A former railroad bridge that carried trains until a 1974 fire ended that, now a mile-and-a-quarter, car-free span 212 feet above the river connecting Highland and Poughkeepsie, with nothing between you and the Hudson and the Catskills on the horizon in every direction.
Heads upFree admission; no entry fees. Busy on weekends, especially during fall foliage season. Best visited on clear days for optimal views. Connects to other trail systems on both sides. Windy conditions possible due to elevation. Dogs welcome on leash.
This bridge dates to 1889, when it briefly ranked as the longest of its kind. Trains crossed it for 85 years until a May 1974 fire, sparked by braking systems and worsened by a standpipe frozen and burst from winter, burned through 700 feet of decking and ended rail service. The bridge sat empty for three decades, reopening as a pedestrian walkway in October 2009.
At 6,800 feet long and about 212 feet above the water, walking or biking across puts you above the river and treetops at once, moving at a pace no train ever could. Benches line the route for stopping and looking. Interpretive signs mark the bridge's railroad history. On clear days, 360-degree views spread across the valley and into the Catskills.
The bridge connects Highland on the west and Poughkeepsie on the east, each with parking. On the Poughkeepsie side, a glass elevator at Upper Landing Park lifts you straight up from the waterfront to deck level, a short walk from Metro-North; it runs seasonally and closes in high wind or lightning. The entire span is fully ADA-compliant and open to walkers and cyclists.