Post Last Modified – July 06, 2021
Historic Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park In British Columbia
If you are taking a road trip heading North on Highway 1 on the west coast of Canada, be sure to take a break and visit the Historic Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park In BC. This site is located just to the North of the town of Hope, British Columbia.
A town and area well known for being the site for filming the famous blockbuster movie Rocky starring Sylvester Stallone.
This is an ideal rest stop location for travelers heading North or South through the beautiful Fraser Canyon of BC.
Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park is a small park, located around the original site of the Cariboo Wagon Road bridge which once crossed over the Mighty Fraser River.
Brief History Of Alexandra Bridge
The original road bridge was built in 1861, but was destroyed by the rising waters of the major Fraser Flood of 1894.
This historic bridge is located alongside historic fur brigade trails and early roads. Today, these passageways are now used as public walking trails throughout the Park.
The bridge is associated with the development of a more direct Fraser Canyon route to the gold fields near Quesnel, necessitated by the influx of Fraser River and Cariboo gold seekers in the late 1850s.
The existing bridge in the Provincial Park was constructed in 1926, along with the newly constructed Cariboo Highway. This was a tremendous accomplishment for engineers back then, working in such rugged terrain along this fierce river.
Alexandra Bridge is a steel and concrete suspension bridge that spans the Fraser River next to the Provincial Park.
Theres an even newer Alexandra Bridge, constructed by the B.C. Ministry of Highways back in the early 1960s. This bridge is about 2 kilometers downstream from the park, and which you have to cross and cant miss while driving on Highway 1.
This is where you cross over the Fraser River and Canyon below.
Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park
Note:
Use extreme caution when entering and exiting the Provincial Park from Highway 1!
This is a very busy highway especially during the summer months with tourist traffic. There are also many semi trucks traveling in both directions that use this highway 24 hours a day.
Always give plenty of warning of your intentions for other drivers on the highway.
This is Day-Use Park only, and is open during the months mid May to mid October. There are 6 picnic tables on site and 3 rustic pit toilets. There are small grassy areas throughout and most picnic sites have shade in the day.
The Fraser Canyon can get very hot during the day in the summer months, so shade is a welcome relief when stopping for a break!
Trail To Alexandra Bridge
There is a wide trail that will take you down to the bridge site. You will see that it is covered in old asphalt, as it was part of the original highway that existed here back in the 1920’s.
Its an easy 10 – 15 minute walk 🚶 down the trail to the bridge site.
Unfortunately, the bridge is not located within the Provincial Park and therefore is not well maintained as a result. There is graffiti around, but none – the – less, its still a worthwhile visit to view the Fraser River and Canyon below.
As well, a perfect spot to take a break, stretch the legs and snap a view pictures!
This bridge sits on the footings from the original bridge from 1861. If you cross over the bridge to the west side and follow the trail to your left, you will see some remains of a stone retaining wall.
This wall is from the original wagon trail route from the 1860’s.
Hidden in the bushes, you may see an old telegraph pole from this era.
All in all, a great place to stop for rest – break while driving through the Historic Fraser Canyon in this beautiful part of British Columbia. As well, its definitely worth stopping at 🚡 Hells Gate Airtram.
This is a major tourist attraction in the area, and for very good reason!
Travel down the Canyon in an Airtram to the Banks of the Fraser River. Its also a great place to enjoy a meal during your journey.
For more information on Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park BC, Ive included the Official BC Parks website page on this Park for your convenience.
🌲 BC Parks
As well, I discovered a neat blog page showing some old historic photographs of the original bridge and more. Definitely worth checking out for history buffs!
Safe and Healthy Travels!
✨ Did You Know
“The Province Of British Columbia In Canada Covers Approximately 10% Of The Country’s Total Land Mass.”
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