Fairfax Bridge, WA near Rainier National Park | January, 2018

Our travels on this wet and rainy day took us along highway 165 heading east towards the Carbon River entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. But Mount Rainier was not our destination today… instead we wanted to check out a towering 250ft bridge that spans the Carbon River. This bridge is almost 100 years old, and there are only two of these three-hinged steel arches left in the state of Washington. It’s called a three-hinged bridge because of the rather unige design of placing a third hinge point right in the center of the bridge.

It was built in 1921 as the nearby towns of Fairfax and Melmont were experiencing a coal mining boom. There was also a sizable lumber company nearby. The coal boom did not last however, and Fairfax became a ghost town by 1941.

This bridge was the highest span in the state at the time of it’s construction. It is sometimes called the O’Farrell Bridge and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

You can get great pictures of the bridge from either side, although the descent on the east side of the bridge is fairly steep and for some reason there were power lines running at eye level across it the day we were there.

There is a significant trail on the east side of the canyon and you can find directions online for a hike to the nearby ghost town of Melmont.
This is a great spot to visit at any time of the year. The observation decks can get quite slippery in the rain, though and for some odd reason they slope away fairly steeply away from the bridge and the guardrails are not very high, so watch your step. Also note that it is only a one-way bridge, so stopping in the middle with your car is not a great option. It’s best to go the west side and pull off in the turnout before walking back to the bridge on foot.

We hope you enjoyed this overview and next time you are in the area, you should definitely check out this fantastic old bridge. Till next time, happy exploring!


More information can be found here:

https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Environment/...
https://visitrainier.com/fairfax-ghos...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfax...)
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wa0411/
http://www.historylink.org/File/7259
http://www.nwhighways.amhosting.net/1...
http://www.hikingwithmybrother.com/fa...