Chain Of Rocks Bridge
Köpri Gyzyklanma Nokady Apommer We Taryhy Ýer Özüne Çekiji West Chain Of Rocks Rd, St Louis, Missuri, 63137, Amerikanyň Birleşen Ştatlary
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Contact & Hours
West Chain Of Rocks Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63137
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/chain_of_rocks_bridge_illinois_missouri.html
Reviews (195)
Incontournable pour les amoureux de ponts
38.76062 -90.17978 Il comporte un coude en son milieu car la berge où il devait arriver était trop instable. Il faut se promener à pied dessus pour aller jusqu'à ce coude
WALK ACROSS THIS BRIDGE!
WALK across this - even in the rain - it's worth it to say that you walked from Illinois into Missouri on a famous stretch of road of Route 66. Just imagine all the Model t's and old cars that traveled this bridge on Route 66 - and that it is preserved for a great walking / biking path. A bit hard to get to - but worth the time to find it.
The bridge and St. Louis is wonderful
I love this bridge the first time I seen it and rode over it was 1959. As a family we drove to California on Route 66. I was amazed and the next time was after I retired and My husband & I went to Phoenix and stopping to see the bridge. I look at it and can't see how 2 cars to be crossing at the same time. St. Louis has great restaurants and lovely
A bust
Everything was all torn up with construction on the Missouri side. I don't think there would be a safe way to walk through to the bridge. We were running short on time on a blistering hot day so we didn't even try to see it from the Illinois side.
Cool little walk of history
I read about this in a Route 66 travel book and decided to check it out. From STL you have to go to Illinois to park since it's considered safer. We used the GPS and it originally led us to an abandoned looking lot a ways away from the bridge. If you end up here keep driving down because there's a better parking lot right at the entrance. The area still seemed a little sketchy as it's so isolated but there was a volunteer who seemed to be patrolling the area (not sure if that was just the day we were there or if they always have one). The bridge is about a mile long and it took us about 45 mins to go across and back at a moderate pace (plus stopping to take pics). There are some cool Route 66 signs close to the Missouri side so don't miss those. Overall it was a pretty nice walk and worth it to stop by if you have the time.
Beautiful bridge
Very cool piece of history. Be sure to walk across the bridge, 1 mile each way. Park on the Illinois side and walk across. They are working on improving the St. Louis side. Currently there is a port a potty on the St. Louis side. There are other trails nearby. Would be a wonderful place to bike.
I wish I could have gotten up close to see this amazing feat of engineering but..
the parks on both sides of the river were closed so I could only view it fr / the " new " Chain of Rocks bridge and that was quite a sight. I wish I could have gotten out and walked it but no luck there.
Illinois Side!
We got off I-270 on the Illinois side, took Route 3 south, then immediately west on Chain of Rocks road. You cross over the Chain of Rocks canal, then keep going until you hit Chouteau Park, which has signage describing old Route 66 and its use of the bridge from 1936 to 1955. The bridge still exists and one can walk or bike ride all the way across the bridge and back. Another road, just over the canal, takes you down to a fishing spot (Riverside Park) where you can get great photos of the small falls on the Mississippi (which necessitates the canal). This view also gets you a full length view of the bridge. Great way to spend 30 minutes or 3 hours.
Brings Back Memories
When I was a kid we drive to St. Louis several times a year and went across this bridge. Although it is now closed, it brought back those memories. This was a great photo-op.
Historic Route 66
As stated by others, the Missouri side parking lot is inaccessible. Our GPS did direct us to that side. My wife, using her Google Map kung-fu, thankfully found the Illinois side entrance (we should've checked Trip Advisor before going!). We went on weekday morning and had zero problems in the area, even stopping before hand to eat at a nearby Waffle House (my first time ever). I would highly recommend taking the time to walk across, the view is fantastic. On a clear day you can see St. Louis and the Arch. There were some ironworkers doing bridge work and a couple of bikers otherwise we had the bridge to ourselves.
Chain of Rocks Bridge
The Entrance to the parking lot on the Missouri side was blocked when we went. We parked on the Illinois side and walked across with no issues. There is a porta potty on the Missouri side if you have to go to the restroom. Really nice view from the bridge.
Remarkable!
This is a great piece of history. It is unbelievable to think that you can actually walk across the mighty Mississippi River from one state to another. This rusty ole bridge is a true piece of history!
A Must Stop
Neat place to go and see. It was raining, so we didn't walk across it, but did drive over to see the other side. It is also neat to see from the interstate.
Fun day!
We thoroughly enjoyed walking from Illinois to Missouri on this bridge and didn't even get a blister LOL. We parked on the Illinois side and there were 3 cars in the lot. Lots of signage to take pics of. The bend is cool and about 2 / 3 of the way across you can see the St Louis Arch. I was a little afraid to stop after reading some of the reviews but we felt safe. It was a fun walk. The only negative thing I could saythey need a potty on the Illinois side :)
Historical and engineering highlight that needs better care
With the interest of Route 66, both Missouri and Illinois have done an awful job promoting tourism of it. This should be easy to find and easy to experience from both sides. But the Missouri side is crime infested and the Illinois side is hard to find and was locked up when we got there. They have made it difficult to see the old Route 66
Piece of history on route 66
Do not understand why some people could not find this bridge. The Missouri side is closed (has been for a while). On the Illinois side the signs pointing to the bridge are there and there is ample parking right next to the bridge. We were there on a sunny day in September and all on our own. You have to walk two thirds of the bridge to get to the famous and unique 'bent' in the bridge but it is worth it. The height above the Mississippi is impressive and the view of St. Louis with Gateway Arch is stunning. We were glad we made the effort to walk this bridge, it is beautiful on its own and being there alone gave it a little extra accent.
A must see and do on Route 66
This unique bridge, with a 22 degree kink on the Missouri side, is a must see and walk especially if you are doing the Route 66 trek. But keep in mind, come in from the Illinois side where there is a good parking lot. According to the guidebooks, the Missouri side is not safe to park. Come in off of IL rte 3. Turn onto Chain of Rocks Rd just south of exit 3 on I270. The road is open to the parking lot, going over a light controlled one lane bridge. Go straight to the lot. Walk onto the bridge, it should be safe since when I was there plenty of walkers and bicyclists were using it. In the beginning you walk uphill past a tree lined section, over some water but you will emerge out over the Mississippi. As you walk out, there will two remnants of structures in the river. These used be part of St. Louis's water system. I walked about 3 / 4 of the bridge's approximate mile length, not wanting to approach the Missouri end. If it is hot, take water, there is no shelter on the bridge. The bridge is open dawn to dusk approximately. They close the gate near dusk.
A voir absolument
Site important de la petite histoire de la route 66 où l'on peut faire toute la traversée du pont à pied avec la vue sur la largeur du Mississippi.... A faire...
Sur le pont
J ai eu la chance de le traverser alors qu'il était fermé. Grâce au fait qu une société de travaux coulait du béton pour renforcer un pilier côté Missouri. Un grand moment
Bridge is Closed
We went across the Illinois state line and visited from that side... used the address of 3328 W. Chain of Rocks Rd, Granite City, IL 62040 to get us close. There is a one lane bridge with a traffic light to get you across to the actual Chain of Rocks bridge. There is a cool Route 66 sign there with the history of the bridge and voice recorded message, but unfortunately the bridge is chained off and overgrown. This was a big let down for us as we really wanted to see it up close and personal.
Couldn't find it!
We travelled miles out of our way as we were keen to visit this bridge having seen the website and read so much about it. As the previous reviewer we couldn't find it despite following the GPS directions closely. It also looked as if the usual brown signs pointing to historical places of interest had been removed - if there ever were any? Very frustrating.
Gesloten
De brug was afgesloten en mocht je niet op of bij. Vanaf de snelweg heb je wel een mooi uitzicht op de brug maar dan moet je rijdend foto's maken. Hij is ook niet heel bijzonder je ziet namelijk heel veel van dat soort bruggen
I could not find open roads to the Bridge
I believe it may be currently closed as two different GPS systems took me on numerous routes both in Missouri and Illinois and when I would get within 2 miles there were road closure signs up and I could not get through. I was very disappointed because the reviews had been so great.
Under repair
We had to park outside of the parking lot and travel alternate routes to see both ends of the bridge but we saw it all by foot. The famousroute 66 landmark is currently under repair undriveable an the parking lot blocked off. We climbed over the barriers to get the best pictures we could safely.
Best View of the River
I love going up to the Chain of Rocks Bridge, both because it's near where I grew up and played as a kid and for the view of the river. It's about two miles over and back and you're treated to stunning scenery. And it's the best spot for eagle watching every January.
Nos costó muchísimo encontrarlo
Lo teníamos marcado como uno de los lugares emblemáticos de la Ruta 66 y desde Saint Louis intentamos llegar siguiendo el Gps. Nos resultó casi imposible. Al final aunque nos costó más de una hora llegamos al puente por el lado de Illinois por que por el lado de Missouri vimos un cartel que indicaba que la zona no era especialmente segura (no recomendaban aparcar y dejar el coche solo). Finalmente y después de muchas vueltas pudimos contemplar este histórico puente que ya solo se puede cruzar en bici y a pie. También se puede bajar a la orilla del Mississippi donde había gente pescando, haciendo kayac y pudimos ver los remolinos del río y por supuesto la famosa planta depuradora de agua. El puente no cruza en recto sino con una pequeña inclinación para aguantar los embates del agua. Merece la pena por ser uno de los puentes originales que atravesaba la Ruta 66 a pesar de lo que nos costó encontrarlo. Nos guiamos más por los mapas que por el Gps.
Chain of Rocks bridge closed in April
This was once a bridge on Route 66 which was replaced long ago and is now a pedestrian bridge. It has been closed from the Missouri side for a while (not sure how long). When visiting in early April was also closed from the Illinois side. Large gate across the opening and warnings that the area is not safe. It is hard to find. Really wanted to see it as it's a mile long and has a bend in the middle. Supposed to be great views of downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch.
Fantasma del pasado
Este lugar tiene muchísimo encanto. Es un puente abandonado, no se puede cruzar en coche, solo andando. Lleva cuidado con el GPS que suele confundir, tienes que llegar a Old Chain Rocks Road. Por aquí pasaba la Ruta 66 y si estas haciendo la ruta o la vas a hacer, te recomiendo que vayas a este lugar, es un sitio emblemático. No tienes que pagar nada y puedes dar un paseo que vale la pena.
Route66
Hieman sivussa pääteiltä, mutta kannatti ajaa. Sillalla oli vanhojen autojen Näyttely ja pieni tori parkkipaikalla. Pysäköintipaikkoja vähän.
Really hard to find
We put this in our GPS and got to another similar bridge before it. We didn't know that we had to keep driving to get to this bridge. But we did eventually get there. Interesting old bridge that you can only walk or bike on now since the Interstate replaced it. A must see on our Route 66 roadtrip.
Illinois- Missouri separate in the mighty Mississippi
Cross over the bridge with the 30 degree bend by foot, on a bicycle or with a special arrangement, you can even drive over it. The structure is beautiful and provides many artistic angles for photos
Route 66 trip
An interesting piece of history that is open as a cycling and walking path. They used to have a sign on it designating the border between Missouri and Illinois. That is not gone which is a little disappointing.
Bel ponte in ferro!!!
Bel ponte in ferro, che ha fatto parte del percorso della route 66 per buona parte della sua esistenza. Oggi visitabile a piedi, val bene una passeggiata di una mezz'ora, per rivivere, almeno nella mente, i good ol' times!!!!
Park carefully, then enjoy
People parking on the West side of the bridge (the Missouri side) have sometimes had cars rifled. You can drive across the I-270 bridge and parks on the Illinois side, too. So judge when you go - but go. This is SO historic. It's about a mile long. Plan time to walk up - because it's has a definitely slant up to the middle - and to lean over and watch the Mississippi River current. There's a Photo Op with a Route 66 sign almost in the center, not to be missed. And the unusual feature is the bend in the bridge. No bridge built today would have a turn at that angle. Route 66 lives!
No seguir al GPS!
Es bonito de ver si estás haciendo la Ruta66, ya que es uno de sus puntos de parar. No hay que pagar nada, es gratis. Pero cuidado! Si sigues las indicaciones del GPS te va a llevar al lado equivocado del puente, ya que ahora está cerrado y sólo hay un acceso. Tienes que seguir la carretera de Old Chain Rocks Road. Hay que cruzar un puente muy parecido al que vas a ver, pero nuevo. Lo cruzas y llegas directamente.
Would have been amazing
What a stunning site to see spanning over the Mississippi, a wonderful old steel bridge steeped in history, sadly closed and left to rot and vandals, a crying shame. If you can find somewhere to park it's well worth trying to get a look at this once stunning attraction. Very sad site indeed : (
Un beau vestige de la 66
Nous avons eu un peu de mal à trouver comment y accéder étant arrivés côté Missouri où on ne peut plus y accéder et c'est tant mieux. II faut donc aller côté Illinois traverser le pont moderne et prendre la 1ere à droite afin d'y accéder via un pont métallique. Parking au bout et on accède enfin à ce bel ouvrage. Belle ballade à pied dans le passé.
Nice Piece of History
This bridge is a pretty neat piece of history. You can walk across the bridge from the Illinois to Missouri side. It is quiet and peaceful. You'll have to use your imagination and take a step back in history to imagine people crossing the Mississippi River on the mother road. It is also interesting from an engineering standpoint from the construction material to the bend in the bridge. I would say if you're in the area it is worth it, but I wouldn't make a trip out there just to see the bridge.
A Must Stop on Any Route 66 Tour
This is the signature piece of Route 66 road to experience if you are a Mother Roader. On very rare occasions, like when the Illinois Route 66 Association has its annual motor tour, for the price of a $5 donation, you can drive across this bridge. It is a religious experience for those that believe in Route 66. On other days, this makes for an excellent 2-mile round trip walk over the Mississippi River. Plan your trip to this area on the day the bridge is open to vehicular traffic and then make a video of your crossing. Doing so is like getting to watch baseball in Ebbets Field one day a year. Note--The visit was prior to July 2017, during a prior Illinois Route 66 Association Motor Tour.
Closed
The entrance to this bridge is closed from the Missouri side! A notice on the official bridge website says " Access to the bridge from the Missouri side is CLOSED due to severe issues with car vandalism. " Indeed, the portion of the trip on the Missouri side that we walked from North Riverfront Park was questionable at best. Sad Sad Sad.
A PEACEFUL & QUIET PLACE TO WALK!!
This bridge has so much historic background here... love taking a nice quiet walk here with my dog & grandchildren. Open early mornings to dusk. During the week very few people walk this bridge, more company here on weekends. Very safe & we sit half way across & relax watching the birds & feel the breese. Bring a light jacket in the spring time, during summer enjoy the breese during the summer heat. Weekend events are held here also which brings much needed attention to this nostigic place!
Love History
Historical Route 66 was a FUN and quick trip. Today it is used as a footbridge with bike traffic (no cars). We enjoyed the walk, historical significance and the VIEW!!
Closed for the season
We came here for a couple of geocaches and was disappointed to see the bridge was closed. It seemed awfully isolated anyway. Perhaps in the summer there are people around but it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. We were unable to walk out on the bridge.
Historic bridge to walk - Route 66
This bridge is now a pedestrian bridge. Unusual because there is turn in the bridge (due to foundation requirements). We walked the bridge and enjoyed the walk and the views. There is a lot of history associated with the bridge and St. Louis can be seen in the distance.
The area is CLOSED!
It would have been nice to visit this attraction as we were trying to mark off Route 66 points of interest. The area is closed, locked up and inaccessible from the Missouri or Illinois side. From the Illinois side if you are willing to ignore the DO NOT ENTER sign you can get a picture of the bridge. Very disappointing!
Easy and Thought provoking
You can only park on the Illinois side as of this writing, the parking lot is right by the bridge. My wife and I walked to the Missouri side and back, I would suggest doing the same. The water was quite low and the chain of rocks were making some 2 to 3 foot waves in places and some slabs of rock and sandbars were visible.
Unique RT. 66 Attraction
A must-see for anyone exploring the Illinois section of old rt. 66. Hats off to the folks keeping this bridge open to the public.
Great stop / not well maintained
It's an old Rt 66 bridge so I expected an old bridge. I walked across the Mississippi from the IL side, my wife stayed in the car, she'd been here before. What I did not expect was the lack of care for the bridge. The dumpster was full, overflowing, with local trash bags, tourist could never leave that much trash. The grass needed cut. There was a general lack of normal care for the place.
Strolling on history
Even though it's out of the city, it's a hidden gem. This bridge is the old way Route 66 used to cross the Mississippi River. It was closed down in 1965, and reopened in 1999 as the 3rd longest pedestrian bridge in the world. You can get to it from either Illinois or Missouri. Either side is safe I feel. There is a port a potty toilet on the Missouri side of the bridge. It's a 2 mile round trip to cross the whole bridge. The bridge is unique due to the 30 degree angle needed to be built on a rocky outcropping.
One fo the Highlights of our Trip
Starting our Missouri Route 66 Adventure at the Chain of Rocks Bridge we were not disappointed. We oohed and aahed our walk all the way across the Mississippi River and back. The intake pumps in the river (the castle-like buildings) are very cool. Imagining what it would be like driving across the bridge in the middle of the night and having to make a turn, bet that caught more than a few people by surprise in its day.
Awesome place
Totally worth the tiny detour, amazing view of the mississippi river and lovely walk / nike. Must park on the Illinois side, after crossing the newer bridge
A rather atmospheric walk
" You have to be going there to get there " but it is not difficult to find and certainly worth a visit by anyone interested in Route 66. We parked on the Illinois side (as advised by several publications) and walked about three-quarters of the way across. It is interesting to see the various parts of the bridge structure - the girders, of course, but also the remnants of the lighting and the arms on which once hung cables. At the bend, there's a rusting caution light housing.
The bridge used in " Escape from New York "
If you are a fan of the 1981 movie " Escape from New York, " you will want to visit this bridge that was used in the movie. It's also of interest to fans of old bridges and places off the beaten path. I walked the entire length of it and back. There is a plaque on the bridge in memory of two young women who were murdered there one evening in 1991. Parking is available on the Illinois side. Do not leave valuables in view in your car because there have been automobile burglaries, and I saw broken automobile glass in the parking lot.
Go all the way across or you will miss something
We parked on the Illinois side because of stories that the Missouri side was closed. The GPS didn't lead directly to it, but it is pretty easy to figure out how to get to it. You see is adjacent to the bridge you cross from Missouri to Illinois, take exit 3, which also happens to be Hwy 3, to the south, take the first right turn (which looks like it dead ends, and even says so, but it goes straight to the bridge). There is a kiosk of Route 66 information at the bridge. From the middle of the bridge you can see the castle-like pump houses, and the line of rocks from shore to shore for which the bridge gets its name. Look down along the way. There are faded Route 66 paint markings on the bridge. Around the middle there are signs. There is a turn in the bridge, which is very cool. We didn't walk all the way across the bridge, but turned back shortly after the bend in the bridge. After looking at other photos taken by other travelers, I wish we had gone all the way across. It looks like there are Route 66 memorability, gas pumps, etc, on the Missouri side entrance which we did not see. The bridge is a good photo spot. You can see downtown St. Louis in the distance from the bridge. It is quiet. We had no problems with crime, but we were there in late afternoon before the sun set. It was a little too bright for photography, though. I would recommend going in the morning.
Very cool
We are walkers so this was a great place. It was a nice walk, beautiful view of the Mississippi, and unique because of the turn of the bridge. Definitely something relaxing and cool to do if you have time.
attenzione ai furti
eravamo praticamente all'inizio della nostra vacanza sulla route66. il ponte è bellissimo, ma purtroppo quando siamo tornati alla nostra auto abbiamo trovato il finestrino rotto e ci avevano derubato di tutti i bagagli delle 12 persone presenti nel mio gruppo, nonostante la nostra auto fosse parcheggiata su una strada molto frequentata. il giorno dopo abbiamo incontrato altri italiani derubati lo stesso giorno al pomeriggio. E' un peccato ma sconsiglio veramente questa tappa.
Great place to take a walk. Amazing view of the Mississippi River!
This bridge is 1 / 4 mile from my home / Great place to take a walk and bring your dog they will love it too. View south on bridge all the way to the Arch. Panoramic view is beautiful! The castle in the middle of Mississippi are old water pump stations. Places to sit & stop on you 1.2 mile hike across the bridge. Restrooms on the Missouri side of bridge. Parking lots on Both ends of Bridge. Events are held here on many weekends such as Route 66 Antique Car show across bridge, Many Bike ride sponsored events, Eagle Watch event in January is well worth the stop: Can see & touch a reall Bald Eagle! Stop by on the next trip to this area. Just south of 270 at Riverview drive in MO. And South of 270 on Route 3 Turn on Chain of Rocks Road Proceed all the way down to the parking area by Bridge. You will cross a first bridge over Chain of Rocks Canal before arriving at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River.
A bit of a walk from car park
Yes it is a bit of a walk from the car park but it was well worth it. It kept the theme of our Route 66 journey, and we even managed to walk some way over the bridge. I would loved to of seen this in its hey-day.
Interesting bridge with views of the Mississippi River - good place for a walk
Visited the bridge during a visit to St Louis to catch a baseball game. Based on the reviews in TripAdvisor, I was concerned about potential crime and decided to park on the Illinois side of the bridge. The drive took about 20 minutes from downtown St Louis and went around 1pm on a Sunday. Upon arrival there was a few cars parked in the parking lot so it felt safe. With that in mind, enjoyed a nice walk across the bridge and back. I wished some of the old Route 66 memorabilia that were in the photos of earlier reviews were still on the bridge. If hot day, would bring some water with you.
Interesting part of route 66 history
Not sure about the area and being dangerous as we didn't have any issues. We also kept aware of our surroundings also too. Gps was all messed up as you can't get to it from one side now so we had to re route back and around. Nice 1 mile walk one way to end and then 1 mile walk back. Breeze off that water felt good. Sad the signs about the bridge are so damaged you can't read them. But at end of bridge by portable bathroom, their is some history pictures there. Views are amazing.
Unique bridge
This bridge is very unique because it makes a turn partially across it. It was very easy to access from I-270 being just a few miles off of the expressway. I enjoyed the interesting construction, angles and shadows cast. We visited at a time where there were a lot of other visitors and bikers so we did not feel unsafe. The area is a bit remote so based on previous reviews we were cautious. We were very glad we stopped to see this special bridge.
Must See Route 66 Attraction
The Chain of Rocks Bridge is one of the more interesting bridges in America. It's has a 30-degree turn midway across a mile-long bridge more than 60 feet above the mighty Mississippi. Linked to more than 300 miles of trails on both sides of the river, the old Chain of Rocks Bridge reopened to the public as part of the Route 66 Bikeway in 1999 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. If you are fan of bridges or of Route 66 this is a must see. We were with a group riding our bicycles on Route 66 and really enjoyed the bridge and some of the adjoining trails.
Kinda Post Apocalypse
So I drove from St Louis to the Illinois side of the bridge based on information the Missouri side was closed due to car vandalism. The roadway leading to the bridge appears to no longer be routinely traveled - there is a two lane bridge which has been modified to o lay one lane and uses a light to allow only one direction of traffic over at a time. I parked about 5 minutes before a summer thunderstorm arrived at the bridge (I got soaked walking on the bridge). No one else was around during my visit which made it feel like a scene from The Walking Dead. Though a wet view - seeing the Mississippi from this bridge was worth the walk.
Tappa obbligatoria
Ho percorso la route 66 con amici e questa è una tappa da fare, ovviamente. Leggere qualcosa riguardo la storia di questo ponte, prima di andarlo a visitare, rende ancora più bella questa esperienza.
Part of Route 66
Part of iconic Route 66, cool bridge. Easy access IL side, car park just front of the bridge. Maybe it is safer visit at day time. We visited about 9am no one else around.
Some essential Route 66 nostalgia
Well worth a visit (and a walk over) Suggestions would be that you park on Illinois side (Missouri side is less accessible by car it seems). Make sure you also drive down to the riverside car park (downstream side of Illinois side) for alternative vantage point. Access by turning left just before you get to main car park. Finally, when you get about midway, look out for the two road markings indicating the Missouri and Illinois 'sides' of the bridge - they are small and located in center of bridge carriageway.
Chain of Rock Bridge
We took a walk across the Chain of Rocks Bridge in Mitchell, Il. Unlike most bridges which span a river in a straight line, this bridge takes a 30 degree angle about the middle of the Mighty Mississippi. A nice 2 mile walk over and back. And in the distance you can see the St. Louis skyline including the arch. If you are traveling Route 66, it is well worth your time to check it out. It also has informational signs that tell you a bit about the bridge and Rout 66.
End of Route 66 in Illinois
The Chain of Rocks bridge is indeed a scenic end of the Route point for Route 66 in Illinois state. This very attractive bridge stretches from Chouteau Island on the Illinois side, across the Mississippi River to Missouri state close St Louis City. This is a spot which is off the beaten track as you are not allowed to drive across it any more and as a result the main routes no longer go by the bridge. It is worth the visit as it is a lovely pleasant spot to stop, listen to the birds, the crickets, and of course the flow of the fantastic Mississippi River. This was my very first time to see the Mississippi and it was great to be able to walk across the bridge which is open nowadays to pedestrians and cyclists and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the area. The bridge provides a great viewing point for the trees and under growth on the Banks of the Mississippi as well and a great viewing spot for the river itself. I am glad we stopped here on the trip.
Route 66 bridge on Choteau Island - Coordinates (lat, lon) : 38.757027, -90.164862 !!!
By the time I reached Choteau Island my frustration was pretty high, whereas like other travelers have said that there are no signs on the interstate. My GPS kept taking me to the NEW Chain of Rocks bridge a mile North! Ugh! Coordinates are (lat, lon) : 38.757027, -90.164862 and when you get to the Choteau Island road sign take the road on the left. Again, no Route 66 signage! If you enjoy traveling Route 66 and walking / biking this is a must and you will be rewarded. This was one of the most thrilling walks of life. I reached the 22 degree bend in the bridge at the middle and was overwhelmed thinking about the masses of cars that must have past this point back in the day. And to navigate this turn at night? OMG! The walk is 1.5 miles across one way, so be prepared if you are not used to walking. You don't see the River the first 1 / 4 of a mile starting the Illinois side. Could be spooky if not for the many families strolling and bike riders coming and going. Parking is only available on the Illinois side. The Missouri parking lot was closed after a rash of cars being broken into and / or stolen. You can access the Missouri side with a motorcycle if you want to. Like I said, I met plenty of people on the bridge that were there like me snapping pictures and from around the globe! If your health will allow you to visit, I highly recommend!
I loved this bridge!
Great photo op, both the bridge and the fancy buildings housing the water intakes for the local water treatment plant. I recommend driving to the Illinois side of the bridge to park, where you'll find a nice greenway and some signs and things telling the story of the bridge. Great piece of history and a very nice and peaceful walk across the Mississippi River.
Great piece of history
This bridge is a must see if you're in the area. You first drive over a small bridge to the island and the road takes you right to the Chain of Rocks Bridge where you can park and walk onto or over the bridge. There is a pretty cool and informative information sign with musical feature that tells you about the bridge. It was such a nice walk up the bridge, only too bad that people wrecked the nice signs with graffiti. Great views from the bridge towards St. Louis and you can even see the Gateway Arch Monument. It took us about 20 minutes to walk up to the middle of the bridge where the state line signs are. When we left the parking lot after our visit you can turn right to get to another parking lot down by water if you would like to get a scenic view of the bridge. Great stop, good exercise and amazing history.
A Great Walking Adventure
Chain of Rocks Bridge is a gem of a tourist & recreation area in a really superb location. Visiting is here is a no-brainer for anyone who loves bridges or taking pictures, and is ideal for any traveler or family who likes to incorporate walking into their sightseeing activities. For this review, I'm writing from the perspective of entering the bridge and park complex from the Illinois side of the river by car. Getting to the bridge by car is easy right up until you enter the park area. Interstate 270 and other major roads can get you to Granite City and the doorstep of the Chain of Rocks park complex. What's disappointing to see are seedy and run down buildings on the main road between Granite City city and park complex. Once inside the park area, the quality of the roads decrease, and directional signs are almost non-existent. There are two park areas on the Illinois side of the river you can access by car (assuming there isn't any flooding when you visit). First, you can follow the park road to a parking lot by the bridge. The second option is to keep an eye out for turn on the left hand side of the park road that will take you down to a gravel parking lot by the riverbank. On our trip, we went to the bridge entrance first. I was happy to see plenty of parking available in front of the bridge. Your eye is immediately drawn to the Route 66 information marker, which has some neat info on it. Walking forward onto the bridge and the walking / bike trail, there's a marker sign on the bridge itself too. It was neat walking down the first part of the bridge, as it seems like you're almost in the trees, with the forest floor far below. Once we reached the part of the bridge over the riverbank, the wind really picked up, seemingly channeled up the riverbank and onto the bridge. Regardless of the wind being bothersome that day, the views were still magnificent. Walking out farther onto the bridge, the views just kept getting better. We could see the St. Louis skyline to the south in the far distance, and the two water-intake buildings near the bridge are fascinating to look at too. The steel supports of the bridge over the road deck are neat to look at too. If you look closely, you can even spot the rusting remain of features the bridge used to have, like metal light fixtures for the road deck. Best of all, I like how the bridge has a neat little kink in it just before you get to the Missouri river bank. What was not so great to see where some of the informational plaques along the bridge's railing had been vandalized with graffiti to the point most of the plaques' information was unreadable. Same went for the bicycle racks marking the Missouri-Illinois border on the bridge deck, as graffiti was there too. An interesting surprise though was an open-top vintage car (or basically the metal frame of one) sitting out on the bridge deck, which you could sit in if you wanted. After walking almost the entire length of the bridge, we turned back and returned to the bridge parking lot. From there we went drove down to the riverbank parking area. After finding the nearly-unlabeled turn off the main park road, we traveled along the very bumpy and poorly maintained gravel road to the riverbank parking area. This was perhaps just as neat at being on the bridge itself. The parking lot sits even with the literal chain of rocks that stretches across the Mississippi River at this point. Even while visiting at a time when the river was at normal to slightly below average water levels, it almost sounded like a waterfall or rough ocean waves with the sheer force of the water that was traveling over those rocks. The best feature of this area is a gigantic circular concrete pad that has metal plates around it, which is basically in the river. If you're very careful you can step onto this concrete pad at your own risk and get even closer to the rushing water going over the rocks, and get more great pictures. There was even a very large and sandy area immediately south of the parking lot, where a lot of fisherman were trying their luck that day. We even saw three people in kayaks going upriver along the Illinois riverbank. Some of the fishermen also had small bonfires going, which I thought was a great idea. However, to get from the parking lot to this large sandy area, you have to trek down a steep sandy and / or muddy path to get there. This would be difficult and hazardous to access for anyone with walking disabilities. I wish there were stone or concrete steps in this area instead. Those details aside, it's still amazing to go down to the river's shore. This area serves as the best place to take pictures of the bridge itself. There are also lots of small rocks in the sand that rock collectors should have fun picking over for bit. However, there is a small to moderate amount of trash to contend with in this sandy river bank area. After walking around a bit, taking some more pictures, and looking for some rocks, we ended our two hour adventure. Overall, I enjoyed visiting the Chain of Rocks Bridge. It was nice feeling to know I not only visited a historic landmark, but got some mild exercise and activity to boot. If you bear in mind that visiting here is going to be at least somewhat weather-dependent, you can have a good time.
What a cool pedestrian bridge!!!
Built in 1929, and a huge Route 66 icon, this bridge is a must see! My son and I went in the middle of the day there and there was nobody else... it was so serene that it was even a little creepy being there by ourselves. But we parked our car and walked along the bridge and it was awesome! l would highly recommend visiting although I wouldn't recommend leaving valuables in your car. In addition, I think biking on the bridge would be amazing if you have a bike with you!
Beautiful!
Some paranoid reviews about cars being broken into at the bridge parking lot didn't keep us from the experience. I'm insured and I have a car alarm. Go ahead and try it! The place was pretty deserted when we were there. Not quite the frightening experience people made it out to be. Just a parking lot and a bridge and some information about Route 66. We were looking for somewhere to take a drive, and this proved a great choice. It was an interesting trip, with a drive across a one way bridge on the way out and beautiful scenery. We walked a ways out, but not too far, as it was a bit cold. It was great to stand on that piece of Route 66 and contemplate its place in history!
Route 66 Attraction
I love to read about and visit the attractions of Route 66. I was visiting my friend in St. Louis over New Year's and convinced her to check it out with me. It has a great history and is now used as a mile long pedestrian or bicycle bridge. We were able to walk the length of the bridge (1 mile) and marvel at the fact that there was an actual turn in the bridge. We could see view of the arch on this cool January morning. The MO side of the bridge has been closed but you can park and walk from the IL side. A really cool old iron bridge. Loving the stuff of Route 66, I really wanted to see it. I would not recommend visiting it alone, as it is kind of isolated and I would not have felt safe. A great section of history and you should try to see it if you're in the area.
VERY DANGEROUS PLACE!
The bridge is a great part of Rt.66 history. Our car and a group of people from China both had our cars broken into. I am not sure that either side would have prevented it from happening as there were 3 men on four wheelers that crossed the bridge and back that seemed up to no good. Go in a group and leave a guard at the cars. It is a shame that this place can't be cleaned up for the visitors that come from around the world to see it.
Two sides don't make it right. Park in Illinois
Under no circumstances should you even think about leaving your car on the Missouri side of the Chain or Rocks Bridge. I was traveling along Route 66 and rolled into the St. Louis region about 4 PM on a Tuesday afternoon in mid-august. First thing I noticed was a wall of cement forms blocking entry to the parking area. Second thing I noticed was that someone had spray painted several times on the blocks " Do NOT leave anything of value in your car. " This is a far cry from the security of the East side in Illinois where there's paved parking lot and security cameras everywhere. I decided not to venture very far from my car so I pulled out a telephoto lens to shoot some shots of the bridge. After every shot I looked back over my shoulder. Finally I decided my last shots would be linked up with the East end of the bridge. This took me approximately a football field's length away from my car. As I was finishing I looked back at my car and saw a thug was returning to a silver car after apparently looking in my car and motioning to his compadres to leave there vehicle and join him as they loot my car. I immediately turned and increased my pace with my tripod raised. I made eye contact and never broke eye contact until his buddies opened the door so he could slip in side the silver sports car and slip away. IF you want to see the Chain of Rocks Bridge then park on the Illinois side. Also use the platform just to the south of the bridge on the Illinois side to view this spectacular memory of Route 66.
unique 30 degree turn midway
What a unique, cool, historic bridge. Not easy to find from the Illinois side but worth it. Good parking facilities & felt comfortable leaving our car when we crossed it. However, when it's empty, its very desolate. So just be alert. We also found the Missouri side & there's nothing there but graffiti laden concrete blocks. Definitely go to the Illinois side.. It's likely the only bridge in the world that has a distinctive 30-degree turn midway across. Its very cool to see and also look 60 feet down into the mighty Mississippi. It's possible to experience alot of it even if you don't walk the entire mile.
Took my girlfriend here
Great walk, great scenery. No cost. Perfect date 4 those not looking 2 blow money 2 have fun. I don't like heights so don't look down! Lol just kidding. Really nice part of history.
Caution Advised!
For first time visitors to the bridge, which is accessible from both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the river, a word of caution. You must park your car on a lot near the bridge and then go on foot to the bridge itself. Because the area is somewhat isolated there have been quite a few cars broken into. There is no security. Don't leave anything in your car that you don't want to loose! Other than that the bridge has a nice view of the river and during the winter months it is a good place for eagle watching.
Another quality stop along route 66
When you travel across the country on a journey like Route 66, you come across some great pieces of history. This is not the countries most important piece of Architecture or infrastructure but never the less has a significant place in Route 66 and St Louis' history. If you are prepared to take the walk you get an interesting perspective on the great river and a further glimpse of yesteryear.
Scenic views and great historical site - perfect for all ages
Parking on Missouri side currently closed, must park on Choteau Island on Illinois side. Had never entered the bridge from that side. Great for biking, skateboarding, walking or scootering. All ages - 5 through 72 enjoyed our outing. Learn more at Traillink.com.
One eerie walk!
We turned up on a crappy, wet miserable mid-June day and had the whole place to ourselves, bar 1 guy who was jogging back & forth along the bridge. Gives nice views over the Mississippi River. Apparently access from the IL side is better. If it's a quiet day, ignore the signs and drive right up to the bridge itself (there's parking) otherwise you'll have a half mile walk from the secondary parking area. :)
Chain of Rocks Bridge Walk
We approached the Old Chain of Rocks bridge from the Illinois side with no problem. Use of your phone navigation app a good idea to navigate the local roads of the approach. No problem but clearly helped us get on to the approach road nearer to the site. As you approach the bridge there is a parking lot on the right BUT, the road continued and there was a second lot closer to the bridge. The first lot is best if you want to walk down the small spur path to the left (south) to get to the river bank. There are also some portable toilets there - very well maintained considering their location!! (The maintenance crew also arrived just as we were leaving!!) We walked the final piece of road to the bridge which has some nice signage. The first part of the bridge is actually over land and through a forest filled with birds. Beautiful! The bridge then continues over the Mississippi with the " River of Rocks " clearly evident to the south. There is some signage on the bridge and also old IL and MO Route 66 signs. Very easy walk which ends in MO. (Other sites say it is a mile total. Seems about right.) There is a parking lot there but it was closed (chain over the entrance). Some nice signage about the bridge there too. Don't know if always closed. We were there early on a Monday. (Other sites have suggestions to not park on the MO side for safety reasons.) Walk back equally enjoyable. A few bicyclists passed us and also saw a few people on the river banks on the Ill side. Totally worth the drive to get there!!
loved this bridge
nice location over the mississipi river. Worth paying a visit. Long walk through its lenght but worth it.! Take a meal and you can eat it by the river in a park right under the bridge.
Great Stop on Rte 66
Having done the entire road 14 years ago, I finally got to walk cross this iconic bridge. In my opinion, this is one of the top sights on rte 66. Very close by is Al Capone's St Louis hideout--the Luna Cafe in Madison / Granite City. Best dive bar you'll ever find.
wa nice walk over the river
It is a bit out of the way. Drive on highway 3 going north out of St Louis until you see the interstate 270 elevated crossing in front of you. Turn left on a cross roads, about 200 yards before the interstate, onto chain of rocks road. It is a lovely walk on an historic route 66 bridge. Park on the Illinois side as the MO side car park apparently suffers from car thefts (who'd have thought!) There is even an ancient fire engine parked halfway across where the bridge has a bend. Info boards tell it's history.
You have to be impressed with a bridge with a corner in it
So I often include this bridge as part of a looping bike ride from the south side. It has a lot of history and great views. I remember trespassing on this bridge back in the early 1990s when the Illinois side had so many bugs you had to run with a cloth over your nose and mouth to cut down on the amount of bug protein you ingested. At the same time you had to watch your feet because the missing manhole (personhole?) covers were missing and one misstep would plunge you to your death (or possible painful plunge in the muddy river that you could end up surviving?). All of this good fun was ended after two guys committed a terrible crime on the closed bridge. It was never the same after that (look it up on the internet--too terrible for a review). Back to the bridge, there were plans a few years ago for a huge visitor center on Illinois side, but that never got beyond the put up nice signs stage. It will apparently never be built now. I recently noticed they closed the Missouri side parking due to cars being broken into so if you drive you need to park on the Illinois side. I generally am riding my bike and find it all perfectly safe--never had any problem. One final note: you may get the " Get Your Kicks on Route 66 " song stuck in your head, but that is a small price to pay because the bridge is free.
hard to find and not that safe
We had a hard time finding this place and once we were there we didn't feel safe leaving the car. We had been warned that there are a lot of car break in in the parking lot. There was a guy in a truck hanging out who left just after we pulled into the lot. I think is plan was to circle back and see if we'd left he car unattended. given the car break in rates, it's not worth the trip.
Schöne Lage, aber man muss sich vorher einlesen...
.. um die Bedeutung dieser Brücke würdigen zu können. Dazu gibt es bspw. eine interessante Doku auf Youtube, welche die Ingenieursleistung und die ehemalige wirtschaftliche Bedeutung dieser Brücke zeigt. Am Beginn der Brück findet sich auch eine Schautafel mit interessanten Informationen. Die Lage ist traumhaft idyllisch. Der Spaziergang auf der Brücke war nett bzw. für unsere jugendlichen Kids langweilig. Wir waren nahezu die einzigen Besucher, weswegen ich aufgrund kolportierter Autoeinbrüche, von denen man im Internet gelesen hat, etwas unentspannt war. Allerdings wird der Parkplatz auf der Ostseite als sicherer eingestuft und wir hatten dort auch keine Probleme. Die Brücke ist nicht so einfach zu finden, ging jedoch mit dem richtigen POI des Navis dann doch recht schnell.
Snake Plissken trifft Huckleberry Finn - Route 66 - Magie am majestätischen Mississippi
Die praktischen Informationen zuerst: der Zugang zur Brücke ist schwer zu finden! Die Brücke kann im Prinzip nur von der Illinois-Seite aus erreicht werden, und dann muss man sehr weit über einsame Straßen fahren und den Nebenarm des Mississippi auf einer einspurigen Brücke überqueren. Dann hat man es geschafft! Der beschwerliche Weg lohnt sich aber definitiv. Die Brücke hat den wunderbar runtergerockten Charme der alten Route 66, ein Denkmal der amerikanischen Automobil-Kultur. Sehr schön ist auch die Grenze zwischen Missouri und Illinois gestaltet. In der Mitte der Brücke hat man auch den besten Blick auf den majestätischen Mississippi, mit einigen kleinen Inseln, bewaldeten Ufern und dem beeindruckenden Gateway in St. Louis im Hintergrund. Als letztes Highlight für mich als Film-Freak konnte ich mich auf der Brücke in Snake Plisdgen aus der " Klapperschlange " hineinversetzen, der aus dem anarchich-dystopischen New York flieht. Super Stop auf der Route!
Interesting Piece of American Highway History
This bridge formed part of old US 66, and was unique and perhaps slightly dangerous for having a slight turn to the right about halfway across (heading west). It is now closed to vehicular traffic, and is a footbridge. It's interesting to see it and say you've done it, but probably not worth a repeat visit or a special visit to, unless you're a real bridge or Route 66 fan.
Shame it's being allowed to fall into disrepair
It is getting increasingly hard to get to see the Chain of Rocks Bridge, fighting your way through nettles and weeds now that the rest area has been closed. But once the battle is done the quirkiness of this bridge and the petrol pumps in the middle are interesting and you can have a picture taken sitting on the Route 66 site. Come on USA - save your heritage!
A good walk over the Mighty Mississippi
We did this as a final activity of a busy day, and we were the only two on it. Just as an FYI, you CANNOT access this from the Missouri side due to the high crime in the parking lot. You must enter from the Illinois side (East St. Louis) and walk to Missouri and then return. We thought this was really cool in that we hit two states, walked across the 3rd longest river in the world, and were on historic Route 66. Now, c'mon! Where else can you say that? Be sure to see the plaque to the two victims who were senselessly killed in the 90's. It has a bit of a sad history. We loved the Route 66 markers, but of course, some idiots feel the need to add their " tags " and graffiti to the benches and signs. Honestly, I don't know what is wrong with some people. Regardless, the bridge is WILD as it bends at 22 degree angle in the middle of the span. Do it. You will not regret it.
Very Cool Find while in St. Louis area
My wife and I travelled to St Louis recently and one of the things I wanted to do was take my bike to get some riding in while we were there. I belong to Trailllink.com and saw that there is a bicycle trail that goes from the Arch in downtown St. Louis approx. 11miles and ends at Chain of Rocks bridge. I had no idea what to expect. I left town early to avoid the heat of day. The trail system along the river there is very nice as it turned out. The trail goes north, through downtown, some industrial areas and eventually gets out into more wooded areas along the Mississippi River. It was a really beautiful ride. At the end it goes over this bridge which at one time was the famous Route 66. It has been repurposed now into a bike / walking bridge slightly downstream from the new I-270 bridge. You get a really great view of the river, the Chain-of-Rocks, and the two castle-like buildings they built in the middle of the river long ago. The other sides links to trails in Illinois which go for several miles (but I quickly ran out of paved trails and couldn't ride my road bike on the gravel trails along the other side of the canal). All in all it was a memorable experience, although it was like 96 degrees by the time I finished. The bike trail is pretty much flat and the bridge has a nice little picnic area on the MO side where I had my lunch. There are parking areas on both sides of the Bridge.
Best Bridge ever!
This was an important part of our Route 66 trip and well worth the visit! It's a nice walk and the view is tremendous!
Don't miss this step back in time!
As fans of Route 66, we wanted to visit the Chain of Rocks Bridge while in the area. It's easy to find and easy to access. Make sure that you park on the Illinois side of the bridge. There weren't many visitors when we were there one morning. The area was beautiful and quiet. Walking up among the treetops was wonderful! There is a fantastic view of downtown Saint Louis. The Mississippi River was breathtaking, including the Chain of Rocks. Plan to not only walk across the bridge, but also drive down to the lower access area and walk out near the Chain of Rocks. It's fantastic that this bridge has been preserved!
Memories of historic Route 66
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River on the north edge of St. Louis, once was used by U. S. Route 66 on its way from Chicago to the Southwest and California. The eastern end of the 5, 353-foot cantilever through-truss bridge is on Chouteau Island, part of Madison, Illinois, while the western terminus is on the Missouri shoreline. Its most notable feature is a 22-degree bend occurring at the middle of the crossing. Originally a motor route, since 1998 it has carried only pedestrians and bicyclists over the river. In 1966, a New Chain of Rocks Bridge was built to the north of the old span in order to carry I-270 traffic. The old bridge was closed in 1970 and its fate was uncertain for three decades though demolition seemed most likely. But the bridge was leased to Trailnet, a local trails group, in 1998. After spending $4.5 million to renovate the bridge, it was opened for hiking and cycling use. The old bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The bridge's name comes from a large shoal, or rocky rapids, called the Chain of Rocks, which made that stretch of the Mississippi River extremely dangerous to navigate. The area has great historical influence. It was the site of the St. Louis waterworks, which opened in 1894. At one time, its filter plant was the largest in the world. The Chain of Rocks Bridge was privately built as a toll bridge in 1929. In the late 1930s, Bypass U. S. 66 was designated over the bridge and around the northern and western parts of St. Louis. The Gateway Arch is visible downriver and two water intakes for the St. Louis Waterworks are visible immediately downstream from the bridge, which is made of steel and concrete. Today, it is a scenic and pristine area that attracts many hikers and bicyclists who enjoy crossing the grandest river in the world.
Has a 22 degree kink in the middle
Never seen a bridge that changes direction half way across. Very interesting walk out over the marshy land over the Mississippi River where you can see the rapids over the rocks that made it so hard to navigate the river before they built a canal to circumnavigate those. The GPS gave up on us before we got there saying the road is not there. Don't believe it.
Historic - but watch your car
This long bridge is now open only to pedestrian and bike traffic. Years ago, cars could navigate the bend in the middle. Now, park your car on the Illinois side - there are far too many car break-ins on the Missouri side. This is not open 24 / 7. It's open for festivals - try Eagle Days, in January, when the bald eagles circle around the area, below the dam in Alton IL, to snatch fish. Dress warmly!
Interesting walk
It's an interesting walk from Illinois to Missouri ! Parked on Illinois side, no other cars about. Worth the walk at least to the centre to view the river. Go down to the landing on the Illinois side and view the Pelicans catching fish!
Great Rt 66 stop!
We were there in the early evening. It was a very pleasant walk across the bridge from the IL side to the MO border. There are some interesting structures in the water and the skyline of St Louis can be seen in the distance. The bridge's story of construction is quite interesting and it's fun to see the curve in the bridge and imagine the cars that passed over it back in the day. There are great photo taking opportunities. I was very glad that we taken the time to visit this bridge.
Route 66
Ce pont fait parti des vestiges de la route 66. Il n'est plus utilisable que par les vélos. Il a la particularité d'avoir un angle de 30°. Attention les parkings de chaque côté sont fermés.
Glad we went!
We weren't sure how we'd enjoy this stop, but since it was just 20 minutes from downtown, we thought we'd give it a try. We were so glad we did! It provides a fascinating look back at an era when Highway 66 was America's main highway: 2-lane highways, small-town cafes, vintage cars and a slower way of life. The information booth at the base of the Illinois side provided nice background information and the walk across the bridge provided beautiful Illinois / Missouri river scenery. You can see the arch and downtown St. Louis in the distance. I'm so glad they saved this bridge and keep it in good repair.
US 66 meets the Mississippi
This is an old bridge which crosses the Mississippi. Long since closed to traffic, this was the bridge that linked Illinois and Missouri along Route 66. Today it is a walking bridge with some antique vehicles and information signs. Easiest access to the bridge is on Riverview Drive just south of I-270 on the Missouri side.