All three bridges have been in almost daily use for more than three quarters of a century. Swann Bridge, which spans the Locust Fork of the Warrior River near Cleveland, was built in 1933. It is situated at the bottom of a scenic gorge downstream of towering bluffs and the dancing whitewater of a wide shoal. This section of the river is probably the most popular whitewater canoeing and kayaking destination in Alabama and it’s not unusual to see whitewater enthusiasts putting in or taking out at this scenic bridge. At 330 feet in length, Swann is the longest covered bridge in Alabama. Horton Mill Bridge, located about five miles north of Oneonta, was built in 1934-35 and is just off Alabama Highway 75. The 220foot span towers more than 70 feet above the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River, making it the highest covered bridge over a waterway in the United States. Easley Bridge in the Rosa community is the smallest of the three at just 95 feet in length. It was built in 1927 over Dub Branch, making it the oldest of the three, having been in service for 86 years. Whether beginning at Swann Bridge or Horton Mill Bridge the distance between the two, including a stop at Easley Bridge, is less than 14 miles. The “Covered Bridge Trail” map reproduced here is available online at http://co.blount.al.us/documents/ Covered+Bridge+Trail.pdf. For more information on the three historic covered bridges, visit the Friends of the Covered Bridges of Blount County website at http:friendsofthecoveredbridgesofblountcounty.org. A 14 may 2013
Top right: A car travels across the Horton Mill Bridge, the highest covered bridge over a waterway in the United States. Right: Entrance to the 220-foot span of Horton Bridge. Below: Horton Bridge provides passage across the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River.
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