in the bridges in different regions of the county, as well as the participating communities in each region. Free maps of the routes are available at information booths all around the county (or at the above link).
Serving as headquarters to the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival since its start in 1957, is the town of Rockville. Vendors of homemade/handmade items and antiques as well as a variety of food booths set up shop on and around the courthouse lawn. You may also enjoy an art gallery, historical museum and an 1883 train depot, which are open for a unique cultural experience. Store front businesses around the square offer additional shopping as well
You can see Indiana’s most famous covered bridge in the town of Bridgeton. During the festival, the town bustles with booths featuring crafts, art, food, other merchandise and live entertainment. The bridge itself is located over a picturesque waterfall. The original bridge was destroyed by arson fire in 2005 but was rebuilt in 2006. You can see the story about how the community came together to build the new bridge here. In addition to the bridge, the town boasts a working gristmill that was once powered by water diverted around the dam.
Another popular stop is the town of Mansfield home to the Historic Mansfield Roller Mill and covered bridge. During the festival, the town is packed with hundreds of vendors offering an array of goods and festival food. Some of the favorites include persimmon ice cream, pumpkins rolls, apple butter, ham & beans and cornbread.
In Mecca, you’ll find handmade, local crafts as well as a covered bridge and a one-room schoolhouse. The covered bridge is 150 feet long and stretches over Big Raccoon Creek.
Other Parke County communities offering craft and food booths and family yard sales include Bellmore, Bloomingdale, Billie Creek Village, Montezuma, Rosedale and Tangier.
While the Covered Bridge Festival happens just once a year, the covered bridges may be visited year-round and without the considerable traffic that comes with the festival. And of course there are several bridges that can be enjoyed which are outside of Parke County.
Darlington Covered Bridge
The two bridges closest to Cabins & Candlelight are those located in Montgomery County, just northeast of Parke County. They include the Deer’s Mill and Darlington covered bridges. Deer’s Mill Covered Bridge, built in 1878 near Waveland, derived its name from the flour and woolen mills which were located nearby. The Darlington bridge, located just west of the town with the same name, was built in 1868 and is 166′ long. It is the fourth oldest covered bridge in the state and has a unique wooden block floor that spans its length. It’s located just 10 minutes from Cabins & Candlelight. Both the Deer’s Mill and Darlington covered bridges are built across Sugar Creek, a popular waterway for canoeing and kayaking.
No matter what time of year you decide to explore Indiana’s covered bridges, you might consider making a stay at Cabins & Candlelight part of your trip. This romantic getaway is located near Colfax, which is 45 minutes northeast of Parke County. Our luxury log cabins feature 15-foot stone fireplaces with gas logs, oversized whirlpool tubs, screened back porches, gas grills, firepits and full kitchens stocked with breakfast food.
Are you ready to start planning your Covered Bridge Getaway? Check our availability calendar today.