Have You Crossed Iowa’s Most Unique Bridge? [PHOTOS]

This place should DEFINITELY be on your Iowa bucket list! The High Trestle Trail Bridge in Madrid, Iowa is one of our state's most impressive landmarks.

The High Trestle Trail Bridge is located in Madrid on Iowa's High Trestle Trail, which is a trail that runs for 25-miles through four different Iowa counties. According to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, the bridge itself is half a mile long and 13-stories high, making it one of the largest trail bridges in the world! Travel Iowa writes:

"The bridge includes six overlooks with interpretive panels to highlight the area's cultural and natural history. The 41 steel 'frames' over the bridge represent support cribs within a historic coal mine."

Although the High Trestle Trail Bridge officially opened to pedestrians in April of 2011, it's actually been around for much longer. According to Wikipedia:

"The bridge was originally built in the 1970s to carry rail traffic on a Milwaukee Road line. With the retirement of that rail line in the early 2000s, the original bridge deck was removed, and its steel I-beams were reused for a new Union Pacific bridge in Boone."

After the deck was removed, the bridge's trestles still remained in place, which earned it the nickname "Iowa's Stonehenge."

One of the coolest things about the High Trestle Trail Bridge is that it lights up at night! The blue lights are visible from sunset until midnight from April through October, and from sunset to 9 p.m. from November through March.

The High Trestle Trail has won numerous awards since its opening, including being recognized by the BBC as one of the eight most amazing footbridges on the planet! It was the only bridge in the United States to make the list, which you can check out HERE.