This article originally appeared in the October 2024 edition of Town&Gown magazine.
Did you know that, not too far away from Centre County, up in the Pennsylvania Wilds, there is a bridge that used to be considered the “eighth wonder of the world?”
Well, check that; there are ruins of a bridge that used to be considered the “eighth wonder of the world.”
That is because parts of the once mighty Kinzua Bridge (also known as the Kinzua Viaduct) are on the ground after a tornado destroyed the impressive structure back in 2003, sending parts of it airborne before a crash that must have shaken the ground.
Now, the ruins are an impressive sight to see at Kinzua Bridge State Park, and a skywalk over the remaining portion of the bridge might test your fear of heights while providing magnificent views of both the forested mountain area around and the ruins below. After all, when it opened, the Kinzua Bridge was the tallest railroad bridge in the world.
Pretty cool, huh? And Kinzua Bridge State Park is only a two-hour drive from State College, up through Pennsylvania Wilds to the north in McKean County. Perfect for a short fall day getaway.
I have always wanted to go, but alas, those of you who were hoping to see photos of my dog, Peggy, up on the skywalk of the bridge are out of luck because we have not made it out that way as of yet. But, if we want to go, we better do it soon, because the ruins are undergoing renovations and will be closed for most of the next three years beginning in November.
But don’t fret if you are interested in going, because October is the perfect time to make it out to the park, just in time for the spectacular fall foliage and before the start of the renovation project.
And, if you can’t make it out by this October, don’t worry too much. While the skywalk may be off limits as crews work to make repairs, the rest of the park will be open while construction is going on.
Plus, during the three-year renovation, the skywalk will be open again during portions of the 2025 fall foliage season. Keep an eye on the park’s website for updates.
Now, maybe you are a little unsure about walking out onto a 100-plus-year-old bridge that is in need of renovations. But the bridge was declared structurally sound and is currently safe.
The renovations are just to ensure that the bridge will remain that way for history and nature lovers for years to come (come on, you know the state would not let people go out on an unsafe structure). The crews will also be making some enhancements to the visitor experience, like replacing the plexiglass along the skywalk that has become foggy over the years.
So, if you are brave enough to walk out on the bridge and skywalk before renovations begin, maybe I’ll see you out there this October with all the other leaf peepers. Until then, let’s take a little look at the history of the Kinzua Bridge before we go, thanks to informationprovided by the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources.
It was in 1881 that construction of the iron viaduct bridge got started, and it was completed in 1882. At the time it was the highest railroad viaduct in the world at 301 feet high. It spanned 2,053 feet and weighed a whopping 3,105,000 pounds (that is a lot of iron).
The bridge was erected over Kinzua Creek Valley to avoid laying an additional eight miles of track over some challenging terrain to get around it (and it must be pretty challenging if you are building a three-million-pound bridge to avoid it).
It wasn’t too long, though, before the timber, coal, and oil that was being transported on the line was being hauled by heavier trains. A stronger material than iron was needed.
So, in 1900, a hundred men working ten-hour shifts rebuilt the entire structure with steel. It took them 105 days—it is hard to believe they could do that so quickly. The new, stronger structure had the same dimensions but now weighed 6,706,000 pounds (that is a lot of steel).
Fast forward a little over half a century, and, due to changing times, freight traffic on the line discontinued. But, what to do about this amazing structure? Well, in 1963 Governor William Scranton signed a law to create Kinzua Bridge State Park, which opened in 1970.
Starting in 1987, passenger trains began taking tourists through the Allegheny State Forest, starting in Marienville and stopping on Kinzua Viaduct before going back south.
Then, in 2002 inspectors found sections of steel that were rusted through, and the bridge was closed to all traffic, including pedestrians. In February 2003, crews began working to restore the viaduct and preserve history.
Sadly, it wasn’t too long after that the F1 tornado did its damage on July 21, 2003, leaving the once mighty structure in ruins.
The current skywalk was built on six of the restored original viaduct towers, opening in September of 2011. The observation deck stands 225 feet high and gives us all a glimpse into the mighty past and the beautiful present of Kinzua Valley.
I hope to get out there this fall before crews get to work on restoring an interesting piece of Pennsylvania history for the future. I am grateful they are doing it. T&G
Vincent Corso loves exploring the outdoors in central Pennsylvania and beyond.
