Slaughterhouse Covered Bridge in Winter

I realize that winter does NOT equate to fall foliage So I’m showing two versions and I want to point out that New England does have all four seasons… (Six if you count stick and mud seasons and in much of Northern New England they count them.) This is a story about one of my favorite New England Covered Bridges. It also has probably the worst name ever. At least that is what one or two of my readers has told me.

You can get your own covered bridge from my Amazon store. There are many made-in-New England items in my store.

Slaughterhouse covered bridge in Vermont snow

Naming a Covered Bridge

So when it comes to naming a covered bridge, the people who live around it usually will name it for the stream/river it passes over, a person who is linked to it, OR in my experience, a place/village near the bridge. The Henniker-covered bridge is in the town of Henniker NH or the Paper Mill covered bridge which I would have thought was because of a nearby paper mill but in reality, sits in the Papermill village of Vermont… So covered bridges are named for what they are near. That said…

In the town of Northfield Vermont, there was a Slaughter House on the far side of the Dog River and they needed a bridge to get from here to there and they named it… Yup, The Slaughterhouse Covered Bridge. As I said, the names help tell you which bridge to take (There are 5 in Northfield, so it could get confusing)

They couldn’t call it “the Dog River Covered Bridge”… because they have the Northfield Falls covered bridge which is also across the Dog River (a short distance away) so that could be confusing…) So Slaughterhouse Covered Bridge it is. Here is a short article that details the other Northfield covered bridges (the Northfield 5).

Why is this my Favorite Covered Bridge in Winter?

In winter it can be tough to find good angles to photograph covered bridges. So it really helps out if they are painted red (as all the bridges are in Northfield) So we have a RED covered bridge and to make this even better is this one has great vantage points to photograph it from. View all my Slaughterhouse covered bridge images in this gallery.

It’s all about the angles! Most folks will photograph a covered bridge from either end showing the view in/out. I for one, find these single views rather boring. If there are no other ways to view the covered bridge then I will take a couple of shots and move on. In other words, I got the shot, and it’s time to find one that is more interesting. I like to find those bridges that have many opportunities for different views.

Where to find the Slaughterhouse Covered Bridge

Pick up your copy of the Vermont/New Hampshire Gazetteer now to help you locate this and all the other covered bridges in New England. Also, you could get Harold Stiver’s book on Covered Bridges in Vermont, to get a little history of these pieces of Americana.

To find this bridge, you just need to find Northfield Vermont. You will find 4 of the 5 that are in Northfield, just off Route 12 (in the town/village) and the 5th one is just off Route 12A. Northfield lies just south of Montpelier Vermont. (link to google map)

If you are heading south from Montpelier, you will first pass Cox Brook Rd. Today we’ll bypass this gem but you can read about the other three covered bridges here. That road has three (3) of the Northfield 5, along a two-mile stretch. Your next right after Cox Brook is Slaughterhouse Road.

There is a small (1-2 car) parking spot at the bottom of the hill and to the left. In front of you lies the Slaughterhouse Bridge. If you think about it, it’s no different from the Black Smith Covered Bridge in New Hampshire. Both bridges led to local businesses, both served the local communities. Also for those who care about the similarities, both covered bridges lead nowhere, now.

I used to take my 4×4 truck and drive into the middle of a stream to get away from the trees or a bush on the side of the river to get a clear and unobstructed view of a covered bridge. (I miss that truck) 🙁

The many views of the Slaughterhouse Covered Bridge

There are many views of this covered bridge. There is an open-ended shot on the town side (boring)… Then there is the view from the other side that is better because you can follow the road up and look back to see the road curving back into the opening which is better. But don’t stop there!

Many more angles

You will see on the map, an orange path. This little path heads down the hill and along where the stream widens out into a pool. You can safely (albeit, careful) walk along the side with many views to look back and see the bridge. I have found little views back along this path, which I love. Depending on the season, knee-high boots might be called for beyond this point. (They are probably a good thing to have just in case.)

I think my favorite view is from the far end of the pool, like this one in winter with a fresh coating of snow. The sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds but there was also a haze acting as an extra filter that allowed the snow to not be blown out as pure white but it was lit with just the perfect amount of morning sunshine. (seen up above)

If you see on the map where I point out in blue the cascades, you can carefully follow around below the pool where the stream narrows and flows around and over some boulders. I have found that from the right vantage point, you can work in the boulders with the water cascading around them with the covered bridge just in view.

As you can see below, during the autumn (if it’s not too dry) the water lever allows more of the rocks to show through. In the winter/spring, the higher level of snow melt/rain means the river obscures the boulders. Make sure you watch out for slippery rocks!

I have an entire gallery of covered bridges on my Jeff-foliage.com website which are linked to my Fine Art gallery. You can view them in all six seasons. If you have a favorite covered bridge, let me know in the comments below. If it is one I don’t have I might have to go out this year and find it.

Stay healthy and safe…

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

Visit my Amazon affiliate store for items that Lisa and I have curated for you. These items are either New England-made or things we think will make your fall foliage trip more successful.