Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

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Expand view Topic review: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by gneier » Sat Aug 01, 2026 5:58 pm

Am sure rebuilding the Horse Bridge is a far off dream. Would building a hiker-only bridge be less costly? It would have to be built higher off the river of course. Was thinking about the possibility while crossing the Kootenai Swinging Bridge in Montana. Its 220ft long, compared to the 60ft of the horse bridge. Here are some pictures.

Looks like the Kootenai swinging bridge was rebuilt in 2019, for $500k. It was originally built by the CCC during the Great Depression, and got rehabilitation every 25 years or so.
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IMG_0413.JPG
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Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by crockettonearth » Mon Mar 20, 2023 7:50 pm

Another shot of the bridge from a kayaking trip a few years ago.
Image
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Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by trolleypup » Fri Feb 10, 2023 3:57 pm

And a view from the west side of the bridge. It is a punishing hike from Tassajara (we were scouting officially for the Forest Service). And the Marble Peak Trail is in bad shape.
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Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by VWA_Ranger » Sun Feb 05, 2023 5:17 pm

Here is the aerial view of the bridge. Courtesy of the USFS.
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Horsebridge Aerial View, Credit USFS
Horsebridge Aerial View, Credit USFS

Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by Jim Ringland » Sat Jan 14, 2023 10:29 pm

20160510_-3.jpg
May 10, 2016. There's a small stream down there somewhere.

Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by CJDiM » Sat Jan 14, 2023 12:41 pm

This bridge will never, EVER be rebuilt. There is neither the money nor the political will to rebuild forest infrastructure once it is damaged or destroyed. And even if there were, the project would be buried in EIRs and EISs for the next ten years. The history of the Los Padres over the past 25 years demonstrates that pretty clearly. You can have your memories of the Arroyo Seco, but you can forget about access now. Cherish them.

Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by Ringleader » Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:33 am

The ventana has been too rough for horseback riders for a long time, it’s time to move on.
Instead of a horse bridge maybe a backpacker bridge is called for, and some new picnic tables

Re: Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by AaronP » Thu Jan 12, 2023 6:05 pm

This is heart wrenching!

Hopefully the forest service will decide to fund a project to rebuild the bridge or find an alternative route. Without the bridge the wilderness is virtually inaccessible from the east especially with the slides occurring on Tassajara Rd.

It's remarkable that a series of storms could eliminate access to many (if not most) of the trail heads into the Ventana.

Arroyo Seco Gorge Horsebridge is Gone

by VWA_Ranger » Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:15 pm

This post is to inform all folks entering the Ventana Wilderness from Arroyo Seco Campground the well-known Horsebridge has collapsed after the recent storms. Whether it will be repaired, replaced or a new crossing made is unknown at this time.

Be safe out there.
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Photo of bridge after being washed out
Photo of bridge after being washed out
Photo of bridge before the washout.
Photo of bridge before the washout.

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