Black Suspension Bridge

Black Suspension Bridge carries the South Kaibab Trail across the Colorado River in the inner canyon of Grand Canyon National Park and serves mule traffic bound for Phantom Ranch. Before 1907, crossing here meant a dangerous boat trip that cost many lives, later replaced by David Rust’s private cableway, which Theodore Roosevelt used in 1913. A 1920 suspension bridge proved too flexible, so the present bridge was designed by Ward Webber and built by John Lawrence in 1928. Workers, mules, and 42 Havasupai tribesmen hauled heavy materials to the remote site, creating a durable crossing that remained unchanged as of 2019.

Grand Canyon, Arizona · United States