This tour covers the five old covered bridges of Berks County. It is the longest of our tours, taking the bridge finder indirectly to Reading and directly back to Philadelphia. Bridge finders based in Reading might find it more convenient if done in reverse. Hex signs are a common image of Pennsylvania Dutch country, and several of the Berks County bridges have hex signs at the portal -- a distinction to look for in the Berks County bridges.
Route: From Philadelphia, take Interstate Highway 76, the Schuylkill Expressway, west the exit on Route 100, following Route 100 north. (Larkin's Bridge is not far from the exit, but on this tour we pass it by). Turn west on Route 422 From Route 422, turn north, right, on Route 662 and right again on Covered Bridge Road.
Turn right on Spangsville Road, or, if you miss it, on Church Road, to Griesmer's Mill Bridge. Return to Covered Bridge Road and continue to Pleasantville Bridge. (In February, 1994, this bridge was closed, I had to backtrack.) Going south, turn right on Kaufman then quickly again right on Snyder Road. Turn right again on Mill and left on Hoch Road. Continue northward as the road changes its name to Forge Dale Road and merges with Lyon's Road which takes you into Kutztown. Jog to the right at Main Street, resuming northward on Greenwich Street, which becomes Krumsville Road. a left on Kutz followed by another left on Kutzmill Road take you to Kutz Bridge.
Return to Krumsville Road and continue north, taking the left fork on Kuhler Hill Road to a left on Old Pa. Route 22. In Lenhartsville, turn left on Route 143. Dreibelbis Station Bridge will be on your left.
Continue south on Route 143 as it becomes Route 662; turning left on Route 222. Continue on Route 222 to a left on Route 183 followed by a right on Red Bridge Road to Wertz's, or Red Bridge in a local park.
Retrace your route to Route 183 and continue to a right on (alternate) Route 222, which becomes Route 422. Follow Route 422 to Interstate 76. Return to Philadelphia via Interstate 76.
Food and Services: The best opportunities will probably be restaurants in Kutztown and along Old Route 22.
