Crooked River Gorge - A Tale of Three Bridges

On my recent travels home from a trip, I made a stop at the Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint. It's a great place to stop and stretch your legs and take in the view of the Crooked River Gorge. There are also three bridges that span the gorge here in this location and those bridges can become the focal point of a stop here. Follow along as I share some pictures from my latest visit and also some shots from mine and my parent's archives.

As I went through the photos of my recent stop there, I realized I had a history of shots that spanned 60 odd years of this area . Of course some of the photos were from my parents collection as I would have been a little young to be photographing some of these shots. 🙂

The old highway bridge in front and the new bridge behind. Taken in 2024.

Click images for larger view

There are [three bridges](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/crooked-river-bridge-oregon) that cross the gorge here. The Train Bridge Built in 1911 ![crgb2025-12.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/2423oBUdPzXpnicQmgKgYCmeeU5rVeNvuMQqjmoFsCKMNKac5jbuBpvxgEQRRr4scZMCw.JPG) The Crooked River High Bridge Built in 1926 (old highway) ![crgb2025-2.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23qrDpAASqzJACMWdFqEpZhXwtqsT4rX27hjp3gkLpC8ENEX9S76NcrC3PzXA48VfSrLi.JPG) The Rex T. Barber Veteran Memorial Bridge Built in 2000 (new highway) ![crgb2025-10.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23zkhxaZqgeEQJ37Zn8Xn1zycdLo4Txn5THHhKdEFUAfXQrqtcNUGzXEY5gKX2xEoCt5d.JPG) __________________________________________________ ![crgb2025-5.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23w2j7EriwT8Um2UqZco6i8mfuEcFSK7Q6vwVqGY1QzxQ5ujNNgutSaPuKX9daazn8go3.JPG)The old highway bridge is now primarily a pedestrian bridge. ![crgb2025-1.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23qr9WqyB4Q6HvgkfTvdBXMdvbzoEfAfoUhrvRR2JtUrWvRbh6qWPxZAYBtBbirgZvXHc.JPG)However cars can still be driven out there if need be. On this day it looked like there was some repelling training going on.

![crgb2025-4.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23zGY8gxYMX3fF6TCRyN24nEyQMcYSGvFeJMmZvV8UqWtrJnoCJ2LoYZF54ncuXBojR8E.JPG)

![crgb2025-7.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/243q6YRKbqymU8NsHpZj17WY8FXPsGHZ69C54VNWYnXzoVrW84VQ7KA1waj31whExqc6T.JPG)

----- ![crgb2025-3.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23tHBozyqYvwjS3QxbZ2Gws5ccdjMUJvnYue1zHUjBjvyFQFE5ejB4SwmkUsmXhbE8b2D.JPG)[Bungee jumping](https://visitcentraloregon.com/property/central-oregon-bungee-adventures/) is another activity done from the old High Bridge. Not something this oldmans will be trying anytime soon. 😂

![crgb2025-8.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23uFRNBHQ1dwJ3cnytsLuNNMY3cnYUMNUE2fr8eXwRVoWsydVntnoWKC9wkPTzmi7TYR7.JPG)

![crgb2025-6.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23uQpMjut4zriNJ5AM84upkp56hL83AGLNnWWbWkQuLyNWh7WN5NTRfGrMXytUgejh7BB.JPG)

I do hope some time in the future though I will be passing by when there is some jumping going on and I can capture a few pictures. ----- ![crgb2025-11.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/244xuFoDxUyp9C4Yq4VgtzpBCu7X8bBLeGEHd3kZ2C23SxTFyUnJLfH8Vps2qVBhGTzq3.JPG) ![crgb2025-13.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23tvArepBv6287qJqC2bkgmD7B9XN3R1tz518gMCUCuc4SaRVpN3wxKX63mTgKih3KVh2.JPG)Something hanging from the train bridge. An errant bungee jump? A repel gone wrong? ![crgb2025-14.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23s9M2E6b462sEKiD1R1pre6zYf2K2FmkYNH3rPP6iTxajTB88dWkrZuahTPVvBWNHpWU.JPG)I never did figure out what it was but the view was spectacular. 😁 ____________________________ Four views from a stop here in 2024 ![crgb2024-1.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23qrDWqKbZ9h365mbKXnMeHk4dpCGKV8cH5ZMXk6oYRRA18a2nk2TXwUSfCQrJFqgpFeH.JPG) ![crgb2024-2.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/244KLkSpCKWvU6dxyTJUSyW7h6DGBVgC3iJTcFESkAJfe7MNaNN9vhTi4rPBQ9BWf5CYq.JPG)The train bridge from under a juniper tree. ![crgb2024-3.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23w2mG4qN18jRJsAy1JbUb1CucYy5a9Z9eq4KFazrW4hkLA6ARun897c6NhFV1FBAjgTa.JPG)The three hundred some foot drop to the Crooked River below. ![crgb2024-5.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/245wFXJMwdVXvG19JbT29uwwxzLHZZPJ49eLLThoJHFn69zmYozEg7FhFGM9AVRuBPfx6.JPG) ------------------------------ A couple shots my dad took from a stop at the bridge on a family vacation in 1962. ![crgb1962-1.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23vsLJdoUVGUs8JPg5gAa1pKiz2UhQ6TayX8YufjVQoP8KYar1Vw9MTVxPCSJcFAK5W8o.JPG)Little me with my mom on the steps. Off to the right is where the repelling was being done 63 years later. ![crgb1962-2.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23vrrWhtmZhDV41Cp5hGmjSHxDZYyqLYbJiFnQDkH95KyEuhPZFbMeX4eYN3W6NoTwhn3.JPG)Sunset on the main (and only) highway bridge back then. ___________________________ A couple more shots my dad took in the late 80's I believe. ![crgb1980s-1.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23w2cJYLhYrjeobZztPhVdm4VCmHNusXwc8AreakHppRtm8AUMyaHPT2CEjbyhUhrrfVG.JPG) ![crgb1980s-2.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23xoyoxvHQNRyqtPdTzP2eTXyNKGEGXupuMRm1HfMCgXoUksthV2aK3rdfZAfrBVaYDEg.JPG) _____________________ Some shots I took in 2010 ![crgb2010-1.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/23wgKcm77N4Lw1jJqr5Y6x6gQaU9zzueBjm1G8PyDbxUBHjxNUtsxozafuFfUt3Qy9QDc.JPG) ![crgb2010-2.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/EpdgGVcPtAjrSHT1oowC4KBYT7nsp3VJu9nHWg2941cZu5GVK7YS5LDYg2UNjeqShaP.JPG)At the time I believed this had been my first trip here. It wasn't until 2016 when I started digitizing my parents slides that I realized I had been here as a child in 1962. It was quite a revelation to me! ![crgb2010-3.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/oldmans/243Lvi4WfkahBWQJC7fuscGdSDe6H9gunFGb86E3rWiRx7rxLALtK6J6ba1rhWJPKFkCA.JPG) Please feel free to make comments or ask me any questions about this post. Photos taken by me and my dad. Various cameras were used and some Lightroom post processing took place. Please visit [WorldMapPin](https://worldmappin.com/@oldmans) to see the locations of some of my other posts. Thanks for looking and enjoy your day!