This tour takes in the bridges near the Washington-Harrisburg Route, roughly the modern U. S. Route 15, from the Pennsylvania Turnpike northeast of Gettysburg to Frederick, Maryland. The Washington-Harrisburg Route is documented as an auto-touring route as early as 1910 in a northeastern route guide, and was a marked auto trail in the early 1920's marked with route signs symbolic of the Washington Monument. The signs looked like this:
Many of the driving directions in this guide follow whatever remains of the old Washington- Harrisburg route. Modern Route 15 has replaced the Washington-Harrisburg Route in some places and parallels the old route in other areas. In some places, the old route is unspoiled; in others it is just neglected and slummy. If you don't care to follow the old route, your overall southbound drive from the Turnpike to Frederick could be Route 15. In any case, you will have to leave the main route to find the covered bridges. Even in 1910, covered bridges were found off the main routes (mostly).
From the Route 15 Turnpike exit, go south and take a short jog to the right, just off the exit, to Old Rt. 15, and follow the old road to a left on Grantham Road, SR 2026, onto the Messiah College campus and the Bowmansdale Stoner Bridge. Return to Old Route 15 and continue south. Old Route 15 becomes Capitol Hill road, crosses modern Route 15 and becomes Old Harrisburg Road. Heike's Bridge is off Old Harrisburg Road. Heike's Bridge is visible from the road but is on private property. Please respect private property! When I was growing up on the farm, we had a few problems with trespassers, and you don't want to be a problem, right? So just pass by on Willow Lane, look, and return to Old Harrisburg Road south.
Old Harrisburg Road becomes Business Route 15. You will continue south through Gettysburg,
turning right on Route 116 to a left, south, on West Confederate Ave. to a right
on Pumping Station Road, left on Water Works Road to Sach's
Bridge. Return to Pumping Station Road and continue west to a right, north, on
Bullfrog Road to a left on Rt. 116, Fairfield Road, to a left at the fork to Jack's
Mountain Road and Jack's Mountain Bridge.
Return to Bullfrog Road and follow it south to Business Rt. 15 south through Emmitsburg
to Rt. 15 and a right on Roddy Creek Road to Roddy Creek Bridge.
Continue to Thurmont, to a right, east, on Rt. 77 to a right on Old Frederick Road
to Loy's Station Bridge.
Continue south on Old Frederick Road to Utica Mills Bridge.
(Alternatively, to see a bit more of the Washington-Harrisburg Route, return to Thurmont
and take Rt. 806 south past Catoctin Furnace to a left on Powell Road to a right
on Hesson's Bridge Road to a left on Utica Road to the bridge). Continue south on
Old Frederick Road to Rt. 15 and Frederick.
Services: There is a loverly pub on the square in Gettysburg.