Longest and highest rim-to-rim bridges across American canyons/gorges

Posted on October 11, 2023 by problogic
Navajo Bridge (1995) on left and Navajo Bridge (1929) on the right – photo by author

The following lists identify the longest and highest bridges over canyons and gorges in the United States, measured by total length, main span length, and height above the water/ground. Bridges/viaducts across valleys are not included, though the term valley may be in some of the bridge titles. In additional, drawbridges, lift bridges, and floating bridges are not included. Please note that some bridges may qualify in less than all three categories. Peace!

Los Alamos Canyon Bridge – photo by author

Those shown in italics, the blog author has crossed.

By total bridge length (feet) minimum 750′:

  1. New River Gorge Bridge (1977) Fayetteville, WV = 3,030 feet

2. Foresthill Bridge (1973) – North Auburn, CA = 2,428 feet

3. Hoffstadt Creek Bridge (1994) – Cowlitz County, WA = 2,339 feet

4. Jeremiah Morrow Bridge (2016) – Fort Ancient, OH = 2,252 feet

5. Glade Creek Bridge (1988) – Beckley, WV = 2,179 feet

6. Tillman Memorial Bridge (2010) – Boulder City, NV/AZ = 1,900 feet

7. Pine Valley Creek Bridge – south span (1974) – San Diego, CA = 1,741 feet

8. Pine Valley Creek Bridge – north span (1974) – San Diego, CA = 1,691 feet

9. Young’s High Bridge (1889/closed 1985) = 1,659 feet

10. Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (1962) – Niagara Falls, NY/ON = 1,594 feet

11. Perrine Bridge (1976) – Twin Falls. ID = 1,500 feet

12. International Rainbow Bridge (1941) – Niagara Falls, NY/ON = 1,450 feet

13. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (1965) – Taos, NM = 1,280 feet

14. Glen Canyon Dam Bridge (1959) – Page, AZ = 1,271 feet

15. Royal Gorge Bridge (1929) – Canon City, CO = 1,260 feet

16. Moyie River Canyon Bridge (1965) – Moyie Springs, ID = 1,223 feet

17. Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge (1964) – Santa Barbara County, CA = 1,217 feet

18. Laurel Creek Gorge Bridge (2002) – Mars Hill, NC = 1,000 feet

19. Thomas Creek Bridge (1961) – Curry County, OR = 956 feet

20. Hurricane Gulch Bridge (1921) – near Denali Park, AK = 918 feet

21. Navajo Bridge – new (1995) – Marble Canyon, AZ = 909 feet

22. Navajo Bridge – old (1929) – Marble Canyon, AZ = 834 feet

23.Vance Creek Bridge (1929/closed 1970s) – Shelton, WA = 827 feet

24. Los Alamos Canyon Bridge (1951) – Los Alamos, NM = 820 feet

25. Hansen Bridge (1966) – Twin Falls, ID = 762 feet

_______

By main span length (feet) – minimum 350′:

  1. New River Gorge Bridge (1977) – Fayetteville, WV = 1,700 feet

2. Fred G. Redmon Bridge (1971) – Yakima County, WA = 1,337 feet

3. Tillman Memorial Bridge (2010) – Boulder City, NV/AZ = 1,060 feet

4. Glen Canyon Dam Bridge (1959) – Page, AZ = 1,028 feet

5. Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (1962) – Niagara Falls, NY/ON = 1,000 feet

6. Perrine Bridge (1976) – Twin Falls. ID = 993 feet

7. International Rainbow Bridge (1941) – Niagara Falls, NY/ON = 960 feet

8. Royal Gorge Bridge (1929) – Canon City, CO = 880 feet

9. Foresthill Bridge (1973) – North Auburn, CA = 862 feet

10. Glade Creek Bridge (1988) – Beckley, WV = 784 feet

11. Navajo Bridge – new (1995) – AZ = 726 feet

12-13. Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge (1964) – Santa Barbara County, CA and Burro Creek Bridge – new (2005) – Wikieup, AZ = 700 feet

14. Burro Creek Bridge – old (1966) – Wikieup, AZ = 680 feet

15. Navajo Bridge old- (1929) – AZ = 616 feet

16. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (1965) – Taos, NM = 600 feet

117. Hoffstadt Creek Bridge (1994) – Cowlitz County, WA = 600 feet

18. Young’s High Bridge (1889/closed 1985) = 551 feet

19. Los Alamos Canyon Bridge (1951) – Los Alamos, NM = 443 feet

20. Jeremiah Morrow Bridge (2016) – Fort Ancient, OH = 440 feet

21. Vance Creek Bridge (1929/closed 1970s) – Shelton, WA = 422 feet

22. Rex T. Barber Veterans Memorial Bridge (2000) – Jefferson County, OR = 410 feet

23. Moyie River Canyon Bridge (1965) – Moyie Springs, ID = 377 feet

24. Thomas Creek Bridge (1961) – Curry County, OR = 371 feet

_______

By height above the water/ground (feet) – minimum 350′:

  1. Royal Gorge Bridge (1929) – Canon City, CO = 955 feet

2. Tillman Memorial Bridge (2010) – Boulder City, NV/AZ = 890 feet

3. New River Gorge Bridge (1977) – Summerville, WV = 876 feet

4. Foresthill Bridge (1973) – North Auburn, CA = 730 feet

5-6. Glen Canyon Dam Bridge (1959) – Page, AZ and Glade Creek Bridge (1988) – Beckley, WV = 700 feet

7. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (1965) – Taos, NM = 565 feet

8. Fred G. Redmon Bridge (1971) – Yakima County, WA = 549 feet

9. Perrine Bridge (1976) – Twin Falls. ID = 486 feet

10. Navajo Bridge – new (1995) – AZ = 470 feet

11. Navajo Bridge – old (1929) – AZ = 467 feet

12-13. Pine Valley Creek Bridge – south span (1974) – San Diego, CA and Pine Valley Creek Bridge – north span (1974) – San Diego, CA = 450 feet

14. Moyie River Canyon Bridge (1965) – Moyie Springs, ID = 424 feet

15. Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge (1964) – Santa Barbara County, CA = 400 feet

16-17. Burro Creek Bridge – new (2005) – Wikieup, AZ and Burro Creek Bridge – old (1966) – Wikieup, AZ = 388 feet

18. High Steel Bridge (1929) – Mason County, WA = 375 feet

19. Hoffstadt Creek Bridge (1994) – Cowlitz County, WA = 371 feet

20. Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (1962) – Niagara Falls, NY/ON = 370 feet

21. Hansen Bridge (1966) – Twin Falls, ID = 350 feet

Glen Canyon Dam Bridge – photo by author

If these bridges fascinate you too, here is a newly released book (August 2023) that is available through Amazon.com.*

Weblink – Navajo Bridge

*A small commission is earned from purchases that are made using the above link to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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