Arizona has no shortage of beautiful and historic bridges worth crossing, and two of them can be found in the iconic Grand Canyon. The only suspension bridges within hundreds of miles in any direction, Black Bridge and Silver Bridge offer exhilarating journeys over the Colorado River. Just remember one very important thing: don’t look down!
Located within 700 meters of one another, Silver Bridge and Black Bridge are both suspension bridges in the inner Grand Canyon.
Flickr/James Marvin Phelps Even more impressive, they’re the only suspension bridges for hundreds of river miles in any direction!
Pictured here is Silver Bridge, which crosses the Colorado River along the 10-mile Bright Angel Trail.
Flickr - NPS Photo/M. Quinn Built in the late 1960s, Silver Bridge connects the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch and the North Rim.
Spanning just over 500 feet, Silver Bridge is open to pedestrian traffic only.
Flickr/Len Hardy In addition to serving as one of the most important thoroughfares in the park, the bridge serves another, equally vital purpose.
Silver Bridge provides a support structure for the transcanyon water pipeline, which pumps 500,000 gallons of water per day from Roaring Springs to Grand Canyon Village.
Flickr/NPS Photo This pipeline is the lifeblood of tourism in the canyon, as without it, there would be no way to supply the millions of annual visitors with drinking water. Something to think about while you’re making the exhilarating trek across the bridge!
Black Bridge, also known as the Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge, is part of the seven-mile South Kaibab Trail.
Wikimedia Commons/Fredlyfish4 While both trails lead to the Colorado River, the South Kaibab Trail stops at Skeleton Point mid-hike, offering 360-degree panoramas of the surrounding canyonlands.
A hair shorter than Silver Bridge, Black Bridge is 440 feet long from end to end and dangles a heart-pounding 70 feet above the water.
Flickr/Alan Levine Built in 1928, the bridge has provided both humans and mules relatively easy access to Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch for nearly a century.
If you dare look down while crossing the bridge, you’ll likely see kayakers enjoying a paddling trip downstream.
Flickr - NPS Photo/Michael Quinn River rafting trips often stop off here to re-up on drinking water and exchange passengers, so it’s definitely a bustling place - by Grand Canyon standards, at least, which isn’t saying much given its remote nature!
Click here to learn more about Black Bridge, and here for more information about Silver Bridge.
Flickr/James Marvin Phelps
Even more impressive, they’re the only suspension bridges for hundreds of river miles in any direction!
Flickr - NPS Photo/M. Quinn
Built in the late 1960s, Silver Bridge connects the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch and the North Rim.
Flickr/Len Hardy
In addition to serving as one of the most important thoroughfares in the park, the bridge serves another, equally vital purpose.
Flickr/NPS Photo
This pipeline is the lifeblood of tourism in the canyon, as without it, there would be no way to supply the millions of annual visitors with drinking water. Something to think about while you’re making the exhilarating trek across the bridge!
Wikimedia Commons/Fredlyfish4
While both trails lead to the Colorado River, the South Kaibab Trail stops at Skeleton Point mid-hike, offering 360-degree panoramas of the surrounding canyonlands.
Flickr/Alan Levine
Built in 1928, the bridge has provided both humans and mules relatively easy access to Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch for nearly a century.
Flickr - NPS Photo/Michael Quinn
River rafting trips often stop off here to re-up on drinking water and exchange passengers, so it’s definitely a bustling place - by Grand Canyon standards, at least, which isn’t saying much given its remote nature!
Have you ever crossed either Silver or Black Bridge? If so, we’d love to hear all about your experience in the comments section below! Don’t forget to check out our previous article to learn more about the South Kaibab Trail.
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Address: South Kaibab Trail, S Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon Village, AZ, USAAddress: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, USA
