Your Ultimate Guide to the Hurricane Gulch Bridge
If you’re planning to hop aboard a Gray Line Alaska rail tour between Anchorage and Denali National Park, prepare yourself to cross the jaw-dropping Hurricane Gulch Bridge, which rises 296 feet above Hurricane Creek. The bridge is a marvel of engineering. As you cross, the train slows to five miles per hour so there is plenty of time to enjoy the view and snap a few photos. Head to the open-air viewing platform for the most incredible views.
Before your train leaves the station, here are a few quick facts and some interesting history about the bridge. Throw a few of these out during your trip to really impress your fellow passengers.
- At 918 feet long and 296 feet high, the bridge is both the longest and the tallest Alaska Railroad bridge. For eight years it was the tallest bridge in the U.S.
- Construction of the arch bridge began early in 1921 and it moved quickly. The fist steel was erected in June and the first passenger train crossed it on August 15 of the same year! The project was difficult and expensive. Both sides were constructed at the same time using an aerial tram crossing the gulch.
- Nearly 1,000 tons of steel went into the arch plus an additional 530 tons were used to construct the approaches.
- On a clear day, passengers can often spot Denali from the train car.
- There is a road bridge with the same name.
Gray Line Alaska offers many tours that cross over the famed bridge. If you want to get in on the action, book one of these rail tours:
Blue Rail Tours pass over Hurricane Gulch Bridge on the route between Talkeetna and Denali. To see this feat of engineering, choose any itinerary that begins in Fairbanks, or choose itineraries that depart from Anchorage and visit Denali National Park.
This trip will take you through Denali National Park and Preserve and to the beautiful waters and glaciers of Prince William Sound. Experience wilderness, history, culture and deluxe accommodations.
Explore Alaska aboard a luxury glass-domed railcar with ample time to explore some of the six million acres of wilderness in Denali. Take part in flighseeing excursions, ATV adventures or fly-fishing tours and enjoy dinner and a show at the Music of Denali Dinner Theater.
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