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Canyon Diablo Bridge

Historic bridge
In Winslow, Arizona
0.1 mi from Route 66
National Register of Historic Places

This abandoned car bridge crosses Canyon Diablo in Coconino County, near Winslow, AZ, roughly 30 miles east of Flagstaff. The Topeka Bridge & Iron Co. built it in 1915, and for years it carried Route 66 traffic over the canyon. Now closed, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two Guns, a ghost town that was once a busy tourist stop, sits near the bridge's east end.

What is Canyon Diablo Bridge?

The Canyon Diablo Bridge is a piece of early highway engineering left in place after traffic stopped using it. It spans Canyon Diablo, between Winslow and Flagstaff, and served as the Route 66 crossing of the canyon. Today it is closed and abandoned, with no cars going over.

Its National Register listing recognizes it as a surviving part of the old highway's infrastructure in northern Arizona. For travellers curious about how the road was built, it is a tangible link to the years when long-distance motor travel across the Southwest was still new.

History of Canyon Diablo Bridge

The Topeka Bridge & Iron Co. completed the bridge in 1915. It went on to carry Route 66 across the canyon until the crossing was closed. The Two Guns settlement near its east end grew into a thriving stop for tourists during the highway's busy years and is now a ghost town.

Visiting Canyon Diablo Bridge: tips

The bridge is less than a mile off Route 66. The site is not wheelchair accessible, and the bridge is abandoned, so view it from solid ground and do not walk onto the deck. Watch your footing near the canyon edge and allow 20 to 30 minutes for a look and photos from the ends of the span.

Meteor Crater is about 7 miles away and makes a natural pairing. The ghost town site of Canyon Diablo is about 3.5 miles off, and Twin Arrows about 11 miles, toward Flagstaff.