Felton Covered Bridge, California
Historic rail siteHistoric bridge in a public park; no posted hours online
The Felton Covered Bridge is an 1892 wooden covered bridge over the San Lorenzo River, a California Historical Landmark and National Register property that local firefighters and neighbors have saved more than once.
- Built in 1892
- Brown truss design
- California Historical Landmark
- National Register since 1973
- About a mile from Roaring Camp
Felton Covered Bridge at a glance
- Hours
- Not posted online; the bridge sits in a public park
- Admission
- No fee is posted online
- Plan for
- About 30 minutes
- Best for
- History lovers and families visiting Roaring Camp
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Felton Covered Bridge? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Felton.
Rally Takes the Train
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See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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The bridge Felton refused to lose
Santa Cruz County supervisors accepted the new covered bridge over the San Lorenzo River on October 4, 1892, at a contract price of $4,677. Built with a Brown truss, it was for decades the only road into Felton. Its floor lasted so well that a 1907 newspaper praised the lumber, when a former supervisor oversaw a new roof of 1,500 shakes. By the 1930s heavy trucks made the old bridge creak and groan, and when the county planned a modern span in 1937, the supervisors promised the covered bridge would stay.
The 1955 flood damaged it. In 1960 Felton's volunteer firefighters, led by Fire Chief Ted Toft, took on its restoration through an agreement with the county. The bridge became a California Historical Landmark, joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and had a major restoration in 1987. A historical marker calls it the tallest covered bridge in the country. No railroad exhibit is described at the site, so think of it as a historic stop near Felton's steam railroad.
Walking through an 1892 wooden span
Visitors come to walk through the bridge, look up at the tall wooden truss and view the San Lorenzo River from the park around it. Sources describe the bridge as roughly 35 feet high.
Don’t miss
- The Brown trussLook up inside to see the timber truss system that has carried the bridge since 1892.
- The historical markerThe marker explains the bridge's history and its claim as the tallest covered bridge in the country.
A short walk with a big wooden tunnel
Kids usually enjoy walking through the long, shaded wooden span, and the visit takes little time, which makes it an easy add-on to a visit to Roaring Camp Railroads about a mile away. Playgrounds, restrooms and stroller access at the park are not described online, so plan accordingly.
Plan your visit: tips for Felton Covered Bridge
- Pair the bridge with a visit to Roaring Camp Railroads, about a mile away.
- Check with Santa Cruz County for current park hours and any closures.
Firefighters and neighbors who saved it
The bridge survived because the community kept stepping in: newspaper readers and county supervisors who protected it in 1937, and Felton's volunteer firefighters, led by Fire Chief Ted Toft, who took on its restoration in 1960. The San Lorenzo Valley Museum holds historic photos of the bridge.
Steam trains and rail history nearby
Roaring Camp Railroads is about a mile away, an easy pairing with the bridge. The Santa Cruz County railroad history page covers the area's rail story about 6 miles away, and the Santa Clara Depot is about 22 miles over the hills. See California train museums for more.
- Roaring Camp RailroadsFelton, CA · about 1 mi
- Santa Cruz Railroad Museum / historic railroad exhibitsSanta Cruz, CA · about 6 mi
- California Trolley and Railroad CorporationSan Jose, CA · about 22 mi
- History San José Trolley BarnSan Jose, CA · about 22 mi
- Santa Clara Depot / South Bay Historical Railroad SocietySanta Clara, CA · about 22 mi
- Niles Canyon RailwaySunol, CA · about 39 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Walking into a covered bridge feels a little like going into a tunnel: shady and dim, then bright daylight at the far end. That's my favorite page in our book, where it goes dark for Rally and then comes a big bright light and happy cheers. My mom pictured that moment years ago, before she died in 2021, and I still smile at it. You can read her story on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Felton Covered Bridge?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Felton Covered Bridge: 20 questions answered
Where is the Felton Covered Bridge?
The Felton Covered Bridge crosses the San Lorenzo River in Felton, in Santa Cruz County, California. Map listings place it on Covered Bridge Road South, Felton, CA 95018, in what is known as Felton Covered Bridge Park. Roaring Camp Railroads is about a mile away.
When was the Felton Covered Bridge built?
The bridge was built in 1892, and Santa Cruz County supervisors accepted the completed span on October 4 of that year. Some accounts describe construction as running into 1893. The contract price was $4,677, according to a Santa Cruz Sentinel report of the time.
Is the Felton Covered Bridge the tallest covered bridge in the US?
The historical marker at Felton says it is believed to be the tallest covered bridge in the country, and another source gives its height as about 35 feet. It is a rare claim to fame for a small mountain town bridge.
How long is the Felton Covered Bridge?
Sources disagree. Wikipedia describes it as approximately 80 feet long, while a covered bridge directory lists 163 feet. The difference may reflect how the span and approaches are measured. If the exact length matters, check the historical marker at the site.
What kind of truss does the Felton Covered Bridge use?
The Felton Covered Bridge uses a Brown truss, a timber structural system. Walking through the bridge, you can look up to see the wooden framing that has carried the span since 1892, along with the shake roof that protects it from the weather.
Is the Felton Covered Bridge a railroad bridge?
No. It was built as a road bridge for wagons and later cars, and for decades it was the main entry to Felton. A railroad bridge crossed the river nearby, and Roaring Camp Railroads is about a mile away.
Are there railroad history exhibits at the Felton Covered Bridge?
No railroad exhibits are described at the bridge itself. For rail history, Roaring Camp Railroads is about a mile away, and its own page on this site describes its trains. The bridge makes a quick historic side trip, and a short walk through the span pairs well with a train ride.
Can you walk across the Felton Covered Bridge?
Visitors do walk through the bridge, which now sits in a park after a modern span took over road traffic. In 1937 county supervisors promised to keep the old bridge when the new one was built. Check the site for any temporary closures before you go.
Is the Felton Covered Bridge a historic landmark?
Yes. It is a California Historical Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Sources differ on the landmark date: Wikipedia gives 1957, while another site says July 1969, under landmark number 583.
Who restored the Felton Covered Bridge?
After the 1955 flood damaged the bridge, Felton's volunteer firefighters made its restoration their project in 1960 through an agreement with the county, led by Fire Chief Ted Toft. The bridge had another major restoration in 1987.
Was the Felton Covered Bridge ever damaged?
Yes. The 1955 flood damaged the bridge, and a photo of the damage is held in the Felton Fire Protection District Collection at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum. A 1932 car crash into the bridge's guard railing was also reported in the Oakland Tribune.
How long was the Felton Covered Bridge the only way into town?
Sources say it served as the only entry to Felton for about 45 or 46 years, until a newer road and bridge replaced it in the late 1930s. The new route straightened the road into Felton and removed two sharp curves.
Is there a fee to visit the Felton Covered Bridge?
No fee is posted to see the Felton Covered Bridge, which sits in a public park. Parking and park rules are not described online, so check with Santa Cruz County or local listings before your visit, especially on busy weekends when you may be combining it with a ride at Roaring Camp.
What are the hours for the Felton Covered Bridge Park?
Hours for Felton Covered Bridge Park are not posted online. Confirm current park hours and any closures with Santa Cruz County before you go, especially if you plan an early morning or evening visit or are combining it with a train time at Roaring Camp.
Is the Felton Covered Bridge good for kids?
It makes a short, easy stop for families. Kids enjoy walking through the long wooden span and looking at the river. Because the visit is brief, it combines easily with a visit to Roaring Camp Railroads, about a mile away.
How long should I spend at the Felton Covered Bridge?
About 30 minutes is enough to walk through the bridge, read the historical marker and look at the river. Add time if you plan a picnic in the park or want to combine the visit with Roaring Camp Railroads nearby.
Who maintains the Felton Covered Bridge?
The county has long been responsible for the bridge, working with Felton's volunteer firefighters on its 1960 restoration. Day to day park management is not spelled out online, so contact Santa Cruz County with questions about the park, its hours or its rules.
How much did the Felton Covered Bridge cost to build?
The contract price for the bridge was $4,677 in 1892, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. In 1907 the county replaced the roof with 1,500 shakes, and a newspaper noted that the original floor had never needed repair.
Are there other covered bridges in Santa Cruz County?
A covered bridge history site lists several historic covered bridges in Santa Cruz County, including ones at Aptos, Glen Canyon, Paradise Park, Roaring Camp and Soquel Avenue. It is not clear online which of them still stand, so check before you plan a tour.
What train attractions are near the Felton Covered Bridge?
Roaring Camp Railroads is about a mile away, and Santa Cruz County railroad history exhibits are listed about 6 miles away. The Santa Clara Depot, the History San José Trolley Barn and the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation are about 22 miles away.
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