Moods Covered Bridge sits in East Rockhill Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, crossing the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek. It was built in 1874 and stretches 120 feet long. It’s been through a garbage truck collision, an arson attempt, and two major restorations. The fact that it’s still standing and still open to traffic is kind of remarkable when you know the full story.
I found it on the way home from work. Wasn’t planned. I was just riding and caught it out of the corner of my eye. Pulled over, parked on the shoulder, and walked around for a bit. Sometimes you just have to stop.
If you want to see the full impromptu stop, the video above has you covered. Here’s the deeper background on what makes this bridge worth knowing about.
Table of Contents
What Is Moods Covered Bridge
Moods Covered Bridge was built in 1874 using a Burr arch truss construction. It measures 120 feet long and 15 feet wide. On December 1st, 1980, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which puts it in the company of some genuinely significant Pennsylvania landmarks.
The bridge crosses the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek in East Rockhill Township. It’s a working bridge, meaning vehicles still drive through it. When I stopped, the vegetation around the mouth was thick enough that getting underneath for a good look wasn’t really happening. But going through it is easy enough.
Why People Call It the Arson Bridge
This is where the history gets interesting. Back in the early 2000s, six people tried to burn the bridge down as a prank. They started with alcohol-soaked newspaper. When that didn’t work, they drove to a local gas station, got gasoline, and finished the job. The upper portions of the bridge were badly damaged. The deck survived.
All six were prosecuted. They received jail time and were ordered to pay $66,000 in restitution. The bridge was repaired and reopened in 2008 after an $850,000 renovation. Whether any original 1874 material is still in the structure at this point is an open question.
Before that fire, there was already one expensive repair on the books. In 1997 a garbage truck took out a section of the bridge. That repair alone ran $277,000. This bridge has had a rough go of it.
How to Get There
Moods Covered Bridge is located in East Rockhill Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. If you’re coming up from the Philadelphia area, you’re looking at roughly an hour depending on where you start. The roads in that part of Bucks County are good riding roads, and there are other covered bridges nearby if you want to make a day of it.
I’ve passed through this area before as part of the Bucks County covered bridge ride, and this was actually the second bridge on that route. If you’re planning a multi-bridge day, it fits naturally into a longer loop without any awkward backtracking.
Parking is available on the shoulder just before the bridge. There’s also a spot to pull off on the other side once you’ve gone through. The second spot is honestly better if you want to walk back and look at the bridge from a distance.
What to Expect When You Arrive
The bridge itself is in solid condition. It looks well maintained and the structure feels stable. The growth around the entrance is thick, so if you’re hoping to get underneath and look up at the truss work you may be disappointed depending on the season. Spring and summer visits will have more vegetation to deal with.
Going through the bridge is the main event. It’s a one-lane crossing and the interior is dark enough that your eyes need a second to adjust. The wooden deck makes the kind of noise you’d expect from a 150-year-old structure that has been rebuilt twice. It’s not a subtle crossing.
There’s no formal parking lot or signage beyond what you’d expect from a county-maintained historic site. It’s a roadside stop. Plan accordingly and keep it simple.
Why It Makes a Great Motorcycle Ride
Bucks County is good riding territory in general and East Rockhill Township specifically gives you some nice back roads to work with. The roads leading to Moods Covered Bridge are rural and low traffic. Nothing technical, but enough twists to keep it interesting.
If you’re building a covered bridge loop, Bucks County has a solid collection of them within reasonable distance of each other. This one is worth including not just because it’s scenic but because the history gives you something to actually think about while you’re standing there. The arson story alone makes it memorable.
I went through on a weekday on the way home from work so I can’t speak to weekend traffic, but I didn’t encounter any other vehicles on the approach. It felt like the kind of stop where you can take your time without worrying about holding anyone up.
Ride With Me
If you want to see more Pennsylvania riding content, subscribe to the WaltInPA YouTube channel
and you’ll be along for the next one. If you know a rider who’d appreciate a stop like this, share this post with them. And if you want to talk roads, bridges, and riding in general, come hang out in the WaltInPA Discord where good people talk about riding.
There’s more Pennsylvania riding content on the blog at waltinpa.com if you want to keep exploring the state one stop at a time.
Recent Posts
Why Motorcycle Riding Skills Are Perishable (And What I Plan to Do About It)
If there is one thing a long winter off the bike will teach you, it is that motorcycle riding skills do not stick around if you are not using them. I was reminded of this in a big way on a recent...
I Unsubscribed from Bikes and Beards. Then They Pulled Me Back In.
Monday morning commute. Motorcycle in the garage, rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, so I'm getting miles in while I can. And somewhere between pulling out of the driveway and hitting the...