South Fork Santiam River (Short) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Interstate 5 at Albany exit US Route 20 (exit 233) southeast through Lebanon and Sweet Home for 37 miles to Cascadia. West of the city limits of Cascadia, turn left at High Deck Road. Alternately, exit Interstate 5 at exit 216 and travel east through Crawfordsville to Sweet Home. Turn right on Highway 20 and continue to High Deck Road.

Background:
The Short Bridge is the sole survivor of the covered bridges which crossed the South Fork of the Santiam River and is one of the few remaining in the county to have a wooden shingle roof.

The span is Linn County's most eastern covered bridge. When the wooden-housed structure was built, the bridge was known more commonly as the Whiskey Butte Bridge but was renamed for a long-time area resident, Gordon Short.

Quite often visitors are surprised by ducks, deer and other animals in the vicinity of the bridge. During the summer, fishermen on and under the bridge cast lines into the cool waters of the South Santiam River.