Swinging Bridges of Kentucky’s Southern Shorelines
Written by: Danielle Wilson
The historic swinging bridges of South central Kentucky are well worth visiting and a fantastic idea for a Kentucky Day Trip! Three of the swinging bridges are located in Wayne County, Kentucky and the fourth in Mc Creary County. Many of these bridges date back to the 1920’s and at that time were the only way people had to cross Kentucky’s rivers and creeks.
Wayne County Swinging Bridges – Freedom, Green Ford, Ritner
Freedom Bridge – From Monticello take East KY 92 to Highway 776. Turn left onto HWY 776 and stay with that route. HWY 776 will go to the right several miles out, so continue to follow 776 until state maintenance ends. Continue straight onto Freedom Road. When you get to the Freedom Church, stay left to the bridge.
Ritner Bridge – From Monticello take East KY 92 to Highway 776. Turn left onto HWY 776 and stay with that route. HWY 776 will go to the right several miles out, so continue to follow 776 to the Ritner Road. Turn right and follow the Ritner Road to the river.
Greenford Bridge– From Monticello take East KY 92 to HWY 1756 (road to Rocky Branch). Turn right on 1756 and follow HWY 1756 to the Greenford/Parmleysville Road intersection. Keep straight on the Greenford Road and follow the road to the bridge. Blacktop all the way but does get narrow and a little crooked, so take your time and enjoy the drive.
This fourth Kentucky Swinging Bridge is located in Ritner, Kentucky, just on the outskirts of the Daniel Boone National Forest and within McCreary County, KY. This newly restored Kentucky swinging bridge is 258 feet long and crosses the Little South Fork River. The area around the bridge is perfect for relaxing, fishing and exploring the river below. To get to this bridge, go west on Highway 92 to Jones Hollow Road (right). Continue on Jones Hollow Road and stay left at the fork. Go about 3.11 miles to Ritner Road, and it is just a half mile to the bridge.
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