Have a photo from this spot?
Add one for private review. Approved photos do not publish automatically.
Scott Bridge
Townshend, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Roadside pull-off access—use the shoulder safely and watch traffic. Near Townshend.
At a glance
Overview
Rocky river pools. Plan for about Five minutes or less from the roadside lot to the river along the east bank. (0.1 mi one way if you hike the full approach). Water use is often conditional on flow, staffing, and season—double-check before you suit up.
- County
- Windham County
- Region
- Southern Vermont
- Water type
- River pool
- Swim feature type
- River pool
Know before you go
Not wheelchair accessible
Conditions
Conditions snapshot
Check posted signs and official updates before entering.
Getting there
The Scott Covered Bridge is a 277-foot single-span covered bridge built in 1870 over the West River in Townshend, Windham County, off VT 30 about a mile west of Townshend village. The bridge is a listed historic structure and is closed to vehicle traffic but open to pedestrians and bicycles. The river below and beside the bridge is a well-known unofficial swim, with a mix of shallow gravel bars and deeper pools along the east bank, plus flat rocks used as sunbathing ledges. A rope swing appears in some summers; the Vermont Covered Bridge Society specifically warns visitors off the rope -- failures and injuries have been reported. There is no lifeguard and no facilities. Park in the small lot on the VT 30 side of the bridge, walk down to the east-bank path, scout for depth and current before committing, and keep watch upstream when flow is up after rain or during a Ball Mountain Dam release week.
Notes unlock when you sign in.
See what other visitors noticed, or be the first to leave a short note.