The Big Trestle
Lacking time to fill the ravine before you,
Union Pacific crews built the bridge shown
in the photo. One reporter said that nothing
he could write "would convey an idea of the
flimsy character of that structure."
You can still see the abutements, and across
the canyon, the bedrock shelves where the
log uprights were placed.
The trestle, about 400 feet long and 85 feet
high, took 38 days to build. It was completed
May 5, 1869, and used for about 6 months.
Afterwards the Big Fill, just up the canyon,
was used for the permanent route.
Don't miss the rest of our virtual tour of Golden Spike National Historical Site in 660 images.