3 Covered Bridges Near West Michigan That Are Open to Vehicles and Worth the Drive

I had a realization recently: I'm "wanting to tour covered bridges during peak fall foliage" years old. There's just something about these carefully crafted bridges that harkens back to a simpler era.

With peak fall colors set to hit west Michigan within the coming weeks I've become increasingly interested in finding nearby bridges that I can cross in a vehicle. That's important to note since many of the covered bridges we have in Michigan are open to pedestrian traffic only.

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If you're like me and want to take a scenic drive to look at the sensational fall colors, here are the only 3 bridges in Michigan that are open to vehicular traffic:

Langley Covered Bridge - Centreville

According to the Pure Michigan website, this historic bridge is not only Michigan's longest covered bridge but it's one of the longest in the entire United States. Built in 1887, the bridge recently suffered some damage on September 19, 2022 when a horse trailer was attempting to cross the bridge and coincidentally enough, knocked the height limiter over. This was the second time the limiter was hit in the last two weeks, according to Three Rivers News. Though it was closed for the week, the bridge should be open once again. The road commission is now looking into placing flashing lights near the height limiter to catch the attention of drivers.

Whites Covered Bridge - Belding

One of the oldest covered bridges still in use in the state, the Whites bridge sits just above the Flat River. The 120 foot long bridge was built in 1867 and is, "built of hand-hewn lumber, wooden pegs and hand-cut nails."

Fallasburg Covered Bridge - Lowell

Located just a short drive from the Whites Covered Bridge, the Fallasburg bridge also sits above the Flat River. 20 feet shorter than the Whites bridge, the Fallasburg bridge was built in 1871. Be sure to check out the nearby Fallasburg Historic Village while you're there!