Why Arizona Turned Its Historic 1929 Navajo Bridge Into The Desert’s Most Dramatic Sky Walk

Arizona’s Original Navajo Bridge

Scared of heights? Maybe skip Arizona’s wild idea to turn a historic 1929 bridge into the state’s most nail-biting skywalking spot.

The OG Navajo Bridge now serves up Grand Canyon views that’ll have your knees wobbling 470 feet above the Colorado River. But if you can stomach it, the Navajo Bridge is worth it.

There Used to Be Only One Way Across

Before the bridge showed up in 1929, your only option for crossing the Colorado River was Lee’s Ferry. The ferry service was established in 1873 and operated until 1928. It was basically a wooden boat that might or might not make it across, depending on how high the water was running that day.

Several fatal accidents have happened here over the years. No wonder everyone was stoked when the bridge finally opened.

The Bridge Can Expand and Contract

You wouldn’t think a massive steel bridge would be flexible, but this one is.

The bridge can actually expand and contract up to 14 inches with temperature changes. That’s more than a foot of wiggle room. It has to be that flexible because temperature swings in the Arizona desert can be wild, sometimes changing by 50 degrees in a single day.

It’s Actually a Bridge Twin

In 1995, engineers built a second bridge right next to the original one. The old bridge was simply too skinny and not equipped to handle the weight of modern vehicles.

The original bridge was only 18 feet wide, which was barely enough room for two Model T’s to squeeze past each other.

The new bridge is a whopping 28 feet wide, perfect for those big rigs cruising down Highway 89A.

Condors Love This Place

California condors, which are basically flying dinosaurs with their 9.5-foot wingspans, use the bridges as their personal sunbathing spot.

These massive birds love to perch on the steel beams, especially in the morning when they’re waiting for warm air currents to rise up from the canyon.

They Used the Cantilever Method for Construction

Building the first bridge was absolutely wild. Workers had to balance on narrow beams 470 feet above the river, while constructing the arch from both sides at once, aka the cantilever method.

They used huge cables to hold everything in place until the two sides could meet in the middle. Kind of like building two halves of a massive Lego set and hoping they’d line up perfectly.

It Was One of the World’s Highest Steel Bridges

When it opened in 1929, the Navajo Bridge was one of the highest steel arch bridges on the planet. At 470 feet above the river, it was like stacking 47 school buses on top of each other.

While it’s no longer the record holder, that’s still high enough to make your stomach do flip-flops when you look down.

The Original Bridge Cost Less Than a Remodel

The whole project cost $390,000 back in 1929. That’s about the price of a nice kitchen remodel today.

Of course, if you adjust for inflation, it’s more like $6 million, but still pretty cheap for something that’s been standing for almost 100 years.

It Monitors The Earth’s Vibrations

The bridge is packed with 24 hidden seismic sensors that can detect movement as tiny as 0.1 millimeters. That’s about the width of a human hair.

These super-sensitive devices help engineers make sure the bridge stays safe and sturdy.

You Can Walk on the Navajo Bridge

The original 1929 bridge is now a pedestrian walkway, which means you can take your sweet time walking across and looking down at the Colorado River rushing by 470 feet below.

Just don’t drop your phone while taking that perfect Instagram shot – it’s a loooong way down.