Swinging Bridge

Swaying Through History: The Lover’s Leap Swinging Bridge

Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in Columbus Junction, this bridge is far from your average pedestrian walkway. It spans 262 feet across a deep, jagged ravine, dangling nearly 100 feet above the forest floor.

A Neighborhood Shortcut

Believe it or not, this bridge didn't start as a tourist attraction. It was originally built in 1886 by a local resident named Josiah Stewart. He used salvaged barrel wood to create a shortcut so kids could get to school and neighbors could get to work without having to hike all the way around the steep ravine.

The bridge you walked across isn't the original, though—the first two were a bit more "adventurous" (one even collapsed in 1920 while two boys were on it!). The current version was built in 1922 and, while it’s reinforced with steel cables today, it still keeps that classic, creaky wooden-plank charm.

The Legend of the Leap

The bridge gets its nickname from a local Native American legend. As the story goes, a lovesick maiden leaped into the ravine after learning her lover had been killed in battle. Some locals claim that if you cross the bridge at night, you can still hear her cries. Whether or not you believe the ghost stories, the view from the center of the bridge—looking out over the treetops—is definitely hauntingly beautiful.

The "Swinging" Experience

What makes this bridge so memorable is that it actually swings. It’s designed to be flexible, so if you have more than one person on it, you’ll feel the side-to-side sway with every step.

• For the Brave: Looking down through the gaps in the wooden slats gives you a real sense of just how high you are.

• For the Cautious: The high wire fencing on the sides makes it very safe, even if the "creaks and groans" suggest otherwise!

Exploring Beneath

If you had time to head down the Possum Hollow Trail, you got a totally different perspective. Seeing that thin line of wood and wire stretching across the sky from the bottom of the ravine really puts into perspective how much faith we put in those 1920s engineers!