Locust Creek Covered Bridge

Yearning desperately to escape the city and shake off the mundane we awoke early to explore another corner of this Midwest state.

Today seemed like a perfect day to visit one of the covered bridges I had recently researched, so we fled as fast as we could from St. Louis and headed west to beat the city traffic. Not one to stay long on lifeless highways, we soon escaped the interstate preferring county roads and more scenic routes. Lazily, we rolled through hours of budding Spring forests, rich green farmland, and dozens of small towns full of charm and character. Finally reaching our destination just outside the small town of Laclede, Missouri off US-36.

After parking and strolling over the wooden footbridge, with the creek below, it was just a short walk to the Locust Creek Covered Bridge deeper in the woods. The morning storms caused the trail to swell with large puddles and muddy patches. In just a few minutes we had reached the bridge. While waiting for a couple to finish taking some photos, we passed the time reading information boards, learning the creek was rerouted years prior to where it currently is. The board also provided some historic photos and relevant stories.

Albeit odd for a bridge to simply stand in the middle of the forest with little function, it provided a great opportunity to learn and explore, and makes the structure easier to maintain. Venturing inside, there are carvings from visitors and lovers dating back past half a century ago. Being at the uncrowded bridge was peaceful and beautiful, surrounded by tall stooping trees and frogs singing underneath. We soon walked back to the footbridge, after taking dozens of photos, to enjoy the dragonflies flitting playfully.

Traveling home we decided to head directly east enjoying the towering and colorful cloud formations ahead of us left over from morning storms. A few hours later we connected to the Great River Road in Illinois. The Great River Road runs the length of the Mississippi River offering many places to sight-see and bike or drive along the river with spectacular views.

The river shimmered along to our right as the sun hung low behind us. We pulled over just outside of Alton at the painting of the Piasa Bird, from American Indian folklore, that towers upon a bluff overlooking the river. Quickly, we continued a few miles further to the Alton Riverfront to watch the sunset... with oranges, pinks, and mauves slowly painting the ripples of the mighty river.