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2026 Grove of the Patriarchs Pedestrian Bridge Replacement and Trail Construction
Mount Rainier National Park » 2026 Grove of the Patriarchs Pedestrian Bridge Replacement and Trail Construction
The National Park Service (NPS) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division (FHWA), proposes to construct a new pedestrian bridge and trail to restore safe access to the Grove of the Patriarchs in Mount Rainier National Park. The project is located in a valley along the Ohanapecosh River in the southeast corner of the park.
The original pedestrian bridge was severely damaged by multiple flood events in 2021-2022 and was removed in fall of 2023, cutting off access to the awe-inspiring grove of ancient trees. Because the original bridge site is susceptible to bed scour and erosion due to river migration, the NPS/FHWA proposes relocating the bridge about 1 mile south of the original location, where the abutments would be constructed on bedrock material. A new trail, approximately 0.5 mile long, would be constructed to connect the new bridge location to the existing Grove of the Patriarchs parking lot (west of the river) and to the Grove of the Patriarchs (east of the river).
The original pedestrian bridge was severely damaged by multiple flood events in 2021-2022 and was removed in fall of 2023, cutting off access to the awe-inspiring grove of ancient trees. Because the original bridge site is susceptible to bed scour and erosion due to river migration, the NPS/FHWA proposes relocating the bridge about 1 mile south of the original location, where the abutments would be constructed on bedrock material. A new trail, approximately 0.5 mile long, would be constructed to connect the new bridge location to the existing Grove of the Patriarchs parking lot (west of the river) and to the Grove of the Patriarchs (east of the river).