Not many overpasses are like Vance Creek Bridge. At a dizzying 347-feet-tall over a forested valley, this abandoned viaduct on the Olympic Peninsula is the 2nd highest railway arch bridge ever built in the United States. The overpass gained popularity online a few years back and even became dubbed as #ThatNWBridge. Walking across is just as dangerous as it looks, and even though it’s now closed to the public and located on private property – it still hasn’t stopped some hikers and thrill-seekers from visiting.
Photo by Shu Wu
Vance Creek Bridge was originally built in 1929 by the Simpson Logging Company. Spanning 422 feet long over the Skokomish River, the beautifully-designed viaduct provided loggers easier access to Washington’s dense forests. But the logging industry slowly began to decline by the 1950s, and it wasn’t before long until the bridge was eventually abandoned. See this satellite image and map of the Vance Creek Abandoned Bridge.
Several miles north on the same rail line, the company also built the High Steel Bridge near Shelton in 1929. It’s a bit taller than Vance Creek Bridge – at 427 feet high – over the south fork of the Skokomish River, and is still used today as the highest railway arch bridge ever built in the country.
Photo by Shu Wu on Flickr
Vance Creek Bridge may be on private property now, but at least we can still catch the mind-blowing views through photos and drone footage – like this short clip from Reeewaj on Youtube:
The views from here are just insane. Have you been to the Vance Creek Bridge before? We’d love to hear about your experience below.