Old Trails Bridge

Old Trails Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Old Trails Bridge in September 2002
Old Trails Bridge Show map of Arizona Old Trails Bridge Show map of the United States Old Trails Bridge Show map of California Old Trails Bridge Show map of the United States
Location	Abandoned US 66 over the Colorado River, south of Tiprock, Arizona United States
Coordinates	34°42′57″N 114°29′5″W
Area	0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built	1915-16
Built by	Sourwine, S.A.; Et al.
Architectural style	Brace-ribbed through arch
MPS	Vehicular Bridges in Arizona MPS
NRHP reference No.	88001676[1]
Added to NRHP	September 30, 1988

The Old Trails Bridge is a historic bridge over the Colorado River in San Bernardino County and Mohave County in the United States, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).[1] It has also been known as Topock Bridge and as Needles Bridge.[2][3]

Description and history

View of the Old Trails Bridge in the 1920s, from Arizona

The bridge carried a now-abandoned section of the former U.S. Route 66 across from southeast of Needles, California to south of Topock, Arizona. It is a brace-ribbed through arch bridge that was built in 1915–1916.[4] It served as a highway bridge until 1947 when the Red Rock Bridge, formerly a railroad bridge, was modified for highway use. The Old Trails Bridge was later converted to a pipeline bridge.

It was listed on the NRHP on September 30, 1988.[1][4]

The bridge has been seen in a number of blockbuster films including The Grapes of Wrath and Easy Rider.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Mohave County, Arizona
• National Register of Historic Places listings in San Bernardino County, California

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "CHS.J3009". digital.denverlibrary.org. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
3. "Old Trails Arch Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
4. Clayton B. Fraser (April 1, 1987). "HABS/HAER Inventory: Old Trails Bridge / Topock Bridge / Needles Bridge". National Park Service. and accompanying photos

External links

• Photo at Flickr, in higher resolution