Ohio 26 — Little Muskingum Covered Bridge Byway
Ohio State Route 26 is the National Forest Covered Bridge Scenic Byway, paralleling the Little Muskingum River northeast from Marietta through Wayne National Forest toward Woodsfield. The route enters deep woods almost immediately out of Marietta and follows the river corridor through a canopy of hardwoods for most of its 68-mile length, passing the historic Rinard Covered Bridge (the third structure at that site; the original dates to 1875) and small communities including Whipple and Rinard Mills. The road is winding throughout, with farm fields giving way to river bluffs and dense national forest. Traffic is extremely light. One of Ohio's official USFS National Forest Scenic Byways. Rider Magazine features it as part of the Southeast Ohio Roller Coaster Hills tour.
What you'll hit along the way.
Rider-verified stops, overlooks, fuel, and the corners worth knowing about — in the order you'll meet them.
Las Trancas
A local spot near the route's start offering a meal before heading into the rural byway.
Hills
A small community marking your transition into the forested hill country of Washington County.
Rinard Mills
A quiet crossroads settlement near the Little Muskingum River, typical of the historic mill towns along this corridor.
Hilltop
The elevated endpoint of the byway offering a sense of the rolling Appalachian foothills terrain you've traveled through.
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Runs are rider-logged & GPS-traced in the app
Ride your own ride — times are rider-logged & GPS-traced, never a race on public roads.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
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