Packard Hill Covered Bridge and other sights

Packard Hill Covered Bridge and other sights around Lebanon, NH

Packard Hill Covered Bridge – No. 67 in Lebanon, NH. Drone footage by Kyle Smith of 949 Productions.

One of the slightly hidden gems of the Lebanon/Hanover New Hampshire area known as “The Upper Valley” which extends into Vermont along the Connecticut River. The Packard Hill Bridge is just up the road from the AVA Gallery in downtown Lebanon and close to Route 89 and Route 4 and its is right next to the Northern Rail Trail that begins in Lebanon, NH and extends for 58 miles on cinder, crushed stone, dirt, grass and gravel.

Time Lapse on the Northern Rail Trail by KayLasNaToLyms

Fine Art Photography of the Packard Hill Bridge and other nature sights in the area

Packard Hill Covered Bridge – Between 1780 and 1790 an open timber bridge without railings was constructed at this location for Ichabod Packard. The bridge served Mr. Packard’s home on the north side of the river and his mill, a combined sawmill and gristmill, located on the south side. According to town records, the bridge was either repaired or replaced in 1804. In 1878, the open timber bridge, which appears to have been a Queenpost truss with the truss work boarded up, as replaced by a new covered bridge. The 1878 bridge was a Howe truss built at a cost of $456.02. It was removed in 1952 and replaced with a Bailey Bridge. The Bailey bridge was replaced by the current bridge, built by Arnold Graton Associates. It was dedicated on September 4, 1991. The Packard Bridge was constructed in a manner which replicates the traditional style of covered bridges. It has not reached the 50 years age criteria for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

True’s brook gorge is a popular swimming hole in the summer. Part of the True’s Ledges Natural Area – Upper Valley Land Trust – http://www.uvlt.org/docs/trails/Trues_Ledges_trail_map_from_lebcity.pdf

The gorge is open all year long and many people swim and sunbathe here. The rocks are beautiful but VERY slippery. The water’s current is quite ferocious, even though the pools and streams are narrow at points. Parking is about 0.62 mi on True’s Brook Rd off of 12A in West Lebanon.