Enjoy a 16 mile road tour and under 30 minute hike through scenic Central Columbia County. You'll visit four covered bridges. Answer a question at each bridge to determine the coordinates for an ammo box hidden in State Game Land SGL#58. Hunting in process in SGL's. Wear flourescent orange. Be careful.
 Kid Friendly 7 and over Dogs Allowed
 Hunting in SGL - use caution  Scenic View  Ticks |
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See the 3 other companion Columbia County Covered Bridge caches. They allow you to tour the entire county. Each of the 4 cache tours stands on its own. Each tour takes you through a different scenic area of the county and includes a short hike to an ammo box in a different, nearby SGL.
If you plan ahead, you can link all 4 caches in one giant loop. See the Bridge Locator Maps below. Or you can do each of the 4 tours on its own. One map shows all 4 tours for an overview. The other shows the tour for the cache on this page. The maps posted below aren’t necessary for the tours although they are good for orientation. The coordinates for each bridge are given below. However, a detailed road map or auto-navigation will be very helpful to get you around. The county has a nice brochure with detail map you can download in PDF. Again, it's not necessary to do the cache.
http://www.itourcolumbiamontour.com/covered_bridges_map.pdf
or have mailed to you
http://www.itourcolumbiamontour.com/mail.html
Also nice, although not mandatory, are the SGL topo maps here:
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/game/maps/default.asp?rgn=Northeast
Select the SGL by number to download a PDF map file.
Or be adventurous and skip the maps and follow the arrow on your GPS! You might get a little lost, but each turn will provide another nice surprise.
If you enjoy tours like this one, check out my other covered bridge caches.
Good luck. Take your camera. Take your dog. Take your kids – all the caches have nice goodies for young and old.
Start at this bridge:
A. Wanich Covered Bridge N41 02.377 W76 28.970 George Russell built the 108 foot Wanich bridge in 1844 at a cost of $500.00. John Wanich was a farmer who resided nearby. The bridge crosses Little Fishing Creek.
Wanich quiz- What is the purpose of the little green hut on the northeast side of the bridge along the road?
1. Canoe storage building
2. USGS stream gaging station
3. 7-Up rebate center
ENTER A answer (1, 2 or 3) = ________
B. Wagner Covered Bridge N40 59.908 W76 28.990 no longer crossing water, this 62 foot bridge was relocated 10 miles to its present location. It was built in 1874 and originally crossed the North Branch of Roaring Creek.
Wagner quiz- What word is posted on the side of the bridge?
1. Antler
2. Foxtail
3. Butterfly
ENTER B answer (1, 2 or 3) = ________
C. Rupert Covered Bridge N40 58.859 W76 28.358 costing $1,637.00, the Rupert bridge was built in 1847 by Jesse W. Beard. It was named after the nearby village, which was settled by Leonard Rupert in 1788. Rupert established a ferry across the river and his home became a popular stopping off place for travelers. It’s 185 feet span crosses Fishing Creek.
Rupert quiz- What is the Chairman’s name on the brass plaque on the stone monolith?
1. Steven J. Richter
2. Russell M. Wright
3. William M. Sobernick
ENTER C answer (1, 2 or 3) = ________
D. Hollingshead Covered Bridge N40 57.113 W76 26.864 was built in 1851 by Peter Ent for a cost of $1,180.00. Henry Hollingshead owned a nearby mill. It spans Catawissa Creek and is 128 feet.
Hollingshead quiz- What is the name of the Contractor posted on the brass plaque on the stone.
1. Bloomsburg Restoration, Inc.
2. Framingham Contracting Company
3. Lycoming Supply Company
ENTER D answer (1, 2 or 3) = ________
Cache Coordinates:
Enter the number for each of your four answers and add them up:
A______ + B _______ + C _______ + D_______
= Total ________
The coordinates for the cache are determined by your total. Only one set of coordinates is correct.
If your total is 6, the cache coordinates are: N40 57.184 W76 23.237
If your total is 7, the cache coordinates are: N40 57.166 W76 23.321
If your total is 8, the cache coordinates are: N40 57.119 W76 23.283
If your total is 9, the cache coordinates are: N40 57.141 W76 23.202
If your total is 10, the cache coordinates are: N40 57.177 W76 23.283
If your total is 11, the cache coordinates are: N40 57.126 W76 23.234
Start your hike from parking spot here. N40 57.182 W76 23.186
Cache is on State Game Land #58. Wear orange during hunting season.
The pictures are NOT spoilers. Go ahead and add your own.
Encrypted hint beneath poem.
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The Covered Bridge
This covered bridge, quaint and weatherworn,
Still lends its dignity and charm
To the quiet country road
That winds past meadowland and farm.
And within the stream's full melody
That echoes against its darkened walls,
It hears the tramplings of a yesteryear
Faintly above the waters' splash and fall.
And still resound the clopping hooves
Against its heavy planks;
The creaking wheels of loaded carts,
And laughter along the sun-drenched banks.
Even yet it heeds the low sweet song
Of a bygone day's rememberings,
When a swaying hay cart left its drifts
And farmers tarried to talk of crops and things.
This covered bridge, quaint and weather-worn,
Still stands with dignity and charm,
Though its split and seasoned timbers
Shelter only blackbirds that fly 'tween field and farm
And glints of sunlight are all that move
Across its timeworn planks...but still it hears
Above the waters' splash and fall,
Faint echoings of long-remembered years.
- Joy Belle Burgess
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