Bridges in Midcoast Maine

Battered by the Atlantic Ocean, Maine's rugged coastline is home to countless estuaries, inlets, bays and coves. While former generations risked the waves and elements to cross those affected by fluctuations of tidal waters, a variety of bridges built in the 1900s provide a safer alternative. The bridges along Maine's midcoastal region have distinctive architecture and history, making them noteworthy places to visit along the way.

View From the Top

• Fort Knox State Historic Site houses Maine's largest historic fort built entirely of granite. The historic site also provides the gateway to visit the observatory tower on Penobscot Narrows Bridge, 35 miles north of Camden. The bridge stretches 2,120 feet across the Penobscot River with a high-tech design that includes epoxy-coated steel, carbon fiber and a cradle suspension system. A glass observatory situated on one of the bridge's towers rises 42 stories, allowing visitors to see more than 100 miles in any direction.

Gateway to the Islands

• Deer Isle lies 20 miles east of Rockland by water, and ferry was once the only way to travel between the two points. In 1939, the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge spanned the Eggemoggin to the nearest part of the mainland -- Sedgwick -- allowing its residents to travel back and forth by car along State Route 15. The suspension bridge required an under clearance of 85 feet to allow yachts to pass, resulting in a steep, 6.5 percent grade on each end and a 400-foot arch in the middle of the bridge.

Million Dollar Views

• The Fore River divides the city of Portland from South Portland, making a bridge between the two cities essential for travel. The earliest version of the bridge was built from wood and rose a mere 4 feet above the water, with a drawbridge that allowed ships to pass. This simple structure gave way to an elaborate concrete drawbridge known as the "Million Dollar Bridge" -- so named for the cost of its construction in 1916. After 80 years, the towering concrete arches began to crumble, and a larger, modern bridge replaced it. Although the structure crosses the Fore River, it's known as the Casco Bay Bridge in celebration of the view as you drive over it.

Backwater Babbs

• While most of Maine's covered bridges are located in the western part of the state, Babbs Bridge lies on the western edge of the Portland area in South Windham. Built in 1864, the wooden bridge met its demise in 1973 when vandals set it on fire. An exact replica stands in its place, stretching 79 feet over the Presumpscott River in a single span. Drive across the bridge on Covered Bridge Road, provided that your vehicle's clearance is less than 10-feet high.

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Suspended Walking Bridges in Georgia

The Appalachian Mountains stretch into northern Georgia, endowing the landscape with dramatic gorges, raging rivers and steep valleys. Throughout the region, suspension bridges afford panoramic views of waterfalls, rock formations, woods and other scenery. While you have to pay to access most privately owned bridges, those on public lands often link hiking trails, providing you with more opportunities to explore the lush Georgia environment on foot.

Traveling Over Toccoa

• Near Blue Ridge, just south of the border with Tennessee and North Carolina, you can find the longest swinging suspension bridge east of the Mississippi. The Toccoa River Swinging Bridge spans 270 feet across the Toccoa River, and you can reach it by walking a few minutes from parking areas on both the north and south sides. The Benton MacKaye and Duncan Ridge hiking trails also cross the footbridge. Access is free.

Tallulah Gorgeousness

• Tallulah Gorge State Park in northeastern Georgia surrounds a 1,000-foot-deep, 2-mile gorge and has a suspension bridge that crosses 80 feet above the Tallulah River. Park rangers sometimes lead full-moon hikes to the bridge; you can find a schedule on the park’s website. During hunting season -- mid-September through December -- you should wear reflective orange if you plan to hike. You must pay a nominal fee to enter the park.

Botanical Bridge

• When you visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden, you can stroll along the 600-foot Canopy Walk suspension bridge, which reaches an elevation of 40 feet. The bridge crosses through the Storza Woods, a mature, 15-acre hardwood forest that includes beech, black cherry, dogwood, maple oak and other trees. You must pay an admission fee to access the garden's grounds.

Lullwater Link

• In Decatur, the Lullwater Bridge runs 210 feet over Peachtree Creek’s South Fork. The bridge, part of Emory University’s Lullwater Estate, serves as a pedestrian route for researchers, doctors and students traveling between the university campus and the Veterans Administration Hospital. You can visit the bridge anytime between dawn and dusk.

Chicopee Charm

• The Elachee Nature Science Center in Gainesville, northeast of Atlanta, has a 150-foot suspension bridge. The bridge spans Walnut Creek and connects hiking trails on the center’s east and west sides. You don't have to pay admission to hike the Elachee's 10 miles of trails, which which pass around Chicopee Lake, through forests and wetlands, and over the suspension bridge.

Scenic Swing-a-Long

• At Rock City Gardens in Lookout Mountain, just over the border from Chattanooga, you can cross the 180-foot-long Swing-a-Long suspension bridge. During your visit, you can also climb to an overlook with views of seven states, see geological formations along a self-guided trail, and tour gardens filled with native plants and trees. Rock City Gardens is a privately owned, and you must purchase a ticket to access the premises.

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