COLFAX, Calif. — It’s the rickety little crossing on the American River and if you are afraid of heights, it's not the drive for you! Linking Colfax to the town of Foresthill is one of Placer County’s oldest and most rudimentary vehicle bridges.
Yankee Jims Bridge spans 210 feet across the north fork of the American River, and when the original wood bridge was built in 1850 it was the fastest way to the gold rush town of Yankee Jims.
At one point, Yankee Jims had about 5,000 people living in the area. Most were mining for gold.
Yankee Jims, for whom the area is named, discovered gold in the area but instead of striking it rich, Yankee Jim made his fortune as a bandit stealing horses until someone caught him in the act and he had to flee.
In the 1930s, the old wood bridge was replaced by a metal suspension bridge. It is simple but sturdy and has passed the test of time.
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Today, Yankee Jims Bridge is a popular place to go swimming. Flat boulders offer a good place to do a little sunbathing.
The rusty railings and swaying bridge deck show the bridge’s age. The one-lane crossing was designed for vehicles of 100 years ago and not modern trucks which sometimes surpass the three-ton load capacity of the bridge.
“It’s currently listed as structurally deficient as it can't handle most of the modern loads and vehicles today. We're going to build a new bridge just downstream that can handle them,” said Kevin Ordway of Placer County Public Works in a statement.
Placer County is in the midst of plans to build a new bridge next to the historic Yankee Jims Bridge, preserving the older span’s historic nature. Construction could start as early as fall 2024 and is expected to take three years.
MORE ACROPHOBIC FUN ON THE BACKROADS: Giant redwoods with their own bat cave, land crabs and sky high rope bridges are at home in a historic Northern California roadside attraction.
