Fort Denaud Bridge

Fort Denaud Bridge is a steel swing bridge that crosses the Caloosahatchee River between the communities of Alva and LaBelle in Hendry County. It allows vehicles to pass over the waterway and rotates to permit boats to navigate through the river.

The bridge was built in 1963 to replace an earlier structure upstream that had become unusable by the early 1960s. This new crossing met the region's growing transportation needs at that time.

The bridge's name comes from Pierre Denaud, a French Canadian trapper who conducted trade with local Seminole communities in this region during the 1800s.

The bridge provides about 8 feet (2.4 meters) of clearance over the water for boats to pass underneath. Traffic may slow when the bridge rotates to let vessels through during daytime hours.

This remains one of only three functioning vehicle swing bridges operating in Southwest Florida today. Its continued use makes it an unusual feature in a landscape that has mostly shifted to modern fixed bridges.

GPS coordinates: 26.74464,-81.51046

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:43