Bridge to Nowhere (San Gabriel Mountains)
| Bridge to Nowhere | |
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The Bridge to Nowhere in the San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California
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| Coordinates | 34°16′59″N 117°44′48″W / 34.28306°N 117.74667°WCoordinates: 34°16′59″N 117°44′48″W / 34.28306°N 117.74667°W |
| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Crosses | San Gabriel River |
| Locale | San Gabriel Mountains, California |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | open spandrel arch |
| Clearance below | 120 feet (37 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1936 |
 Bridge to Nowhere
Location in California
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The Bridge to Nowhere is an arch bridge that was built in 1936 north of Azusa, California in the San Gabriel Mountains. It spans the East Fork of the San Gabriel River and was meant to be part of a road connecting the San Gabriel Valley with Wrightwood.
The East Fork Road was still under construction when it was washed out during the great flood of March 1–2, 1938. The East Fork Road project was abandoned as a result of the floods, leaving the bridge forever stranded in the middle of what is now the Sheep Mountain Wilderness.
Parts of the old asphalt roadway can still be found along the East Fork Trail which leads to the bridge, and there are still a number of concrete slabs which formed the foundations of destroyed bridges to the west of the Bridge to Nowhere. Indeed, the sign along the trail 30 feet east of the John Seals Bridge which announces the start of the Sheep Mountain Wilderness is resting on the old roadbed.
Currently there is a major rock fall at approximately 1.56 miles in along the trail at North 34 degrees 15.440, West 117 degrees 45.053, at 2271 feet altitude which poses a significant safety hazard to climb over. Additionally there is a cornice overhang remaining that is poised to come down and there is more friable San Gabriel granite to the right of the calving which is poised to come down. The United States Forest Service is looking at the problem with the San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders to determine what can be done about the hazard. As it is, safe passage through 50 meters of trail covered by the rock fall requires the crossing of the river two additional times.
The bridge is only accessible via a 10-mile round-trip hike or on horseback. Despite its popularity, the frequency with which the trails get washed out means that they are rough in places. The trail following the riverbed crosses the East Fork six times between the bridge and the trailhead. Generally, one follows the river up its course, with several stream crossings before the ascent to the level of the bridge.
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Wikipedia