Kinzua Bridge in
Allegheny National Forest, Western Pennsylvania is
very cool & well worth a visit - both for adults and kids (
see also).
The park is busy during the day, but I photographed most of these images at first light in early August, and was the only one in the whole park at the time.
When the bridge was originally completed in 1882, it was the tallest and longest railroad bridge in the world at 2,053 feet long and 301 feet high. It was advertised as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
In 2003 the bridge was partially destroyed by a tornado. In 2011 it was reinvented as a pedestrian walkway where visitors can walk out 600 feet on the remaining support towers to view Kinzua Gorge from an overlook platform.
There is also a trail that goes down to Kinzua Creek, where visitors can view the bridge wreckage.
The visitor center at the bridge has some interesting & interactive exhibits that cover both the history of the bridge & the local wildlife (esp. the Barred Owl !!).
Also of interest in this area: the
Rim Rock Trail & Overlook,
Kinzua Dam,
Kinzua Beach and
Jakes Rocks.
