THE SWINGING BRIDGE

7.29.23. Wednesday

It was a 13 hour trip through Michigan’s sunshine and Minnesota’s driving rain to get to this bridge and the place I’d spend my first Minnesotan night. It's known as The Swinging Bridge and is in Jay Cooke State Park. 

The first long leg of this trip has been checked off.✅

In 1924, a pedestrian suspension bridge was built by the CCC across this 220’ wide gorge, which is just down stream from potential annual torrential spring flooding. Based on river flow data and historic photos it may have flooded every year between 1924 and 1940. And every year it was either repaired or replaced.This is the 5th full version of the bridge which spans the width of the St. Louis River in Jay Cooke SP outside of Duluth, MN. 

Even though the bridge has been raised an extra 7.5’ above the water making it about 30’ above it, this past April the spring melt was so mighty the bridge was closed for 4 days as the flood waters breached it again. 

The gorge is made up of tilted and folded over slate and (new to me) greywacke, a type of sandstone. These unique rock formations are not seen anywhere else in the state. Worth the drive. 

I walked across the bridge, which I counted as a brave thing as…I do.not.do.heights… of any kind. That was hard for me. Then I sat in on a porcupine presentation which I could have added loads to having had a team of 13 prey driven Alaskan huskies who relentlessly tried introducing themselves to every porcupine they ever met. But I refrained and remained impressed with every piece of info given. It was quite interesting.

I set up housekeeping in site #30. I was warm and snug as the rain remained relentless through the night in this drop dead gorgeous corner of the universe.

Tomorrow I meet up with Marci.