Park Information
Locust Creek Covered Bridge has been moved to the day-use area within Pershing State Park. The bridge is in place but remains closed while the approaches are being built.
At 151 feet, Locust Creek Covered Bridge is the longest of Missouri's four surviving covered bridges. It was built in 1868 and became a link in one of the nation's first transcontinental roads, Route 8. The bridge was made of white pine using the Howe-truss system. The essential feature of this design is the use of vertical iron rods to draw the diagonal wooden members tight against the top and bottom of the structure.
The bridge originally crossed Locust Creek north of U.S. Highway 36. Today, however, it spans a section of Locust Creek within Pershing State Park, 5 miles to the south. It was transported there in 2025 due to concerns about watershed instability at its original location. The move likely saved the bridge, preserving it for future generations of visitors.
