The covered bridge that spans the East Branch of the Ausable River in Jay, New York, was built in 1857 and is the only remaining Howe Truss Bridge in the Adirondacks. Of the 29 covered bridges in New York, only two can be found in the Adirondacks. The Copeland Covered Bridge in Edinburg, New York, is the other one. The Jay Covered Bridge is eligible to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1856, the original bridge was destroyed by flooding. It was rebuilt a year later with the stronger Howe Truss design. In 1997, vehicular traffic was rerouted to a new steel bridge just downstream.
The bridge crosses the river just below Jay Falls, a broad set of falls that that drop about 10 feet over several tiers. On hot summer days, visitors can be seen enjoying the natural water slides and sunbathing along the shore.
Aside from the bridge and falls, there is a small park nearby with basketball and tennis courts, a playground, benches, and a small gazebo. Parking is available on each side of the bridge, but the bridge is open only to foot traffic and bicycles.
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