• Drift Creek Covered Bridge originally was built over Drift Creek
• The oldest of the remaining covered bridges in Oregon
The oldest of the remaining covered bridges in Oregon, Drift Creek Covered Bridge was constructed in 1914 over Drift Creek serving the traffic on Drift Creek County Road along the Oregon Coast. Previously located 1.5 miles south of Lincoln City, the bridge was destroyed by floods in the 1930s and three years later rebuilt.
By this time the American road system has evolved and new roads, highways, and bridges were built. The Roosevelt Military Highway or Highway 101 was constructed in the 1920s; the Salmon River Highway or Highway 18 was built in 1932.
In 1960, an alternative concrete bridge across Drift Creek was constructed. The Drift Creek Covered Bridge was preserved as a historic monument dedicated to Lincoln County pioneers. It was used for pedestrian traffic only. Due to the deteriorating and dangerous conditions, the bridge was closed in 1988.
Local residents and land owners Laura and Kerry Sweitz offered to move the bridge to their Rose Lodge property located at the Bear Creek. The historic covered bridge was reopened to the public in July 2001, thanks to the Sweitz family, many fundraisers, and volunteers.
Drift Creek Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Drift Creek Covered Bridge | Facts
Architectural Bridge Design: Howe truss
Bridge access: Pedestrian
Stream: Bear Creek
Bridge Length: 66 ft (20 m)
Built: 1914
Replaced: 2000
Reopened: 2001
Open: Year-round
Drift Creek Bridge is located:
- 11 miles east of Lincoln City
- 50 miles west of Salem
- 77 miles southwest of Portland.
Adventures Nearby
Directions to Drift Creek Covered Bridge
From Lincoln City,
- Take US-101 and follow 5 miles north to OR-18
- Turn left onto highway 18 and drive 4.9 miles to North Bear Creek Road
- Turn left (south) and continue 0.9 miles to the destination on the left.
Address: Bear Creek Road, Otis, Oregon