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All the United States Maine York Wiggly Bridge

Wiggly Bridge

True to its name, this bouncy walkway may be the world’s smallest suspension bridge.

York, Maine

Added By
Amanda Plante
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Looking through bridge toward road   amandabears5000 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Julio Torres / Atlas Obscura User
Path from bridge to road   amandabears5000 / Atlas Obscura User
Bridge with Steedman Woods in the background   amandabears5000 / Atlas Obscura User
Zoomed in photo of bridge from road   amandabears5000 / Atlas Obscura User
Angled side view of bridge   amandabears5000 / Atlas Obscura User
The current under the bridge, September 2018   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
NIKALAS   slanski02 / Atlas Obscura User
Icy in April (Lanski Family)   slanski02 / Atlas Obscura User
Wiggly Bridge - September 2021  
  lgill20813 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Southern Maine is a cornucopia of pristine beaches, picturesque lighthouses, and wide scenic vistas. The town of York, in particular, prevails as a popular destination for summer vacationers. While many tourists prefer the more direct path to the coast, smaller alternative routes are often passed over, but the explorer that opts for the scenic route is well rewarded. State Route 103 is such a road, and near it’s eastern terminus one can find the Wiggly Bridge.

Visible from the road, the steel structure juts out of the landscape with an arced wooden deck spanning a mere 75 feet between two petite green towers. When walked upon, the deck bounces and flexes, banging back and forth in the anchorages.

Local lore claims that it earned its name from a perceptive group of Girl Scouts who noted the bridge’s “wiggly” nature. Many native southern Mainers can share their own childhood memories of leaping over the edge into the water and being pushed underneath with the current, one way or the other depending on the tide. This practice, as well as clam digging and any other possibly damaging activity, is now discouraged due to the erosion of mudflats.

Although the bridge was built in the 1930s, its location and vicinity were important in the history of the second oldest incorporated town in Maine. The brackish water to the left of the bridge is the York River. On the right is Barrell Mill Pond, a centuries old tidal pond formed when early colonists built a dam to power a sawmill and a gristmill on the site. This was a central spot for the original settlers, as the boundary of the pond, the same path that leads from the road to the bridge, doubled as an important byway for farmers and traders.

Steedman Woods can be found on the other end of the Wiggly Bridge, a nature reserve and a pleasantly wooded reprieve from the summer crowds. The short hiking trails are an easy stroll shaded by tall trees, bordered by the salty estuary, and awash with the aroma of wild roses. 

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Bridges

Know Before You Go

Open to public year round with no admission fee. Parking is available on the eastbound side of route 103, though some spaces are permit only. Dogs are allowed on leash. Beware of poison ivy and ticks.

Community Contributors

Added By

amandabears5000

Edited By

mereprototype, potatolover, ickaimp, Collector of Experiences...

  • mereprototype
  • potatolover
  • ickaimp
  • Collector of Experiences
  • slanski02
  • Julio Torres
  • ktoste2
  • lgill20813

Published

August 9, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WME5K4_Barrell_Mill_Pond_Dam_York_ME
  • http://www.seacoastnh.com/travel/scenic-walks/wiggly-bridge-and-steedman-woods/
Wiggly Bridge
ME-103
York, Maine, 03909
United States
43.136445, -70.647683
Get Directions

Nearby Places

York Witch Grave

York, Maine

miles away

Paul Bunyan's Severed Head

York, Maine

miles away

Fort McClary State Historic Site

Kittery, Maine

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of York

York

Maine

Places 3

Nearby Places

York Witch Grave

York, Maine

miles away

Paul Bunyan's Severed Head

York, Maine

miles away

Fort McClary State Historic Site

Kittery, Maine

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of York

York

Maine

Places 3

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