This tour is what Louisiana 'Cadians call "lagniappe" -- a little something extra for free. The Lancaster County bridges here are all included on the Lancaster City Circle Tour or the Northeastern Lancaster County Tour, one or the other. This alternative tour is fairly compact, and may be preferable to folks who want to combine seven covered bridges with antiques, crafts, and the Lancaster County experience.
From Exit 21 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, take Rt. 222 southwest to exit on Route 322 westbound. Turn left on Valley Road to right on Willis Pierce to left on Cider Mill Road to Bitzer's Mill Bridge. Retrace your route to Route 322 westbound into Ephrata to a left on State Street. Continue south on Route 272 south of Akron to a left on Bushong Road to a right on Pinetown Road to Pinetown Bridge.
Continue through the bridge to a right on Mondale Road to a right on Hunsecker Road to Hunsecker Mill Bridge. Continue through the bridge to a right on Butter Road to a left on Creek Road to a right on Oregon Pike, Rt. 272, to a left on Rose Hill Road to Zook's Mill Bridge, on Log Cabin Road where it intersects Rose Hill Road on the left.
Continue on Rose Hill Road, left on Zook's Mill Road, continuing on Cocalico Creek Road to a left on Route 772 to a right on Picnic Woods Road, continuing on Erb's Bridge Road to Erb's Bridge. Return to Route 772, left (east) to a left on Rothsville Road to a left on Rettew Mill Road to Keller's Bridge. Return to Rothsville Road to a left on Route 272. North of Ephrata, turn right at Covered Bridge Antiques or Creek Road just beyond, to Butcher's Mill Bridge. Continue up Route 272 to return to the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Exit 21. Route 272 north of Ephrata to about Adamstown is thick with antique stores -- "antiques row" -- while the Donecker's marketplace in Ephrata has an art and craft mall as well as a farmers' market. Shop till you drop!
SERVICES Ephrata has restaurants and a food service in the Donecker's craft market, but, in the off season, we found several restaurants closed. Just after the left from Rettew Mill Road to Rothville Road, we found a satisfactory family restaurant on the immediate left. At the beginning and end of the tour, near Turnpike Exit 21, are a number of restaurants.