Bridges
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge: a National Landmark spanning the South Yuba River
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge has become a cherished landmark within Nevada County, California. It’s also recognized as a National Historic Landmark due to its remarkable condition, rare type of bridge, age and usefulness during California’s Gold Rush days. Founding of Bridgeport The location of Bridgeport was first established as a...
Donner Summit Bridge: California’s historical Rainbow Bridge
The Donner Summit Bridge is a concrete arch style bridge originally designed to provide a safe passage through the Donner Pass area along Old Highway 40. Prior to this bridge, residents and visitors took the train or had to travel along the old Lincoln Highway which was a much more difficult route due to its …...
A look at both the old and the new Iowa Hill Bridges
The older bridge, which was built in 1928, was no longer safe or suitable for modern transportation needs. However, instead of tearing down and replacing the older bridge, the county decided to leave it standing for all to enjoy. This presented a unique scenario of two bridges sharing the same name and location. Directions …...
Mosquito Ridge Rd. Bridge also known as North Fork Bridge or “Circle Bridge”
My journey along Mosquito Ridge Rd. surprisingly brought me to this uniquely built bridge. Initially, I was heading eastbound on Mosquito Ridge Rd. from the town of Foresthill to Big Trees Grove and then French Meadow Reservoir. The road was very winding with many switchbacks through the Foresthill Divide. And if you get held up by...
Yankee Jims Bridge also known as Colfax-Foresthill Bridge
The bridge was built in 1930 and is a few hundred feet above the river. The deck with is a little more than 11 feet and the longest span of length is 210 feet. The vertical clearance above the deck is just above 13 1/2 feet. The bridge has a 3 ton limit and is …...
A quick look at Ponderosa Way Bridge in Placer County
The Codfish Falls trailhead is located at the North side of the bridge. Check out my article on Codfish Falls Trail for more info and pictures This bridge was completed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Ponderosa Way bridge’s total length is 222 feet with its longest span roughly 130 feet in length. The …...
Foresthill Bridge: soaring over the American River
Construction was completed in 1973 with the purpose of spanning the planned Auburn Lake. Unfortunately, the Auburn Dam was never built and the lake (reservoir) never came to fruition. However, the bridge still spans the North Fork American River near the Confluence where the North Fork meets with the Middle Fork. The Foresthill bridge...
Mountain Quarries Bridge aka “No Hands Bridge”
The Mountain Quarries Bridge, aka “No Hands Bridge,” was originally constructed in 1912 for the Mountain Quarries Railroad, owned by the Pacific Portland Cement Company. It was reportedly the first concrete bridge of its kind in all of North America and it was designed by John B. Leonard. Leonard was an advocate of concrete...
A quick look at Canyon View Bridge
Canyon View Bridge was built in 2012 to allow park visitors the ability to cross over Coon Creek. Prior to the expansion, hikers and horseback riders weren’t able to cross the creek. This bridge is roughly 100 feet long. It has a capacity of 18 tons and became available to the public in 2013. There …...
A quick look at the Pudding Creek Trestle
The trestle is roughly 520 feet long and close to 50 feet high. In 1949, the trestle was reinforced and converted to a one lane logging bridge for trucks. By the late 70’s vehicles were no longer allowed to cross it. Because of its iconic status within the town, the Pudding Creek Trestle was converted …...
