Yosemite's Swinging Bridge used to be an actual swinging bridge. Prior to 1965, an actual swinging bridge spanned the Merced River just west of Yosemite Valley Lodge. It swung enough that a few strong adventure-seekers could bounce and rock the bridge enough side to side to require others to lay down or cling to the railings to keep from being thrown unceremoniously into the water below. Even without young rascals complicating the crossing, making your way across the narrow bridge was an adventure on its own, and many relished the challenge. Unfortunately, the bridge’s fragility wasn’t just in the mind of the visitors. Yosemite’s Swinging Bridge went through a couple of incarnations as spring floods repeatedly damaged or washed the bridge away. In 1965, the National Park Service decided to build a bridge made to last. The new construction was much wider and not nearly as adventurous as previous versions. Although it still bears the old name, the bridge itself no longer swings. Swinging Bridge also continues to provide excellent views of Yosemite Falls, and Sentinel Rock. Although this doesn’t qualify as one of Yosemite Valley’s historic bridges due to its more recent construction, it still provides an opportunity to gaze down into the Merced River’s crystal clear waters and listen to the powerful song of the river.
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California. The valley is about 7.5 miles (12 km) long and approximately 3000-3500 feet deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines. The valley is drained by the Merced River, and a multitude of streams and waterfalls flow into it, including Tenaya, Illilouette, Yosemite and Bridalveil Creeks. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America, and is a big attraction especially in the spring when the water flow is at its peak. The valley is renowned for its natural environment, and is regarded as the centerpiece of Yosemite National Park, attracting visitors from around the world.
