Joso High Bridge

Joso High Bridge is a steel railway trestle spanning the Snake River Canyon near Starbuck. The structure carries trains across the deep gorge with a series of metal spans positioned high above the river.

The bridge was built between 1910 and 1912 to create an important railway connection in the region. The construction was a major engineering undertaking that shortened freight and passenger routes across the Pacific Northwest.

The structure received its name from Leon F. Jaussaud, a local resident whose surname was simplified to Joso for easier pronunciation.

The bridge is part of an active Union Pacific Railroad line and carries regular train traffic, but pedestrian access across the structure is not permitted. The best views are from nearby roads and pathways that run along the canyon rim.

The construction of a dam in 1968 permanently altered the bridge's surroundings when rising water submerged the lower piers. This shift in the natural landscape is visible in the reduced clearance between the structure and the river surface.

Location: Starbuck

Inception: 1912

GPS coordinates: 46.59372,-118.22833

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:43