The Bridges of Mason County, State Washington: the Vance Creek Bridge and the High Steel Bridge.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Vance Creek Bridge is officially closed to the public. Visitors will be ticketed for trespassing.
Less than a two hour drive from Seattle, nestled in old growth forest of the southeast corner of Washington's Olympic Peninsula, you can check out two old bridges: the Vance Creek Railway Bridge and the High Steel Bridge. Both bridges were built in 1929 by the Simpson Logging Company. They helped timber companies gain access to some of the best logging in America. Towering old growth forests once stood on the other side of the steep hills of the southern Olympic Peninsula and the bridges allowed for quick work of the once pristine forests. Once the logging industry started declining in the 1970's, the Vance Creek Bridge was abandoned and eventually forgotten. The High steel bridge is now in use as a single lane vehicle bridge.
The Vance Creek Bridge is the second tallest railway trestle in America. And it is still a sight to behold. It was 347 feet over a part of the Skokomish River and spanned 422 feet across it.
Today the Vance Creek Bridge is a popular place for hikers and thrillseekers. Although it's technically located on private property, that hasn't stopped curiosity-seekers to visit, even though walking across the bridge is pretty damn dangerous. The railway ties range from four inches apart to as much as a foot, so it's not the safest bridge to span.
Save yourself the trip, fuel and a ticket and stay away from this area. Possibly in the future it will be low-key enough to visit again.
Better test your mettle on the High Steel Bridge, that stands 420 feet above the South Fork of the Skokomish River and is quite impressive to stand on. With guardrails, looking over the bridge is extremely safe, though anyone should use caution while looking over the edge. Staring down over 400 feet, look for the narrow falls with a drop of about 125 feet. It is best viewed in winter and early spring when the small watershed above has sufficient runoff to deliver to the falls. It may be running sparsely, or near dry, by early summer into the early fall before rains restore the flow.
Rumored to be the highest bridge build for the US rail line, the easy access and incredibly views from the High Steel Bridge make it a great quick stop for visitors of all ages and abilities.
LOCATION
Latitude : 47.3679
Longitude : - 123.2816
South Fork Skokomish River 9.8 miles from US Highway 101 north of Shelton.
Getting there:
From Hwy 101 north of Shelton, take the Skokomish Valley Road for five miles to FS Road #23. Go 2.4 miles to FS Road #2340, and follow it for another 2.4 miles. Park on either end of the narrow bridge crossing the gorge.
Photo and video were taken by iPhone 6s. Video created with iMovie.
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Негізгі бет Trip to the Vance Creek Bridge and the High Steel bridge, Mason County, Wa, USA.
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