6170. Go to Spring Water Covered Bridge in Wild Rose

 A couple years ago on my way to La Crosse for Girls Weekend, I noticed a covered bridge between Waupaca and Wild Rose. I was going to check it out on the way home but my route took me a different way. So it went on the bucket list. 

When the hubby said he wanted to go to Waushara County for a Christmas Tree, I hoped we would get to go past the covered bridge. All I remembered it was just past a curve on the left hand side of the road. Yeah I know not much to go by. After looking at Google Maps, I found it was the Spring Water Covered Bridge and is located on Hwy 22 between Waupaca and Wild Rose.

We decided to stop on the way home from getting out Christmas Tree. Spring Water Covered Bridge was built in 1997 and is one you can actually drive through. I don't know the reason behind wanting to build a covered bridge in the late 1990s unless it was replacing an existing covered bridge. Covered bridges were originally to provide shelter from the elements to weary buggy travels. 

When we got to the covered bridge, I hopped out of the car and snapped a few pictures. Then we drove through the covered bridge. It wasn't the first one we drove through but it was still a neat experience. 

There are couple others in Wisconsin that I still need to see. There's one in Gays Mills, Boscobel, and Park Falls to discover yet. 

If you ever find yourself on Hwy 22 between Waupaca and Wild Rose, take a few minutes to check out the Spring Water Covered Bridge and enjoy the park. It looks to be good fishing too. 

5077. See the Red Mill Covered Bridge in Waupaca

 Last year I told the hubby I wanted to visit the covered bridge in Waupaca. I googled it and found it was right off the highway so we checked it out. It was a covered bridge but not THE covered bridge. It turns out that covered bridge is the Red Mill Covered Bridge was recently re-opened to the public. I still wanted to go.

When planning our Waupaca County Library Road Trip, I was made sure the Red Mill Covered Bridge was a stop. I'm sure the hubby would have taken me... eventually. This way I was certain to get there.

The Red Mill Covered Bridge is just outside of Waupaca about 5 miles off of Hwy 10 on County Road K. It is open Wednesday-Monday 7-5. 

To get to the Covered Bridge, you have to go down some stone steps to get to the other side of the barn and follow the path for a short distance. 

In front of you will be a gorgeous red covered bridge spanning the banks of the Crystal River. Follow the path you walk through the covered bridge. 

On the other side of the bridge is a small wedding chapel. It is a gorgeous setting for a country wedding.

After exploring the covered bridge, we went inside the old mill and browsed. There is a small ift shop spanning several rooms of the mill.

There is also a coffee shop and ice cream parlor. I really wanted ice cream but due to time constraints, it was easier to drink a beverage than eat ice cream while driving. Heather and I both ordered beverages and sat down to wait... and wait.. and wait. It seemed to take an awfully long time for our drinks when we were the only people ordering  drinks. Everyone else wanted ice cream. 

Finally we got our drinks. The small seemed really small. Heather had her iced coffee gone in about 3 sips. I took a little longer to finish my raspberry iced chai latte but it is so good. I really need to remember to add raspberry to my chai lattes.

Stopping at the Red Mill took longer than expected but it was worth the detour. The covered bridge is gorgeous and I am sure in fall it is absolutely stunning. If you ever find yourself in the Waupaca area, it is definitely worth the trip.

A Random Covered Bridge in Waupaca

 As we were headed to Eau Claire, I nonchalantly mentioned to the hubby that we should see the covered bridge in Waupaca sometime. We both thought the Red Mill Covered Bridge but Google had other ideas. 

I typed Covered Bridge Waupaca into Google Maps and I was like we're only short distance away. We decided to go check it out. It turns out it was not the Red Mill Covered Bridge but a small covered bridge over the Waupaca river leading to a residential neighborhood. 

The cool thing about this random covered bridge is that you can drive over through it. We drove through the bridge, through the residential neighborhood and back over the bridge to get back to the highway. We only drove through the neighborhood since there was someone behind us and there really wasn't a spot to turn around unless you drove through the area.

I was definitely disappointed it was not the Red Mill Covered Bridge but it was a cool hidden gem. Since it wasn't too far off the highway we couldn't really complain. We will eventually make it to the Red Mill Covered Bridge. 

If you are looking for the Red Mill Covered Bridge make sure you enter The Red Mill into Google Maps otherwise it will take you to this random covered bridge out in the county. 

2251. See the Sugar Creek Covered Bridge in Glenarm

 Part of the Neenah Library summer reading program was to read a travel book/guide. I don't really use those any more. Everything is online. So curiosity got the best of me and I found one on Covered Bridges of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. It was not a great book but I found some more covered bridges to visit. One of them was Sugar Creek Covered Bridge. 

Sugar Creek Covered Bridge is located about 11 miles south of Springfield. It is relatively easy to get to from the interstate as Googlemaps has you get off one exit and get back on the interstate at the next exit and just use the frontage road to get to the covered bridge. 

Sugar Creek Covered Bridge was originally built sometime in the 1800s.. no one is sure if it's 1827 or 1880. The state of Illinois bought it in the 1960s and refurbished it. Until 1984 you could drive across it. It crosses Sugar Creek.  Sugar Creek Covered Bridge now sits in a small park. 

Sugar Creek Covered Bridge was a nice quick stop on our way from Springfield to St. Louis. Even though it is not far form Springfield and a stretch break wasn't needed, it was still a nice, quick stop. It was definitely worth checking out. Now I just need to go check out the other 4 remaining covered bridges in Illinois.

2398. See the Bridges of Madison County

 If the hubby says he wants to go to John Wayne Birthplace and Trainland USA, I say we are going to Bridges of Madison County. It's only fair right? 

The Bridges of Madison County are six covered bridges near Winterset, IA in Madison County which the book and movie are based off of. I always seen the sign as we drive to Arizona for the Bridges of Madison County and figured we were going this trip. Besides it is on our to see John Wayne's Birthplace.

Most of the covered bridges are down gravel roads. I asked the hubby if he wanted to see them all because of the gravel road and he said yes. When I say gravel roads, I don't mean take a county road to a gravel road and at the end of the gravel road is the covered bridge. No, the county roads are gravel roads... well maintained county roads but gravel roads nevertheless. 

The route we took was from Omaha to Des Moines (West to East) and allowed us the route with the least amount of backtracking. If you are coming from the east, just reverse the route. This makes the most sense because the first and last bridge are a bit farther away than the other four. Most of them area within 10 minutes of each other and the other two are about 15-20 from the next closest bridge. Total drive time from the first to last covered bridge with visiting all six bridges is about an hour and it is about a 37 miles trip. We did stop at John Wayne's Birthplace and the Castle Tower as we made our way through Winterset as it made logistical sense.

The Bridges in the order we visited them. Some of them are in their original location and others have been moved there. Most are original. Some of been rebuilt. 

Roseman Covered Bridge

Hogback Covered Bridge

Cedar Covered Bridge -- the only covered bridge you can drive through. The hubby was excited by this.

Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge -- This one is located in a city park. There is also a castle tower in the park we checked out. 

Holliwell Covered Bridge

Imes Covered Bridge.

The Covered Bridges is actually part of the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway. It is actually a very beautiful drive and would be gorgeous in fall.

If you are passing through Iowa and need a break form I80, definitely go check out the covered bridges. The welcome center in Winterset can give you a map and more information about the bridges. We did not stop there as I did my research ahead of time. If you like covered bridges at all, it is worth the drive to check out.

3225. Go to the Locust Creek Covered Bridge in Laclede

 Knowing the hubby needs stretch breaks every so often, I was looking to see what there was to do see between Hannibal and Kansas City. To tell you the truth, not a whole lot of anything especially on a Monday. I did stumble upon a covered bridge. I thought that was fitting since we were doing the Covered Bridges of Madison County later in the week.

The Locust Creek Covered Bridge is short distance of Highway 36 near the town of Laclede. The pave road eventually ends and you get to take a gravel road to a small parking lot. Then it's about a quarter mile walk through the roads to the covered bridge.

The Locust Creek Covered Bridge was built in 1868 and is 151 feet long. The road across the bridge is gone as the Locust Creek channel was straightened and the water no longer flowed under it. It was eventually raised to protect it from the wet ground below.

The Locust Creek Covered Bridge is one of four remaining covered bridges in Missouri. I want to eventually visit the other 3 locations. 

If you ever find yourself on Highway 36 in Northern Missouri and in need of a stretch break, go check out Locust Creek Covered Bridge. It is well worth it.