# Kinzua Bridge State Park

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State park in Pennsylvania, United States

Kinzua Bridge State Park Interactive map of Kinzua Bridge State Park Location McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States Coordinates 41°45′34″N 78°35′13″W / 41.75952°N 78.58694°W / 41.75952; -78.58694[1] Area 339 acres (137 ha)[1] Elevation 2,136 feet (651 m) Established 1963[1] Administrator Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Website Official website Kinzua Bridge State Park Kinzua Bridge State Park Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Kinzua Bridge State Park Kinzua Bridge State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States Pennsylvania State Parks

The original Kinzua bridge, c. 1900

**Kinzua Bridge State Park** is a 339-acre (137 ha) [Pennsylvania state park](/source/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_parks) near [Mount Jewett](/source/Mount_Jewett%2C_Pennsylvania), in [Hamlin](/source/Hamlin_Township%2C_McKean_County%2C_Pennsylvania) and [Keating](/source/Keating_Township%2C_McKean_County%2C_Pennsylvania) Townships, [McKean County](/source/McKean_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania) in the United States. The park lies between [U.S. Route 6](/source/U.S._Route_6_in_Pennsylvania) and [Pennsylvania Route 59](/source/Pennsylvania_Route_59), along State Route 3011 just east of the [Allegheny National Forest](/source/Allegheny_National_Forest).[1][2]

Kinzua Bridge State Park was chosen by the [Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources](/source/Pennsylvania_Department_of_Conservation_and_Natural_Resources) (DCNR) and its Bureau of Parks as one of "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks".[3]

The Kinzua Bridge Foundation, Inc. was formally incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania on November 1, 1993. It is a non-profit 501(c)3 which is a separate entity from the State Park. The Foundation is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the Kinzua Bridge, the promotion of its historical and cultural significance, as well as the further development of the adjoining State Park.

## Kinzua Bridge

Main article: [Kinzua Bridge](/source/Kinzua_Bridge)

The park is noted as the site of the [Kinzua Bridge](/source/Kinzua_Bridge) spanning [Kinzua Creek](/source/Kinzua_Creek). The original bridge was built in 1882, and the current bridge was built in 1900 and destroyed in 2003 by a [tornado](/source/Tornado). At the time it was built, the original (c. 1882) Kinzua Bridge was the highest, at 301 feet (92 m), railway bridge in the world, given the distinction of being listed as a [Historic Civil Engineering Landmark](/source/Historic_Civil_Engineering_Landmark) (the listing was in 1977). The [Erie Railroad](/source/Erie_Railroad) company originally owned and operated the bridge.[1]

The Kinzua Bridge, in 2001, prior to its collapse.

[William Scranton](/source/William_Scranton), then governor of Pennsylvania, signed legislation creating Kinzua Bridge State Park in 1963, although the park did not officially open until 1970.[1] In 1987, excursion trains of the [Knox and Kane Railroad](/source/Knox_and_Kane_Railroad) again began running on the bridge. The trains traveled from [Kane](/source/Kane%2C_Pennsylvania) with a trip through the [Allegheny National Forest](/source/Allegheny_National_Forest) and made a stop on the bridge before returning to Kane.[1]

The Knox and Kane Railroad offered excursion rail trips across the bridge until June, 2002, when it was closed for restoration. At approximately 3:20 p.m., July 21, 2003, a tornado from the east touched down at the park. The storm, classified as F-1 on the [Fujita scale](/source/Fujita_scale), tore down 11 of the 20 structure spans and nearby trees were snapped and uprooted. The failure was caused by badly rusted bolts holding the bases of the towers. The investigation reckoned that the whole structure oscillated laterally 4-5 times before [fatigue](/source/Fatigue_(material)) broke the base bolts. The towers fell intact in sections, and they suffered impact damage with the ground. They have been left as they fell, and it is intended to make the ruins a visitor attraction to show the forces of nature at work.[4]

In 2011, the bridge was reinvented as the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk, a new pedestrian walkway where visitors can stroll 600 feet out on the remaining support towers, peer miles out into the Kinzua Gorge as well as peer down into the partial glass platform at the end of the walkway.

## Recreation

Kinzua Creek as seen from the bridge, Spring 2001.

A scenic view overlooks the fallen bridge and Kinzua Creek Valley. The overlook is also a prime location to view the [fall foliage](/source/Autumn_leaf_color) during the first two weeks of October. The park also has a shaded [picnic](/source/Picnic) area with a centrally located modern restroom.[1]

There are 100 acres (40 ha) of woods open to [hunting](/source/Hunting) at Kinzua Bridge State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the [Pennsylvania Game Commission](/source/Pennsylvania_Game_Commission). The common game species are [black bears](/source/American_black_bear), [eastern gray squirrel](/source/Eastern_gray_squirrel), [white-tailed deer](/source/White-tailed_deer), and [wild turkey](/source/Wild_turkey). The hunting of [groundhogs](/source/Groundhog) is prohibited.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-kbsp_1-8) ["Kinzua Bridge State Park"](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/kinzua-bridge-state-park). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 6, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mckean_2-0)** *McKean County* (Map). Cartography by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mustsee_3-0)** ["25 Must-see Parks"](https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/storymaps/mustseeparks/#). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 6, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["DNCR report on the collapse of the Kinzua Viaduct"](https://web.archive.org/web/20051018221215/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/info/kinzuabridgereport/kinzua.html). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from [the original](http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/info/kinzuabridgereport/kinzua.html) on October 18, 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2005.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Kinzua Bridge State Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kinzua_Bridge_State_Park).

- [Pennsylvania portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Pennsylvania)

- [Kinzua Bridge State Park](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/kinzua-bridge-state-park) Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kinzua Bridge State Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinzua_Bridge_State_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinzua_Bridge_State_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.