Madison County Covered Bridges

Madison County in south-central Iowa preserves six historic covered wooden bridges — the largest surviving collection of such structures in the American Midwest — made famous by Robert James Waller's 1992 novel and the 1995 Clint Eastwood film 'The Bridges of Madison County.' The six bridges — Cedar, Cutler-Donahoe, Holliwell, Hogback, Imes, and Roseman — were constructed between 1870 and 1884 using the Burr arch truss design and covered to shield their wooden structures from Iowa's harsh winters. Most span small creeks in wooded hollows of Madison County's rolling farmland, accessible by a self-guided driving tour departing from the Madison County Welcome Center at 73 Jefferson St in Winterset, about 35 miles southwest of Des Moines. The Roseman Bridge (1883) is the most photographed, set on a gentle curve above North River and surrounded by mature hardwoods; visitors walk across its weathered plank interior, listening to creek sounds through the slat openings below. Holliwell Bridge is the longest of the six at 122 feet and spans the Middle River in a pastoral meadow setting. Hogback Bridge offers the most dramatic wooded approach of any in the collection. A free bridge map and driving guide available at the Welcome Center covers all six locations and estimates driving distances between each. In October, fall foliage frames each bridge in amber and red; in May, wildflowers line the county roads between stops. Winterset itself is the birthplace of John Wayne, and the John Wayne Birthplace Museum on the town square adds a complementary stop to any bridge tour itinerary.