Ready to explore the countryside in your electric vehicle? Here’s an electrifying tour if you like gliding silently through long narrow valleys past Amish buggies, stopping to watch hawks circle above mountain tops and photographing charming red covered bridges nestled among picturesque farms. There are Tesla, CCS & CHAdeMO fast chargers and several Bed and Breakfasts with L2 destination charging to stretch this day trip into a weekend getaway.
- Distance: 215 miles
- Charging Stations: Tesla Superchargers and 50 kW DC Fast Chargers (CCS/CHAdeMO) in Hagerstown, MD and Carlisle, PA. Level 2 destination charging for overnight guests at Mercersburg Inn and Carlisle House.
- Highlights: 13 covered bridges, Waggoner’s Gap Hawk Watch, Boiling Springs Iron Furnace, Appalachian Trail, Historic Round Barn & Ski Liberty.
Pennsylvania has nearly 200 covered bridges, more than any other state. This tour visits nine bridges in PA plus four more in Maryland for a total of 13. The route shown on the map is a loop that begins near Frederick, Maryland, however, you can enter the route at any point.
There are few services between Hagerstown and Carlisle on the western side of the loop so plan ahead for meals and leave Hagerstown with plenty of charge. Some of the spurs off the main road to the bridges are on a gravel surface but they are relatively short.
At the top of the twisting mountain road that leads to Waggoner’s Gap at the northern end of the loop, stop at Audubon Pennsylvania’s Hawk Watch which has been a favorite spot to view these migratory birds of prey since the 1930’s.
The Carlise House B&B in downtown Carlisle is a lovely overnight stop. They have a J-1772 and a Tesla connector for guests. Don’t miss the Historic Round Barn & Farm Market near Cashtown, PA. The barn, built in 1914, is one of only a few round barns that are still standing.
I have created turn-by-turn navigation for this route to use on the Scenic application on Apple iOS. I recommend using the Scenic app to navigate the many turns and detours on side roads to find the bridges. Let me know if you are interested in using the app to follow this tour route and I’ll explain how it works.
Comments or questions are welcome. Contact me here.
Lanny
@PlugInSites
P.S. Look for more Electric Tour routes on the Trips page.
