Leaman Place/Eshelman's Mill/Paradise Covered Bridge, Lancaster County

Leaman Place Covered Bridge in Lancaster County, also known as Eshelman's Mill and the Paradise Covered Bridge is a scenic span in one of the counties with the most abundant selections of covered bridges within Pennsylvania. Lancaster County has one of the finest collections of covered bridges in the state. At 113 feet long, this would be a decently sized span anywhere else, but there are much longer bridges both in the county and in the immediate area around central PA. 

This bridge crosses Pequea Creek and is a single-span burr-truss bridge. It was built by James Carpenter way back in 1845. It has been rehabilitated at numerous times, with its most thorough recent work being in 2004. 

It is close to the eastern edge of Lancaster County, just off Route 30 and Lincoln Highway Corridor in a more rural part of the county, in the heart of its agrarian center. It is located just off the edge of the village of Intercourse. 

As a covered bridge connoisseur, I am often most drawn to bridges with beautiful stone abutments like this. These approaches are so beautiful and are often more impressive to me than just the spans themselves. 

It is located on Belmont Road in Gordonville, right on the edge of Intercourse and Lancaster County. For more articles on Lancaster County's covered bridges, check out our set of articles. 

Our 2025 Pennsylvania Calendar is now available

Our 2025 Pennsylvania Wall Calendar features scenes from across the state, including views of:

-Knoebels Amusement Resort

-Center City Philadelphia 

-Forksville Covered Bridge and Big Mike's Cheesesteaks near Worlds End State Park

-Ricketts Glen State Park

-Downtown Pittsburgh

-PA's Elk Herd 

-Waldameer and Water World in Erie

-Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe, PA

-Linn Run State Park

-Kennerdell Overlook above the Allegheny River

-Ohiopyle State Park

-PA Grand Canyon

The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide (8.5 by 11 pages) and all photos have been taken by us, and the calendars are produced in the USA. The proceeds help us to continue what we do to highlight and bring attention to the many great adventures that this state has to offer.  They are available through the dropdown menu at the top of the page

Bucher's Mill Covered Bridge: Lancaster County

Bucher's Mill Covered Bridge is a beautiful little covered bridge in Lancaster County across Cocalico Creek. For a guide on other covered bridges in Lancaster County, the county with the most covered bridges in PA, check out our guide. This little covered bridge has white portals with red sides. I am usually indifferent about what color the portals of a covered bridge are, but I have to say that the white portals on this bridge really pop with the lush greenery of the surrounding woods. On one end of the bridge, you approach the covered bridge by going through agricultural areas, very much in line with many of the other covered bridges in the region.

In a nut shell, between the agricultural area with a farm stand and immediately adjacent creek area with nice forests, this spot accentuates so much about small borough/suburban/rural Pennsylvania life, right down to small businesses, housing developments, and even a pickup truck accessories store, used car lot, pizza shop, and more within a quarter mile radius of this spot. If I had to pick one location that accentuates a lot of what the state consists of, this would be it. 

It is located on the outskirts of Ephrata. It was built in 1891 and is 54 feet long. It utilizes Burr Arch-Truss construction. 

Coordinates:

40.207940, -76.134756

Weaver's Mill Covered Bridge: Lancaster County

Weaver's Mill Covered Bridge is surrounded by agricultural land in Lancaster County. For a guide on other covered bridges in Lancaster County, the county with the most covered bridges in PA, check out our guide. 

I particularly like the large stone entry ways leading up to the bridge. 

The bridge is 82 feet long and dates back to 1879. It utilizes the Burr Arch-Truss method of construction and it crosses the Conestoga River.

Coordinates: 

40.141323, -75.997804

Poole Forge Covered Bridge and Poole Forge Historic Complex, Lancaster County

I adore the Poole Forge Covered Bridge and the Poole Forge complex. The bridge dates back to 1859 and is 99 feet long. It crosses the Conestoga River within the historic Poole Forge complex. The complex itself dates back into the 1779. When we visited the bridge, we could not stay too long because the grounds of the park area were being set up for a wedding. We were taken by surprise by just how historically intact this complex is. Well worth a visit to check out. It serves as both a living museum of 18th and 19th century industry, and a green space and park area that you are free to hike, walk your dog at, fish, bicycle and picnic on the lush grounds. 

The bridge itself gets a lot of attention from the foremost organization in covered bridge appreciation, preservation, and enthusiasm, the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society. 

Seldom do you find a covered bridge that remains with the primary reasons for its construction still remaining visible and able to be accessed. Many covered bridges are remnants of a different time and were built for industrial purposes that remain a mystery today, such as mills and old places of production. Often the mills have been demolished and the covered bridge remains as a reminder of what was there. this is not the case at Poole Forge, for the industrial village that surrounds it is pretty intact and thriving with activity as a public recreational and gathering spot. The vision that they had in preserving this bridge and community were absolutely brilliant. That was illustrated as we visited this place on a Saturday in June and it was buzzing with activity as a wedding was being set up for on the grounds. 

Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge: Before and After Rebuilding, Berks County

I will start by saying that the first time I saw the Dreibelbis Covered Bridge in Berks County, I was awe struck. It was easily my favorite covered bridge. It was huge and it still utilized its original structure, while also showing authentic weathering. The bridge looked like it had been there as long as it had, and the character looked great on it. Functionally though, the bridge needed to be redone so it could be utilized by ambulances and first responders for modern critical services within the region. So many times before, these bridges have just been torn out and replaced with a more modern span to achieve these ends. One of my favorite methods to achieve these ends is when a modern bridge crossing is built somewhere in the vicinity of the original covered bridge and the bridge itself gets converted into a pedestrian span. Instead of doing this, the community opted to create steel span and then rebuild the original structure on top of the new steel span and fully rehabilitate the bridge to look as if it were brand new. The end result looks fantastic. Part of me wishes they were able to preserve the original weight bearing structure, but aesthetically, it is very difficult to tell the difference for someone who is not a covered bridge nerd like myself. 

Before

After

The method of reconstruction that they utilized ensures that the heritage of the old bridge will never be forgotten, and it also ensures that the covered bridge will likely last forever and be suitable for modern needs. 

Before

And after....It just looks so fresh.

Before. I loved all of that weathered wood and the character it oozed.

Look at all of that fresh wood and beautiful stone pointing work. One cannot help but be impressed by meticulously beautiful work like this, especially with stone pointing. Stone and brick pointing like that is a difficult skill to master, with few people that can operate at that level. My feelings are mixed in that the classic construction of the bridge no longer remains, along with the aged character that it had before, but I am encouraged by the fact that the bridge will still be here for generations to come and that the span is now able to service the modern needs of the area it serves. Nothing lasts forever, but the work that they put in place with this rehabilitation will ensure that people will know this crossing as a covered bridge for many years to come. 

Ten minutes east of here, you can see a smaller version of this covered bridge with the Kutz Mill Covered Bridge. This stunning little covered bridge has an intact old mill along with it as well. This is beautiful countryside to drive around in and just soak in. Crystal Cave is also located within close vicinity. For more of a historic background on Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge and statistical information, check out this previous article. This bridge has also made our list of our absolute favorite covered bridges in the state. 

Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge: Lancaster and Chester Counties

Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge crosses the East Octoraro Creek, bridging the divide between Chester and Lancaster Counties. It is breathtakingly beautiful. I know I say that about many covered bridges, but this one is truly beautiful. Statistically, it is pretty close to average for the Lancaster and Chester County regional covered bridges. It dates back to 1880 and is in a beautifully rugged creek valley and forest. 

Because of its placement in the valley, it just sneaks up on you. Tight curves lead to the top of the valley on either side of the covered bridge, leading to it just showing up. I always go out of my way to visit covered bridges when I am routing drives, but even with knowing the location of this covered bridge, it still was a surprise to see it. Covered Bridges like this, within the kind of setting it is located, are always my favorite in regards to the surrounding stunning scenery. The rugged surroundings are also a surprise because most of the driving you will do to get to the covered bridge will be through beautiful rolling hills and farmland.

The bridge was built in 1880 by Carter and utilizing a double Burr arch style construction with iron reinforcements. It is right on the edge of the pristine Wolf's Hollow County Park, which is home to a stone farm house that was built by the early German farmers that settled the area. The park is home to some nice hiking and lots of 18th and 19th century industrial remnants that have since been reclaimed by nature. There are lots of beautiful examples of covered bridges surrounding here, with 44 in all, 29 in Lancaster County, and 15 in Chester County. Of all of these covered bridges though, this one sticks out as one of my favorites.

 Coordinates: 39.93150, -75.98150

Parkesburg Train Station: A Historic Amtrak Train Station in Western Chester County

Parkesburg's Train Station is historic and beautiful. It serves westbound and Eastbound Amtrak Keystone Service Trains, but the Pennsylvanian, which runs from Pittsburgh to New York City, via Philadelphia, does not stop at the station. Keystone Service trains can connect in Harrisburg to head west to Pittsburgh. With the loss of passenger rail services within most places in the state, the fact that the small borough of Parkesburg has easy rail access, with free parking and quick accessibility to major city areas, is a pretty awesome thing. While I would like to see the station get polished up a little bit, it is great to see that it still functions. Not many of these small town stations remain, let alone remain in use. 

The station was built in 1905 and gives an insight into the operations of the Pennsylvania Railroad in small town settings. While the interior of the station is not open to visitors, the exterior area is just so beautiful, but could use a little sprucing up. The adjacent freight house was demolished and the National Railroad Historical Society did not want to see the same thing happen to the station, so they did a refurbishment to keep it viable for longer. 

The station served as a filming location for the classic Harrison Ford action thriller, Witness, as the station where the Amish family left to go to the city. 

CeCe was so excited about the snow while I was gawking at the beautiful old station.

 

Reading Pagoda: One of PA's Coolest and Zaniest Novelty Buildings

It had been a number of years since we had last gone to the Reading Pagoda. This zany building was built in 1908 upon Mount Penn to take advantage of the stunning views of the Schuylkill Valley below in Reading. It was to be the centerpiece of a large resort, built over a former eyesore rock quarry. The resort never came to fruition, largely because they were denied an application for a liquor license. After the bank foreclosed upon the property, they sold it to an investor, who after a year opted to sell the building and land to the City of Reading for only a dollar. Reading developed the property into a large urban park, which remains the jewel of the region. It is a part of the greater Mt. Penn Preserve, which preserves 1595 acres of wooded land that has great hiking opportunities, picnic grounds, and more. It even has its own four mile long Skyline Drive (Skyline Boulevard) with scenic overlook pull offs, and beautiful public works stone work walls along the sides of the road. 

The building stands 620 feet above Reading and seven stories tall. The top level of the building has a historic tocsin, a large bell from a Buddhist Temple in Japan that was cast in 1739.  

Going here on a Saturday night was a real treat, with lots of people just taking in the views, sitting in foldable chairs with picnic lunches, getting food from food trucks trucks, and a generally relaxed vibe. It is one of the most sustainably developed public park areas in the state, built with the capacity to handle lots of people without overcrowding. Skyline Boulevard's beautiful stone work and attention to infrastructure are reminiscent of the most famous Skyline Drive down in Virginia, but the area around the Pagoda reminded me most of the beautiful Griffith Observatory in Hollywood, in regards to the building perched off the top of the mountain, the wide expansive views out in the distance, and the use of the building as a public attraction for everyone to have access to visit. The Pagoda is unlike any other place I can think of within the state in this sense and it really is a treasure. Additionally, this is a fantastic place to go at sunset, since it has a great and expansive westward view. Red neon lights outline the edges of the building, which look really sharp. 

For more than 110 years, this spot has remained an anchor for the City of Reading amidst near constant upheaval. Within that time, the famed Reading Railroad had its boom and bust, the city's famed clothing mills went from boom to bust, the outlet industry that rose up from the ashes of the crumbling textile industry had a boom and a bust, the tech industry with Western Electric/AT&T/Lucent/Agere, which had sprawling factories from Reading to Allentown also went from went from boom to bust. S

kyline Drive itself was built during the Great Depression as a way to create employment for the myriad of unemployed people in the region and it was completed with WPA support. In more than a century of great changes, the beautiful Pagoda and Mount Penn Preserve have remained a constant. The area is a lovely and diverse community gathering place.

Looking out over Reading from the Pagoda.

The beautiful Pagoda. A programatic novelty building with Eastern influences. 

On a warm summer evening, the Pagoda, Mt. Penn Preserve, stunning stone William Penn Memorial Firetower, and Skyline Drive are places for people to cruise with their cars, motorcycles, and bicycles and just relax. For how much natural beauty the state has, it is surprising to me that not that many places are developed like this. This is a wonderful and beautiful place to relax as a community and it is well worth going out of your way to check it out. 

 

PA Camping Bucket List: Our 16 Favorite Campgrounds in Pennsylvania

Throughout my entire life, my family has always camped. Now that I am an adult, I still go out and camp.  My family always had a camper and Brit and I have taken to tent camping. In all of my years of camping, these places have stood out as our favorites within the state, or right across the border. There are several omissions on this list, either because we did not have a great experience at them, or simply because we have not camped at EVERY place within the entire state. We only write about places that we have personally visited and recommend to visit. Here is a rundown of our favorites for camping, whether it be tent camping, staying in cabins, and/or RVing. We have included a map with the locations of each place at the bottom of this article.

1) Ricketts Glen State Park: Endless Mountains Region - Tent Friendly, RV Hookups limited 

Ricketts Glen State Park: Tent and RV friendly, though most sites have no hookups, so this campground is more suited for tenters. The campsites are very large, and located in a beautifully wooded spot.

All of the campsites are either located on the lakes or within a short walk of them, which lends this spot to be perfect on clear nights for taking in the stars and for lazy days just tossing in a fishing line and watching the eagles and other raptors that frequent the lakes. Short trails lead to the park's swimming beach area and boat rentals, and awesome hikes on the Falls Trail. The campsites are perfectly shaded and the facilities are very nice.

For more information about visiting Ricketts Glen State Park and camping at it, check out this article, and visit their website at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/RickettsGlenStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

As a kid, my family took our pop up camper to the nearby Red Rock Mountain Campground which I remember absolutely loving. It is better suited for people with RVs in regards to hook ups. It is located at the bottom of the hill, near the country store and gas station.

For more information on this campground, check out their website at https://redrockmountaincampground.com

2) Hickory Run State Park: Pocono Mountains Region - Tent and RV Friendly

My family camped here with our little tent camper many times, and we have gone and camped here as adults as well with our tent. The RV sites are very nice, but the tent sites are absolutely spectacular. The tent loop is located within a more rugged section of the camping area, with nice and large trees, and within a short walk of the playground and one of the park's small lakes with a beautiful spillway. Autumn is especially breathtaking at the park, with incredible fall foliage color. The facilities are very nice as well. For more information, on visiting, check out this article.

3) Knoebels Amusement Park: Elysburg, PA

Knoebels Amusement Park: Tenters and RVs. As a roller coaster and amusement parks fan, few things get me more excited than hearing a the whoosh of wooden roller coaster train roaring down the track with screaming riders, and the smell of grease and wood from the coaster.

At Knoebels you can camp right next to the park's awesome Twister wooden roller coaster and one of the park's two train rides. With Knoebels being a free admission amusement park, you are free to walk into the park from the campground. The park has two campgrounds, one on property, and the Lake Glory Campground, just a short distance away

For more information, check out our article on visiting Knoebels Amusement Resort here, and check out their website https://www.knoebels.com

4) Lakeside Campground: Ripley, NY, right on the PA/NY state line along Lake Erie

Ripley, NY's Lakeside Campground is located exactly upon the Pennsylvania and New York Border on the shores of Lake Erie. This campground trends towards campers and trailers and seasonal trailer rentals, though they have always been very welcoming of us as tenters. On a fourth of July visit a few years ago, we saw one of the most stunning sunsets we have ever seen while sitting on the campground's Lake Erie beach. It is located within the heart of Lake Erie Wine Country and a short drive from Presque Isle State Park, Waldameer Amusement Park, and everything else the Erie area has to offer.

For more information, check out their website at https://campatlakeside.com

5) Seven Points Campground at Raystown Lake. 

Seven Points Campground at Raystown Lake. Both tent campers and RV campers are well accommodated at this campground. This campground is centrally located within the state and is a place where my family and I have met up in between to camp and explore. The campsites are all quite large and many are directly upon the shores of the largest lake that is fully located within the borders of the Commonwealth. Many people wade into the lake from their campsites, and they moor their kayaks, canoes, boats, and more right at their sites. The great debate for vacations usually comes down to "do we want to go to the beach, or the mountains?" The Raystown Lake Region offers both, and the Seven Points Campground is a fantastic place to go. The campground is located within the Seven Points Recreation Area, which offers walking and biking paths and trails, a mountain biking park (The Allegrippis Trail System), a swimming beach, and much more in addition to the beautiful views. The facilities are very nice. For more information visiting the region, check out this article, and to make reservations, go to their website at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233626

6) Promised Land State Park in the Poconos.

Both tent and RV campers are well accommodated at this campground. This is a very relaxing state park to visit, with a great hiking trail system and two nice and medium sized lakes with fishing, boating, and swimming offered. There is a little falls trail that picks up on the entrance road to the campground, which is a really nice and short hike.

For info about reservations, check out their website https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/PromisedLandStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

7) Old Mill Stream Campground at Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park in Lancaster

This place was always a favorite of my family when I was growing up, and my parents still camp there pretty frequently. This campground trends towards RVs and "glamping", but it also offers tent camping sites. The location is everything with this place, for one side of it has Dutch Wonderland and its beautiful Kingdom Coaster wooden roller coaster and the park's monorail, and the back part of the campground is along a creek that has a working dairy farm within view across the creek. It is located on the historic Lincoln Highway within an easy drive of everything that the Lancaster area has to offer.

For more information, check out their website at https://www.dutchwonderland.com/old-mill-stream-campground


8) Blue Rocks Campground near the Appalachian Trail and Hawk Mountain

Blue Rocks Campground near the Appalachian Trail and Hawk Mountain: RV and Tent Camping

I have not visited this campground as an adult, but my memories of camping here when I was young are really nice. It is located on a boulder field and has connector trails that go right to the Appalachian Trail. As far as hiking goes, this is an awesome place to camp. They also have a stocked little pond for fishing, and I recall casting and immediately catching fish. For fishing, this is a great place to go with little kids. The hiking opportunities at this campground are what really makes it stand out. I definitely want to get back to this campground.

For more information, check out their website at https://www.bluerockscampground.com

9) Cook Forest State Park: Clarion, Forest, and Jefferson Counties, PA

RV and Tent Camping: Camping amongst the old growth forests at Cook is incredible. The dark skies in this area are amazing to see as well. It is really amazing looking up into the sky on a clear night here and seeing all of the stars. The facilities are excellent as well.

For more information, check out this article and go to their website at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/CookForestStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

10) Parker Dam State Park, Clearfield County: Tents, RVs, and Cabins

We have spent the night in the park's lovely CCC era cabins, which are open year round and have indoor fireplaces. The camping sites are superb as well. The state park has so many hiking opportunities, a small lake with a beach, boating, and fishing opportunities, and more. The state park serves as a gateway into seemingly endless public forest land that includes the habitat of the Elk herd. For more information visiting, check out this article. 

11) Linn Run State Park, Laurel Highlands Region: Just Cabins

The CCC era cabins at Linn Run State Park are awesome and include indoor fireplaces. This state park serves as a gateway into Forbes State Forest. This is one of our favorite go to spots. 

For more information visiting the state park, check out this article.

12) Chapman State Park: In the center of Allegheny National Forest: Tents, RVS, and Cabins

Chapman State Park is basically surrounded by the seemingly endless Allegheny National Forest and serves as a great launching point into the entire national forest and Allegheny Reservoir. We stayed in the park's cabins, which are spartan but very nice. This is a quiet place to get away to, and the campsites are very nice. 

For more information on visiting and exploring the area, check out this article. 

13) Youghiogheny River Lake Outflows Campground: RV and Tent Camping

Located in the southern portion of the Laurel Highlands, almost to the Maryland border, this campground is located near the Youghiogheny River Lake Dam and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The campsites are huge and there is excellent access to the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail. Whether you are passing through and looking for a place to rest, or a place to spend the night while you are biking the 140 miles of the trail, or you are just looking for a place to camp that is in the Ohiopyle area, but away from the hustle and bustle, this is an awesome place to go. 

For more information on visiting, check out this article. 

14) Hemlock Campground in Tobyhanna, Pocono Mountains Region: RV and Tent Camping.
I have not been to this campground in more than twenty years, but we used to really enjoy it. It is located right in the Poconos and is a great place to take the family.

For more information on visiting, check out their website at http://hemlockcampground.com

15) Laurel Hill State Park in the Laurel Highlands: RV and Tent Camping, along with Cabins. Laurel Hill State Park is centrally situated in the Laurel Highlands and offers great access to the park's lake, which is complete with a beach and boat rental concessions. The hiking trail system is very nice as well. Laurel Hill Creek is large and an excellent trout fishery as well. The campsites are very spacious and the facilities are excellent.

For more information on visiting, check out their website at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/LaurelHillStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

16) Raccoon Creek State Park: RV and Tent Camping. If you are looking for a quick place to get away to for camping in the Pittsburgh area, Raccoon Creek State Park is a great place to go. Frankfort Mineral Springs is my favorite thing to check out at the state park, but this sprawling place also offers a great little lake, a nice hiking trail system, and a Wildflower Preserve.

For more information, check out their website at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/RaccoonCreekStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

Most state parks that we mention on our page have a campground within them and there are a bunch that we have visited, but would love to camp at, especially Worlds End State Park, and the PA Grand Canyon, but have not ended up camping at yet. The cabins and cottages at the PA State Park Campgrounds are also quite lovely and well worth checking out. Overall, when it comes to outdoor adventure, this state has so much to offer.

The following map has all of the locations of the campgrounds that we mentioned in this article.