Kinzua Bridge State Park – Kinzua Sky Walk

Once the World’s Longest, Highest Railroad Bridge

Kinzua Sky Walk offers a unique glimpse into the bridge’s history revealing the ingenuity, dedication and determination of its designers and builders. The Kinzua Viaduct, when first constructed in May 1882, was the highest and longest viaduct in the world, measuring 301 feet high and 2,053 feet long. The need to transport coal, oil and lumber across the Kinzua Gorge inspired General Thomas Kane, president of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Coal Company and Octave Chanute, Chief Engineer for the Erie Railroad to design a colossal viaduct.

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Kinzua State Park - Mount Jewett, PAIn 1900, the viaduct was rebuilt of steel to accommodate larger loads and the weight of modern train traffic In 1963, Gov. William Scranton signed legislation that provided for the acquisition of the viaduct and adjacent lands to become a state park. The Kinzua Bridge State Park opened in 1970. In 1977, the Kinzua Viaduct was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks by the Federal Department of Interior. The bridge stood for 121 years before it partially collapsed under the powerful winds of a tornado in 2003. In 2009, work started to reinvent the remaining towers of the historic viaduct as a pedestrian walkway. That plan was changed. Kinzua State Park - Mount Jewett, PAToday the Viaduct, has been reinvented as the Kinzua Sky Walk — a spectacular walkway that once again allows the public to “Walk the Tracks Across the Sky.” A glass-bottomed observation deck enables visitors to look down at the remaining towers supporting the historic structure. The Kinzua Bridge State Park features lovely picnic areas, hiking trails, interpretive programs, group tent camping and scenic overlooks. A park pavilion may be rented for special events. Kinzua State Park - Mount Jewett, PAThe park is accessible via the Kinzua Bridge Scenic Byway (SR 3011) which is a designated shared use hike/bike corridor, connecting Pennsylvania Route 6, just east of the village of Mount Jewett, to the Kinzua Bridge State Park. Future plans at the park include the Kinzua Visitors Center which will feature classrooms, a visitor center, restrooms, and a small retail store along with interpretive programming and interactive displays on engineering, energy and the environment. To schedule a group/motor coach tour or interpretive program, or for additional information please call the Kinzua Bridge State Park: 814-965-2646 You can own the award wining documentary “Tracks Across the Sky”, which is available in DVD format from our online store. Request a free Travel Guide & Map!