10 Highest Bridges in the United States

 Bridges are an amazing engineering marvel.  The desire to get from one side to another has caused humankind to span some pretty amazing gorges, rivers, and other natural wonders.  Bridges can be attractions in themselves as you are traveling across the United States.  This made me curious to learn what are the 10 highest bridges in the United States, and how many have I been across.

Let's Look at the Top 10:

1. Royal Gorge Bridge - Colorado - Crossed It

At a height of 955 feet, the Royal Gorge Bridge is more of a tourist attraction than a bridge that is used for the purpose of transportation.  It is located near Canon City, Colorado, and spans the Arkansas River below. It was actually the highest bridge in the world when I visited it in my youth, a title it held until 2001 when it was surpassed by the Liuguanghe Bridge in China.  The bridge is a suspension bridge and the span length is 1, 260 feet.  A steel structure holds wood planks that make up the deck.  It was completed in November of 1929 after just six months of construction.

The Royal Gorge Bridge and park are open from 7:00 AM to dusk each day.  The park also features a number of other attractions including a Gondola, a Skycoaster, a Via Ferrata, a Zip Line, a water clock, and a playland with a carousel.

(Need to plan a trip to get pictures next time I am in Colorado)

2. Mike O Callaghan/Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge - Arizona - Crossed It

The Mike O Callaghan/Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge was opened for highway traffic on October 19, 2010.  It was designed and built so that the traffic on this busy travel route could bypass the Hoover Dam after the 9/11 attacks made the security of crossing the damn a bigger issue.  It is a deck arch bridge that is the widest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere.  It is 890 feet above the Colorado River just downstream of the Hoover Dam.

3. New River Gorge Bridge - West Virginia - Crossed It

The Newe River Gorge Bridge is a Steel Arch Bridge that is 876 feet above the New River near Fayetteville, West Virginia.  Actually spanning part of the New River Gorge National Park, this bridge is easily accessible from many spots in the park and stands majestic and picturesque among the beauty of nature.  The bridge was completed on October 22, 1977, and is the longest steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere with a span of 3,030 feet.  The bridge replaced a 45-minute drive on winding roads down the gorge and back out with a 45-second drive across.

Visitors can choose a variety of local hiking trails to see the bridge or can choose to pay a fee to do the Bridge Walk.  On the Bridge Walk, you walk along the understructure of the bridge for the full length of the bridge and are shuttled back to the starting point.  The other option is to come on the third Saturday in October where you can participate in Bridge Day which is the one day a year people can base jump off the bridge.

4. Foresthill Bridge - California

5. Glen Canyon Dam Bridge - Arizona - Crossed It

Us Route 89 crossed the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge just below the Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona.  At a height of 700 feet above the colorado river, it is the 5th highest bridge in the united states with a span of 1,271 feet.  Completed in 1959 it was the highest arch bridge in the world at the time of completion.

Tied for 5th -Phil G McDonald Bridge - West Virginia

7. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge - New Mexico - Crossed It

The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge allows Highway 64 to cross the Rio Grande River Gorge west of Taos New Mexico.  The bridge crosses the river at a height of 650 feet as it spans 1,280 feet across the gorge.  It was dedicated on September 10, 2965.  There is plenty of parking on either side of the bridge, with a nice rest area on the west end of the bridge.  You are able to walk across the bridge as well and look down to the river below.

Since this is a high-traffic area, there are Native American artisans with tables set up with jewelry and other artworks for you to purchase.  If you are in Taos this is worth the drive to come and see.  The bridge has been in the movies, including Paul, Terminator Salvation, Natural Born Killers, Wild Hogs, and White Sands.

8. Perrine Bridge - Idaho 
9. Navajo Bridge - Arizona 
10. Moyie River Canyon Bridge - Idaho