The longest swinging bridge in the nation opened at Foxfire Mountain in Sevierville with a ribbon cutting event this past Thursday, May 10th, 2012.
Swinging bridges have long been used in the Appalachian Mountains for folks to get from one mountain to another in the shortest amount of time. These bridges are made of steel cable, wood, rock, and a lot of sweat. The fun thing about a swinging bridge is that they really do swing. And while completely safe they are a bit scary to cross. At Foxfire Mountain you can cross the longest swinging bridge in America. The bridge goes from the base camp at Foxfire Mountain across Dunn’s Gorge to Prosperity Mountain. The bridge, known as America’s Bridge To Prosperity, is 4 feet wide and over 400 feet long (One and a third times the distance from goal post to goal post across a football field).
America’s Bridge To Prosperity was built with six one and a quarter inch cables strung 424 feet then crossed with 134 6″x6″ cross ties before being planked again with 204 2″x 8″ decking boards. It is anchored at each end by over 30 tons of concrete buried 10 feet underground and is capable of holding over 24,000 lbs. (That is equal to 12 yellow school busses full of screaming kids parked end to end). In other words, you are safe on America’s longest swinging bridge even if it is a little scary.
The Bridge Adventure at Foxfire Mountain includes America’s Bridge to Prosperity followed by a covered walking bridge which leads to the trail to Lost Mine Falls and the smaller Cliffhanger Swinging Bridge which is only 30 ft. long but goes over the top of the falls so you can peer 60 feet below into the pooling water. The entire bridge experience takes about one hour.
The Bridge Adventure Tour begins at a wishing well at Foxfire Mountain’s Base Camp where you can make a wish before crossing America’s Bridge To Prosperity and then to hang your wish on the Whispering Winds Covered Bridge to blow in the winds of Prosperity. As a participant of the self guided Bridge Adventure Tour you will be given a Wish Book and Trail Map to guide you through this amazing mountain experience.
The Bridge Adventure is $19.95 for adults & free for children under eight (The Bridge Adventure is Included Free with the Bear Crawler Tour or the Zip Line Tour).
No reservations are required for this tour For Directions Call Foxfire Mountain at (865) 453-1998 or visit their website at foxfiremountain.com.
