North Carolina’s covered bridges are actually numerous, in spite of the fact that only two are credited with being the oldest and only remaining original bridges in the state. At last count, this link listed 65 covered bridges within the confines of the Tar Heel State. Additionally, the same link credits a bridge in a historic park as being the longest covered bridge in North Carolina and measuring a whopping 140 feet in length. Let’s take a closer look:

The longest covered bridge in North Carolina can be found along NC-42 approximately six miles west of Sanford.
TripAdvisor/Lynderville
In addition to the notoriety of it being the longest such bridge in North Carolina, it's attached to a park that has an equally fascinating backstory.
Ole Gilliam Mill Park is a private, non-profit park that's open to the public during daylight hours and is free to visit.
TripAdvisor/cheryl h
Located across NC-42 from the bridge, the bulk of the park includes a mill that is a near-exact replica of an earlier mill that washed away in the flood of 1928.
Now for the backstory: the near exact replica of the original mill was built, by hand, by a handful of locals — on the weekends.
Google Local/Dan Valdes
Although the mill is an impressive replica that, at least on the exterior, appears to match the original in every way, it was reconstructed a bit upstream from the original.
In the early 2000s, the locals who owned the land and the mill donated it to Ole Gilliam Mill Park Foundation where it's now under the stewardship of the non-profit.
Google Local/Sydney Brown
The park includes the mill, the bridge, several outbuildings, and a pond. It's also the sight of an annual event (the Old Mill CrankUp) that's famously popular not only with the locals, but also with motorcyclists and other visitors alike.

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Beyond the construction — or perhaps even the reconstruction — of the covered bridge that occurred sometime in the early 2000s, not much is known about the bridge that crossed Pocket Creek prior to this covered bridge.
Google Local/Sue Powers
As seen in this image, an asphalt drive, complete with fading, double-yellow lines, leads up to the opening of the bridge — which is a pedestrian-only crossing, but we'll get to that in a moment.
As the longest covered bridge in the Tar Heel State, the bridge at Ole Gilliam Mill Park is apparently without a name, at least according to the list of bridges referenced above.
Google Local/Sue Powers
And crossing it on foot is a memorable experience, even if it doesn't seem to have an official name.
Oddly enough, over on the other side you may be surprised when you learn the surface of the bridge doesn't quite match up with the old double-line asphalt on the other side.
Google Local/Dan Valdes
Instead, there are puzzling steps and at least a two-and-a-half-foot drop from the bridge to the road beneath, a good indication that this rendition of the covered bridge may never have been utilized for vehicular traffic.
Have you pulled over at Ole Gilliam Mill Park near Sanford to check out this red-roofed wooden bridge, the longest covered bridge in North Carolina?
TripAdvisor/cheryl h
And if so, did you realize it's the longest covered bridge in the state?

For more covered bridges to explore in North Carolina, check out the state’s oldest, Bunker Hill Covered Bridge, and the only other covered bridge billed as ‘original’ in the state: Pisgah Covered Bridge.

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longest covered bridge in North Carolina

Beth C. | October 07, 2021

What are some other covered bridges in North Carolina?

There's something so alluring about covered bridges. Not only are they historic reminders of the past, but they're also architecturally alluring and so much fun to photograph. If you're a fan of covered bridges, you'll be pleased to hear that there are a handful of them that you can visit. Some must-see covered bridges in North Carolina include the Kimesville Covered Bridge in Liberty, Pisgah Covered Bridge in Ashboro, Bunker Hill Covered Bridge in Claremont, Gaddy Covered Bridge in Mt. Gilead, High Falls Covered Bridge in the DuPont State Forest, and Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge in Highlands. Curious to explore these landmarks? We've outlined a covered bridges road trip in North Carolina that will take you to them!

Does North Carolina have any haunted bridges?

Yes indeed! One of the most famous haunted bridges in North Carolina is known as Helen's Bridge, and it can be found on Beaucatcher Road in Asheville. This notorious bridge has attracted paranormal investigators from all over due to the high reports of ghostly activity. What's especially disturbing about this stone bridge is that visitors have reported that the hauntings seem to follow them for days -- even weeks -- after having visited. Yikes!

What should I put on my North Carolina bucket list?

You've come to the right place! Here at OnlyInYourState, we're dedicated to bringing you the best attractions in North Carolina, some of which are relatively undiscovered. When putting together your North Carolina bucket list, we recommend adding the following destinations: Crabtree Falls, White Lake, Sand Dollar Island, Jockey's Ridge State Park, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Rattlesnake Lodge Ruins, Elk River Falls, Bullington Gardens, and McGailliard Falls Park. For more information, check out our complete North Carolina bucket list.

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Ole Gilliam Mill Park, 4717 Carbonton Rd #4637, Sanford, NC 27330, USA