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Personal Guided Tour of the Covered Bridges of Madison County

Personal Guided Tour of the Covered Bridges of Madison County

Overview

Travel the back roads through the heart of Madison County under the wing of one of our guide experts, who are all residents of Madison County. Madison County's world-famous covered bridges were the inspiration behind, and the setting of the novel by Robert James Waller and the 1995 film "The Bridges of Madison County", starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

Six of the original nineteen covered bridges remain, making Madison County the Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa. Five of the bridges are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Each two-hour personal guided tour includes information about the construction and history of the bridges, the movie production, and a variety of other local historical information. You will visit three of the county's most popular covered bridges and have a chance to walk through them and take plenty of photographs.

City: Iowa

Sat 28 Jun

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $30.77

Make a reservation

Sat 28 Jun

Starting at $30.77

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Private tour

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour takes place using the traveler's own vehicle and gas.
Wear and tear on the vehicle is not the responsibility of the tour guide
Must have a proper seat and seat belt available for your tour guide
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Be prepared for uneven surfaces at the sites visited which may be difficult for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair

What To Expect

Madison County Chamber of Commerce & Welcome Center

Meet your tour guide at the Welcome Center, located on Winterset's courthouse square. Your guide will tell you briefly about the history of Winterset and Madison County, and the 1876 limestone courthouse at the town's center.

Roseman Bridge

Explore the Roseman Covered Bridge, one of two bridges featured in the movie "The Bridges of Madison County", starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Built in 1883, the Roseman spans Middle River and is thought by some to be haunted. The Roseman is a perfect example of the flat-roofed covered bridges that are unique to Madison County.

Cutler-Donahoe Bridge

One of the six remaining covered bridges of Madison County, the Cutler-Donahoe was moved to City Park in Winterset in 1970 on its 100th birthday. City Park also features an English hedge maze, a stone bridge (featured in the movie "The Bridges of Madison County"), and one of Iowa's often cited hidden gems, Clark Tower (a three-story stone monument that resembles a castle).

Holliwell Bridge

Explore the Holliwell Covered Bridge, the second of the two bridges featured in the movie "The Bridges of Madison County", starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Built in 1880, it is the longest of Madison County's covered bridges, spanning 110 feet over Middle River. Be sure to view this beautiful bridge from the river bank.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (49)

Disneybus

Sep 2023

What a wonderful day! I called ahead and booked our tour directly through the County Chamber. We didn't have to pay until we we arrived at the Welcome center - which has a great array of Covered Bridge merchandise! We were fortunate to get Bob - highly recommended by fellow travelers. Bob is not only a tour guide, but a local film star celebrity as he was literally a walk on in the movie! I drove my rental while Bob narrated from the back seat. He knows every little thing about the town and the movie. We stopped at various spots along the way so he could tell us its significance in the movie. After town we made our way to the bridges, where we got a quick history and their role in the production; he even pointed out his own home! We got all our questions answered; he showed us where the 2022 tornado ripped through killing several in its path. Rather than walk on another bridge - one not in the movie, Bob allowed us time to traverse up the one way gravel road to the Clark Tower in Winterset Park - also not in the movie but an interesting landmark. Of course we took many pictures. We stopped at the corner where the final rain scene was made and learned about the filming techniques and where Bob made his "acting" scene.

Response from Host

May 2024

So glad that you enjoyed your time in Madison County and the expertise of your tour guide.

elainelV2957TY

Sep 2023

We were put in touch with the local Chamber of Commerce for Madison County IA and she set us up with the best tour guide anywhere. Bob is 89 years old, grew up in the area, knew everything about the town, movie, architecture, cast, John Wayne’s birthplace, etc., we couldn’t have imagined a better tour!

Response from Host

May 2024

Happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour. Bob is one of our many treasures in Madison County.

310betsyh

Sep 2023

Our guide had an incredible store of Madison County stories, movie stories and history of Madison County. We saw numerous parks, beautiful towers and tunnels and two covered bridges. We would’ve enjoyed more covered bridges. FYI - a lot of gravel roads and narrow roads.

Response from Host

May 2024

Hello Betsy, so glad you enjoyed your tour and all the information the tour guide had to offer. Since most of our bridges are still in their original location, gravel roads are part of the country charm.