Yellowstone River Bridge

The Yellowstone River Bridge is a steel structure crossing the river with two main spans featuring diagonal bracing that creates a recognizable geometric pattern. The bridge rises noticeably above the water level and remains functional for vehicle traffic.

The bridge was built between 1943 and 1944 as a major infrastructure project during World War II when resources were scarce. Its completion linked communities that previously relied on longer routes to cross the river.

The bridge links two communities and has long served as a meeting point for people traveling between settlements on both sides of the river. Today visitors crossing it can see how this crossing shapes the way locals move through and experience their landscape.

The bridge is open to vehicle traffic and easily reached from the main highway passing through the area. To safely view and photograph the structure, plan to stop during daylight hours when visibility is best.

Construction happened during wartime when steel was rationed nationwide and the river flowed at unusually high levels. Engineers had to solve difficult problems to raise the massive steel structure safely above the water.