Bixby Creek Bridge

Bixby Creek Bridge is a reinforced concrete arch bridge on California Highway 1 in Big Sur. The structure spans 218 meters and rises 79 meters above Bixby Creek, with a distinctive open arch at its center.

Construction finished in November 1932 to permanently connect the previously difficult coastal route. Engineers built the crossing during the Great Depression using locally available materials.

The structure appears in countless photographs and travel accounts as a symbol of the Californian coast. Drivers often stop at viewpoints to watch the construction spanning the canyon below.

Parking turnouts along the highway provide space to pull over and view the crossing from different angles. The coastal road can become more challenging in fog or strong wind.

Workers hauled more than 45,000 cement bags across a cable system strung high above the creek bed. This method allowed heavy loads to move without scaffolding at the canyon floor.

Location: California

Inception: November 27, 1932

Official opening: November 27, 1932

Height: 79 m

Length: 218 m

Longest Span: 98 m

GPS coordinates: 36.37140,-121.90200

Latest update: December 12, 2025 21:35