Mile High Swinging Bridge, Grandfather Mountain, NC
Posted by: 
PFF
N 36° 05.663 W 081° 49.996
17S E 424988 N 3994738
Quick Description: This 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation.
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 6/1/2007 8:58:01 PM
Waymark Code: WM1MEP
Views: 234
Long Description:Grandfather Mountain is one of the most visited attractions in the
mountains of North Carolina, and crossing this swinging bridge is
the "badge of courage". A number of folks take one look and elect
to stay at the visitor's center, rather than walking across to the
observation rock on the other side.
The bridge is quite safe. It was rebuilt in 1999, using the
original towers. It requires very little maintenance, despite being
subjected to extremely harsh weather conditions, including winds of
over 80 MPH, which occur numerous times per year.
The GPS coordinates are for a benchmark embedded in the rock on
the far side of the bridge. If you cross the bridge and find the
disk, you may wish to photograph it and log it on
geocaching.com/mark. The ID is FZ2090.
The history of the bridge is very interesting. Here is the
website: ("http://www.grandfather.com/swinging_bridge/"
target="_blank">visit link)
Check the Grandfather Mountain website for seasonal hours and
admission fees. The mountain is open year-round, but access is
denied or restricted during adverse weather and/or very high
winds.
***NOTE***
If you venture out onto the rock observation point, use caution.
There are no rails or other protection. There have been fatal
falls--some in recent years. A good rule for children (and adults)
is, "Do not get closer to the edge, in feet, than your height." If
you trip, all of your body will be on the rock!