General information
The curving, 620-foot Ohiople Low Bridge offers great views of tiny Ohiopyle, the crashing Ohiopyle Falls, and beautiful Ferncliff Peninsula, as it carries the Great Allegheny Passage 30 feet over the Youghiogheny River. Just a third of a mile away, the 663-foot Ohiopyle High Bridge soars back over the Youghiogheny River, now 115 feet below. The high bridge is a popular place to watch rafters run a stretch of Class III and IV whitewater, including the aptly named “Railroad Rapid,” as they paddle through Ohiopyle State Park.
Construction
The Ohiopyle Low Bridge was built in 1999 on the piers of its predecessor, which had been completed in 1912 for the Western Maryland Railway. This newer bridge is the longest bowstring truss bridge in Pennsylvania. The Ohiopyle High Bridge dates back to 1912, and is a deck girder bridge that once carried trains for the Western Maryland Railway.
Visiting
The bridges are open dawn to dusk, and the nearest parking is along the GAP, adjacent to the former train station in Ohiopyle. Great views from both bridges are available year-round.