Black Brook Bridge, Wilderness Trail – Built in the late 20th-century, this steel beam footbridge was located along the Wilderness Trail, just beyond the former junction of the Wilderness Trail and the Bondcliff Trail, in New Hampshire’s 45,000-acre federally designated Pemigewasset Wilderness. It spanned Black Brook (also called Bear Brook) just above the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad’s legendary trestle No. 16; built in the early 1900s, this railroad trestle collapsed in 2018. The steel beam bridge offered an excellent view of the trestle.
In 2009, because of safety issues and the strict guidelines of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which governs the Pemigewasset Wilderness, the Forest Service decided to remove, without replacement, the 180-foot long suspension bridge along the Wilderness Trail that crossed the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. The suspension bridge was located just 0.7 miles from the Black Brook Bridge.
Because the Black Brook Bridge was located so close to the suspension bridge, removing this bridge was included in the suspension bridge removal project. And closing the section of the Wilderness Trail in between the two bridges was also part of the project.
When the Forest Service first proposed the removal of the two bridges, a number of outdoor enthusiasts had no idea that a bridge crossed Black Brook, and many thought that the bridge Forest Service was referring to was the historic trestle No. 16. But the railroad trestle was not touched during the project.
The Black Brook Bridge was dismantled in 2010 without replacement, and the steel support beams were cut into manageable pieces, and the 0.7 miles of the Wilderness Trail in between the Black Brook Bridge and the suspension bridge was closed. However, hikers continue to use the closed section of trail.
Because the Black Brook Bridge is in a federally designated wilderness area, per the Wilderness Act, only non-motorized equipment could be used to remove the bridge debris from the Pemigewasset Wilderness. However, because the trails leading to the bridge site are flat and straight with only one major obstacle, the Franconia Brook crossing, horses could be used to drag the debris out of the wilderness.
In early 2013, under the guidance of the Forest Service, horse teams transported the steel beams out of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Pictured above in April 2013 are the steel beams next to Route 112, near the Lincoln Woods trailhead in Lincoln.
By October 2013, most of the bridge debris had been removed from the Pemigewasset Wilderness, and only some wooden pieces remained at the bridge site (above and below).
Today, hikers cross the now bridgeless Black Brook and follow the closed section of the Wilderness Trail to the site of the removed suspension bridge, where they ford the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. With or without trail bridges, outdoor enthusiasts will continue to explore the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
After the suspension bridge and the Black Brook Bridge were removed, the Thoreau Falls Trail Bridge, which crossed the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River at North Fork Junction in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, became a safety issue. It was removed, without replacement, in 2018/2019.
"Removing these three bridges may seem counterproductive, but the intent of the Wilderness Act is to preserve the "wild" character of a designated wilderness area. The Pemigewasset Wilderness is now a little wilder" (Donovan, 2024).
Happy image making..
© Erin Paul Donovan. All rights reserved | Historic Information Disclaimer | White Mountains History
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Bibliography:
Donovan, Erin Paul. “Suspension Bridge, Wilderness Trail.” ScenicNH Photography LLC, 20 Feb 2024, https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2024/02/suspension-bridge-wilderness-trail/.
Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.