A new, wider pedestrian bridge opened at Smith Rock State Park Friday afternoon after eight weeks of closures. This means visitors can once again access the River Trail, Misery Ridge, Mesa Verde, Summit Trail, Wolftree Trail and Burma Road Trail.
The bridge is eight feet wide. Oregon State Parks says it will allow more access for emergency equipment to get across if someone is in need of rescuing.
The old bridge was nearly 50 years old.
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“Smith Rock State Park is thrilled to have a beautiful footbridge that will increase safety and serve the public well into the future. The new bridge will accommodate the increased visitation by allowing for two-way traffic across the river, and it will continue to provide critical access to the park’s main climbing and hiking areas for many years to come,” said Park Manager Matt Davey in a statement.
The re-0pening was delayed last month after one of the three main support beams broke while being delivered down the windy access road into the Crooked River canyon.
