The Strangest, Most Intriguing, and Dangerous Bridges Found Around The World

Published on September 1, 2022
Bridges are critical constructions that help us pass over terrain that would otherwise be impossible to navigate. While we all want to believe that the engineers in charge of building these structures, there are plenty that are actually not structurally sound, with one in ten bridges in the U.S. being categorized as “structurally deficient.” Doesn’t that just sound absolutely terrifying? Try not to think about that the next time you’re on a bridge. Here are some of the most scary looking, height-defying bridges all around the world.

The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado

While visiting the Royal Gorge in Colorado, you can visit the amusement park that’s located there, or you can just traverse across the Royal Gorge bridge, which will be just as thrilling of an experience. It is built 959 feet above the Arkansas River and is the tallest suspension bridge in the U.S.

The Royal Gorge Bridge In Colorado

The Royal Gorge Bridge In Colorado

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana bridges Metairie and Mandeville together. However, once you get on, there’s no turning back until you’ve crossed the 24 mile causeway from one side to the other. Make sure you have enough gas in your tank and pray that you won’t need a restroom while in the middle of the journey.

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Lake Pontchartrain Causeway In Louisiana

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway In Louisiana

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The Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida

As Florida is a peninsula, it means that the majority of the state is surrounded by water. That’s why there are so many bridges in Florida, including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge that spans across Lower Tampa Bay in order to connect St. Petersburg to Terra Ceia. It stretches over 4.14 miles and features 4 lanes.

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The Sunshine Skyway Bridge In Florida

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge In Florida

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Puente de Ojuela in Mexico

The Puente de Ojuela located in the Mexican state of Durango is located by the Ojuela Goldmine. It was finished in 1898 and later restored in 1991 as a tourist attraction. It spans over 271.5 meters and is only used for pedestrian crossings.

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Puente De Ojuela In Mexico

Puente De Ojuela In Mexico

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Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand

The Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge is located in the Otago region in South Island of New Zealand. It’s mostly used by the AJ Hackett Bungy Company for bungy jumping but is also used for pedestrians, runners, and bikers to cross over the Kawarau River as a part of the Queenstown Trail.

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Kawarau Bridge In New Zealand

Kawarau Bridge In New Zealand

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Trift Bridge in Switzerland

The Trift Bridge located in the Swiss Alps is a pedestrian only suspension bridge that spans over Lake Triftsee, found near Gadmen, Switzerland. About 20,000 visitors come to the area in order to see the Trift Glacier. The Trift Bridge is one of the highest and longest pedestrian bridges found in the Alps.

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Trift Bridge In Switzerland

Trift Bridge In Switzerland

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Titlis Cliff Walk in Switzerland

The Titlis Cliff Walk is a pedestrian bridge that is suspended along the cliff of Mount Titlis, located in the Swiss Alps. It spans over 320 feet but is just 3 feet wide! The bridge was designed as part of the celebration for the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Engelberg-Gerschnialp funicular railway in January 2013.

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Mount Titlis In Switzerland

Titlis Cliff Walk In Switzerland

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Montenegro Rainforest Bridge in Costa Rica

The Montenegro Rainforest Bridge is a suspension bridge found in Costa Rica. It takes you across the Montenegro Rainforest, which is one of the most diverse rainforests in the world. The wooden bridge is actually missing a lot of rungs, which makes crossing a bit precarious and pretty scary to do. Don’t take a wrong step here!

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Montenegro Rainforest In Costa Rica

Montenegro Rainforest Bridge In Costa Rica

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Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in North Ireland

The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is found near Ballintoy in County Antrim. It connects Carrickarede island to the mainland. It stretches over 66 feet and is hanging 98 feet above the rocks underneath. It’s now mainly used as a tourist attraction and is maintained by the National Trust.

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Carrick A Rede Rope Bridge In North Ireland

Carrick A Rede Rope Bridge In North Ireland

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Hussaini Hanging Bridge in Pakistan

The Hussaini Hanging Bridge in Hunza, Pakistan is often described as the most dangerous bridge in the world, as it is made of ropes and planks of wood and sways as you cross. The original bridge was actually swept away in a monsoon that happened in 2011, but it was rebuilt. The precarious bridge is 635 feet long.

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Hussaini Hanging Bridge In Pakistan

Hussaini Hanging Bridge In Pakistan

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Ai Petri Bridge in Ukraine

The Ai Petri Bridge is located in the Ai-Petri mountain area, whose name originates from the Greek name for Saint Peter. The hanging bridge is made of rope and wooden planks and is suspended precariously between two peaks of the Ai-Petri mountain. It doesn’t help that this is one of the windiest locations in the region.

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Ai Petri Bridge In Ukraine

Ai Petri Bridge In Ukraine

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The Bridge of Immortals in China

You can find the Bridge of the Immortals in Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain range in the southern Angui province in Eastern China. It is suspended between two massive, granite peaks that only true daredevils are willing to traverse across. It is also known as the Fairy Bridge and is located 4330 above sea level.

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The Bridge Of Immortals In China

The Bridge Of Immortals In China

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Iya Kazurabashi Bridge in Japan

To cross the river in the Iya Valley, you can walk across suspension bridges that are made of mountain vines, called kazurabashi. The largest is Iya Kazurabashi, which spans across 147.7 feet across the Iya River and gives you a view of the water 45 feet below. The bridge is rebuilt every 3 years, is anchored to cedar trees on both sides and is reinforced with steel cables hidden in the vines.

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Iya Kazurabashi Bridge In Japan

Iya Kazurabashi Bridge In Japan

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Keshwa Chaca Bridge in Peru

The Keshwa Chaca Bridge is the last Inca rope bridge that remains. It’s made up of grass ropes and crosses over the Apurimac River located near Huinchiri in the Quehue District of the Canas Province of Peru. There is a newer, modern bridge nearby, but this one is preserved for historical purposes and is renewed each year. In 2021, due to lack of maintenance caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bridge collapsed, but was rebuilt within a few weeks.

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Keshwa Chaca Bridge In Peru

Keshwa Chaca Bridge In Peru

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U Bein Bridge in Myanmar

The U Bein Bridge spans across the Taungthaman Lake in Amarapura, Myanmar. The bridge spans across 0.75 mile and was first built in 1850. It is thought to be the oldest teakwood bridge found in the world. The bridge has been damaged throughout the year due to flooding but there are plans in place to restore and repair it.

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U Bein Bridge In Myanmar

U Bein Bridge In Myanmar

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Deosai Bridge in Pakistan

The Deosai Bridge can be found in Pakistan. Deosai, called the rooftop of the world, is the highest plateau in Pakistan and the second highest plateau in the world. The bridge connects Deosai National Park to Skardu.

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Deosai Bridge In Pakistan

Deosai Bridge In Pakistan

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Ko Paen Bamboo Bridge in Cambodia

The Ko Paen Bamboo Bridge connects Kampong Cham city to the island of Ko Paen. It is a seasonal bridge that is rebuilt each year and it allows cars and pedestrians to cross over the Mekong river when levels are too low for a ferry to cross. When rains make the river swell, the bridge gets damaged and eventually washed away.

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Ko Paen Bamboo Bridge In Cambodia

Ko Paen Bamboo Bridge In Cambodia

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Monkey Bridges in Vietnam

The Monkey Bridges in Vietnam are traditional bridges made of bamboo or wood in order to bridge areas between rivers or gullies. Sometimes they’re made of just one piece of wood and can include handrails but sometimes not. They are commonly found in the Mekong Delta.

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Monkey Bridges In Vietnam

Monkey Bridges In Vietnam

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Root Bridges in India

Living root bridges are simple suspension bridges that are formed with actually living plant roots by a practice called tree shaping. They’re commonly found in the southern area of Meghalaya in Northeastern India. They are made by the Khasi and Jaintia people from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees.

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Root Bridges In India

Root Bridges In India

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Taman Negara Canopy Walkway in Malaysia

The Taman Negara Canopy Walkway is considered to be the longest canopy walkway in the world and is made of a suspension bridge that’s 1738 feet long and 131 feet above the ground. It’s a great way to get across the Taman Negara while seeing all of the wildlife, flora, and fauna of the area.

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Taman Negara Canopy Walkways In Malaysia

Taman Negara Canopy Walkway In Malaysia

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Hanging Bridge in Ghasa, Nepal

Ghasa’s Hanging Bridge in Nepal is simultaneously breathtaking from the beauty surrounding it as well as the precariousness of the bridge itself. The narrow bridge hangs high over the ground, but locals assure tourists that though it looks fragile, the bridge is quite reliable and is equipped with high railings.

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Hanging Bridge In Ghasa, Nepal

Hanging Bridge In Ghasa, Nepal

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Kakum Canopy Walk in Ghana

The Kakum Canopy Walk in Assin South, Ghana lets hikers experience an incredible portion of the jungle that would be otherwise inaccessible to walkers. Found in the Kakum National Park, the walk was created to increase tourism and was opened on Earth Day in 1995.

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Canopy Walk In Ghana

Kakum Canopy Walk In Ghana

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Suspension Glass Bridge in China

The Zhangjoajie Glass Bridge in Zhangjoajie, Hunan is located above the Wulingyuan area in China. It was built as a tourist attraction and is a transparent, glass bottomed bridge that is 1410 feet long and 20 feet wide. It spans across the canyon between two cliffs in the Zhangjoajie National Forest Park.

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Suspension Glass Bridge In China

Suspension Glass Bridge In China

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Capilano Suspension Bridge in Canada

The Capilano Suspension Bridge crosses over the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver in British Columbia. It is 460 feet long and 230 feet above the water. About 1.2 million visitors come to the area every year. It was originally built in 1889 and made of hemp ropes but was completely rebuilt in 1956.

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Capilano Suspension Bridge In Canada

Capilano Suspension Bridge In Canada

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Eshima Ohashi Bridge in Japan

The Eshima Ohashi Bridge is a rigid frame bridge that connexts Matue, Shimane Prefecture, and Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefrecture over the Nakaumi Lake in Japan;. It is the largest rigid-frame in the country and the third largest in the world. When photos are taken from a distance with a telephoto lens, an optical illusion makes it seem like it has an incredibly steep nature, but it actually has between a 5.1%-6.1% gradient.

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Eshima Ohashi Bridge In Japan

Eshima Ohashi Bridge In Japan

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Sidu River Bridge in China

The Sidu River Bridge is a 4009 foot suspension bridge that crosses the valley of the Sidu River in Bandong County of the Hubei Province in China. It cost about $100 million to build and was designed by the CCSHCC Second Highway Consultants Company in 2009. It is a part of the G50 Huyu Expressway parallel to the China National Highway 318.

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Sidu River Bridge In China

Sidu River Bridge In China

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Storeisundet Bridge in Norway

The Storeisundet Bridge is the longest bridge of the eight bridges that make up the Atlanterhavsveien, The Atlantic Road, that connects the mainland Romsdal peninsula to the island of Averøya in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The cantilevel bridge is 850 feet long.

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Storeisundet Bridge In Norway

Storeisundet Bridge In Norway

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Captain William Moore Bridge in Alaska

The Captain William Moore Bridge in Skagway Municipaloty, Alaska, is an asymmetric single-pylon cable-stayed bridge located on the Klondike Highway and spans over the Moore Creek Gorge.

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Captain William Moore Bridge In Alaska

Captain William Moore Bridge In Alaska

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Quepos Bridge in Costa Rica

The Quepos Bridge in Costa Rica is often referred to as the “Bridge of Death” or the “Oh My God Bridge,” since it is so narrow. It connects the road from Jaco to Quepos. When cars cross the bridge, they can go in just one direction. It is made of wooden planks and as you drive over it, the loose slats make a loud clanking noise and the bridge even shakes under the weight of the passing vehicles.

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Quepos Bridge In Costa Rica

Quepos Bridge In Costa Rica

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Millau Viaduct in France

The Millau Viaduct is a multispan cable-stayed bridge that crosses the gorge valley of the Tarn in the Occitanie Region in Southern France. It is the tallest bridge in the world as of September 2020, with a structural heigh of 1104 feet. It cost about $424 million to construct and took 3 years to complete.

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Millau Viaduct In France

Millau Viaduct In France

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Tianmen Skywalk in China

The Tianmen Skywalk, also called the Coiling Dragon Cliff skywalk, is a glas walkway in the Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area in Hunan’s Zhangjiajie National FOrest Park. It overlooks the Tongtian Avenue, a mountain road that snakes up the Tianmen Mountain with 99 turns total.

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Tianmen Skywalk In China

Tianmen Skywalk In China

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Langkawi Sky Bridge in Malaysia

The Langkawi Sky Bridge is a pedestrian cable-stayed bridge in Malaysia that is reached by taking the Langkawi Cable Car. The bridge deck is 2170 feet above sea level at the peak of Gunung Mat Cincang on Pulau Langkwai.

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Langkawi Sky Bridge In Malaysia

Langkawi Sky Bridge In Malaysia

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Deception Pass in Washington

The Deception Pass bridges are found in the Deception Pass State Park. Deception Pass is a strait that separates Fidalgo Island and Whidbey Island in the state of Washington. It connetx the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Skagit Bay, which is a part of Puget Sound. The two bridges cross Deception Pass.

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Deception Pass In Washington

Deception Pass In Washington

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Seven Mile Bridge in Florida

The Seven Mile Bridge is found in the Florida Keys, connecting Knight’s Key in Marathon in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. It was once one of the longest bridges when it was built and it is a part of the Overseas Highway in the Keys, which itself is a part of U.S. Route 1, which goes for 2369 miles.

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Seven Mile Bridge In Florida

Seven Mile Bridge In Florida

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Moses Bridge in the Netherlands

While most bridges go over water, the Moses Bridge in the Netherlands is actually built to go through the water. It was constructed during the Eighty Years War and was used as a water-based defense. Now it serves as a tourist destination where visitors can walk through to reach the Fort de Roovere.

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Moses Bridge In The Netherlands

Moses Bridge In The Netherlands

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Cloud Bridge in South Korea

The Cloud Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects two peaks of the Wolchulsan, a mountain found in the South Jeolla province in South Korea. The mountain’s peak, called  Cheonhwangbong, reaches 2653 feet, which means it’s the high point in Gangjin County. It’s located in Wolchulsan National Park.

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Cloud Bridge In South Korea

Cloud Bridge In South Korea

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Windsor Bridge in Gibraltar

The Windsor Suspension Bridge located in Gibraltar is 232 feet long and can be found in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. While on the bridge, you can see the entirety of the town, which is found 165 feet below.

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Windsor Bridge In Gibraltar

Windsor Bridge In Gibraltar

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Vitim River Bridge in Russia

The Vitim River Bridge crosses the Vitim River and was actually once a railroad crossing built in the 1980s. It now serves asa bridge for cars and motorcycles, however it is just six feet wide with no railings, so it’s precarious to say the least. Additionally, the wood surface is constantly rotting. We say proceed with caution…

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Vitim River Bridge In Russia

Vitim River Bridge In Russia

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Aiguille du Midi Bridge in the French Alps

The Aiguille du Midi Bridge is found in the mountain of the same name that’s in the Mont Blanc Massif in the French Alps. The bridge connects the two mountains and because it is so high in the air, the Aiguille du Midi Bridge is amazing, but it can give you chills because it’s suspended about 12,500 feet to be exact, it is quite a terrifying bridge to cross. It does provide a pretty incredible view, however.

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Aiguille Du Midi Bridge In The French Alps

Aiguille Du Midi Bridge In The French Alps

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Plank Road in the Sky in China

If you’re up for it, you can go for what’s been called “the most dangerous hike in the world,” on the Plank Road in the Sky Trail in the Huashan Mountain in China. To reach the trail, you must first traverse up a set of vertical stairs. Once there, the Plank Road in the Sky takes about 10 minutes to cross, with a photo op ready to go.

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Plank Road In The Sky In China

Plank Road In The Sky In China

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