ExploreButteCountyCA
Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge
Oroville, California, United States
Butte County has a rich history of pioneering, reaching back to the Gold Rush era. Oroville has been a renowned site for some significant “firsts” and “largests,” especially when it comes to dealing with water. To wit, the Bidwell Bar Bridge—which locals know is actually a reference to two bridges—stands as both a California Historical Landmark and a monument to some of Oroville’s ingenuity as it has managed the Feather River since the mid-1800s.
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The Bidwell Bar Bridge at Lake Oroville is actually 2 bridges. Most people will just see the “big green bridge” constructed along HWY 162.
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Open 24 hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 hours
Thursday:
Open 24 hours
Friday:
Open 24 hours
Saturday:
Open 24 hours
Sunday:
Open 24 hours
When it was built, it stood as one of the world’s highest suspension bridges, soaring more than 620 feet above the Feather River’s streambed; now, when full, Lake Oroville’s surface is much closer to the bridge.
ExploreButteCountyCA
Visitors who enjoy Oroville’s ample aquatic recreation will almost assuredly see this green, two-lane giant.
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Open 24 hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 hours
Thursday:
Open 24 hours
Friday:
Open 24 hours
Saturday:
Open 24 hours
Sunday:
Open 24 hours
Bit of a macabre fun fact: “Bidwell’s Bar” is the name of the town in the original Feather River canyon that was flooded with the creation of the Oroville Dam. Something to think about when boating on the lake!
ExploreButteCountyCA
The more adventure-minded will also make a point to visit the original bridge, a 240-foot suspension bridge built in 1855.
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Open 24 hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 hours
Thursday:
Open 24 hours
Friday:
Open 24 hours
Saturday:
Open 24 hours
Sunday:
Open 24 hours
The original Bidwell Bar Bridge was moved to the south side of Lake Oroville 111 years later.
ExploreButteCountyCA
The original was California’s first steel suspension bridge, and supported cars for almost a century, but is now a dedicated footbridge.
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Open 24 hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 hours
Thursday:
Open 24 hours
Friday:
Open 24 hours
Saturday:
Open 24 hours
Sunday:
Open 24 hours
The American Society of Civil Engineers has declared Bidwell Bar a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. If you get the chance to hoof it across the original, consider that you’re walking on steel that originally traveled from New York by ship, around Chile’s Cape Horn.
ExploreButteCountyCA
This bridge has seen a lot of history—and you should see this bridge. Swipe up & tap "More Details" to learn more about Oroville's history.
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Open 24 hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 hours
Thursday:
Open 24 hours
Friday:
Open 24 hours
Saturday:
Open 24 hours
Sunday:
Open 24 hours
Whether you drive over the new one or walk across the original, it's well worth a visit to the Bidwell Bar Bridge in Oroville in Northern California.