Bridges of the upper Rio Grande - 1

[Doug Kerr]

The Rio Grande is the fourth or fifth largest river system in North America, with a length of 1896 miles.

It arises in southern Colorado, at the base of Canby Mountain, just east of the Continental Divide. It travels across the entire "height" of New Mexico, passing near Taos (note that it is properly pronounced as one syllable, roughly to rhyme with "house") and though Española, Albuquerque, and Las Cruces (a lot of its flow travels underground through Albuquerque).

It then passes through El Paso, Texas, briefly forming the border between New Mexico and Texas, and then forms the border between Texas and Mexico until it discharges into the Gulf of Mexico, passing near Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

From just a bit north of the Colorado-New Mexico border to about 15 miles south of the latitude of Taos, the Rio (as it is called for short) travels in an incredible deep, narrow, steep-walled gorge. Further to the south, the gorge flattens some into a still-impressive canyon, with a wide enough flat bottom to accommodate (in some places just barely) a highway (New Mexico 68) paralleling it for quite a distance.

There are many fascinating sights along this span of the Rio. Here, I will focus mostly on some very interesting bridges. These are not the nifty bridges that we find in Albuquerque or Las Cruces.

The first one I will show is the Glen-Woody bridge, located about 19 miles south of Taos on New Mexico Highway 68, where the canyon is just wide enough to accommodate the river and the highway.

Douglas A. Kerr: The Glen-Woody Bridge​

It was built on 1902 on the abandoned piers of a former government bridge that had earlier been destroyed by raiding Apache during an uprising against the (U.S.) government. It was built to connect a mining camp on the west side of the river with a the road and a processing plant on the east side. The mining was principally for quartz (and quartzite).

We look generally northwest here, from the river edge of the highway.

The bridge is no longer used. Here we see a view across it, with Carla in the foreground:

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla at the Glen-Woody Bridge​

Not far from here, there is an area of the Rio where rafting in rubber boats is popular. Here we see two groups underway:

Douglas A. Kerr: Rafting on the Upper Rio Grande​

This pensive young lady found the setting quite irresistible. The caption is due to Carla.

Douglas A. Kerr: Waiting for her raft to come in​

A little farther north, near the tiny town of Pilar, N.M., the Rio turns to the north away from N.M 68; N.M 570, leaving from N.M. 68, follows it for a way (the overall valley has quite a wide floor here).

A few miles along that road, this bridge to the west off N. M. 570 crosses the Rio to a couple of small communities of homes on its west bank and beyond (it even leads to some homes formerly reachable by the Glen-Woody bridge).

Douglas A. Kerr: Bridge on N.M. 570​

The view is toward the west from the west margin of N.M. 570.

I'm not sure if I had a 15-ton vehicle I would want to take it across.

[continued]

 

[Doug Kerr]

Bridges of the Upper Rio Grande - 2

[Part 2]

As we continue north on N.M. 570, we reach the Taos Junction Bridge across the Rio Grande:

Douglas A. Kerr: Taos Junction Bridge​

(N.M. 570 used to continue north, then turn to the east and return to N.M. 68 via county road 110. But a giant rock slide in 1992 blocked that.)

As you can see, after the bridge, the road (N.M. 567) heads up the side of the mountain. It is about 1-1/2 lanes wide most places, gravel surfaced, and for about 1/3 of its length (on and off) very washboard-like. It hugs the side of the mountain, with a couple of severe switchbacks, and there is no guard rail. It is not what Nissan designed the 2008 Maxima SE (with a road clearance of about 3") to do. But it did.

At the highest point (about 650 feet above the river), there is a nice wide spot where one can park and look at the fantastic view. (There was a VW bus-camper parked there, with sunshades in the windshield. We assumed somebody had parked there and taken off on foot.)

This is the view to the south:

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla and The Rio Grand Valley​

You can see the Rio to the left; just to our left of Carla, you can see the road we came up.

It was both scary and thrilling.

From here on, the road levels out and shortly becomes paved. N.M. 567 turns left, but an excellent county road heads on to then north, and eventually hits U.S. 67 about 15 miles northwest of Taos.

The country there seems unremittingly flat, and as you approach you have no idea that you are about to encounter an incredible chasm: the Rio Grande Gorge itself. Here is the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, which from 1/4 mile away looks like just more absolutely flat road:

Douglas A. Kerr: The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge from the west​

The view of the Gorge proper is just stupendous. Here we see it to the south (to the right with respect to the shot before):

Douglas A. Kerr: The Rio Grande Gorge to the south​

The bridge deck is 650 feet above the river.

To put the view into perspective, here we see it with Carla:

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla and the Rio Grande Gorge to the south​

[continued]

 

[Doug Kerr]

Bridges of the Upper Rio Grande - 3

[Part 3]

The view to the north from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is no less stunning:

Douglas A. Kerr: The Rio Grande Gorge to the north​

There wasn't any place I could readily get to from which I could actually shoot the bridge itself, so here is a shot from Wikimedia Commons:

Daniel Schwen: Brücke über die Schlucht des Rio Grande bei Taos, New Mexico​

This view it to the north; you can see how it matches my shot above. Daniel, you are a braver hiker than I!

As I was finishing some shooting to the north, Carla continued across the deck, and met this delightful lady:

Douglas A. Kerr: Theresa​

Theresa is a cafeteria cook at a school in the Taos area, but is also a skilled jewelry maker. From time to time, she sells her jewelry from her van parked at the approach to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.

She had commented on Carla's stylish appearance (she is always "on"), and then noticed her large rhinestone New Mexico pin with the Red Hat Society logo in the corner. She asked Carla if she was in the Red Hat Society (a social order for women over 50). Carla said yes she was. Theresa said she had been interested in the Society, but had never really done anything about it, and wasn't sure if there was an active chapter nearby.

While I took the shot above, Carla went to the car and got her cards, including one that gave the information about applying for membership (Carla is a National Ambassador) and locating a local chapter. Theresa said she would do it.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

There are many fascinating sights along this span of the Rio. Here, I will focus mostly on some very interesting bridges. These are not the nifty bridges that we find in Albuquerque or Las Cruces.

The first one I will show is the Glen-Woody bridge, located about 19 miles south of Taos on New Mexico Highway 68, where the canyon is just wide enough to accommodate the river and the highway.

It was built on 1902 on the abandoned piers of a former government bridge that had earlier been destroyed by raiding Apache during an uprising against the (U.S.) government. It was built to connect a mining camp on the west side of the river with a the road and a processing plant on the east side. The mining was principally for quartz (and quartzite).

Douglas A. Kerr: The Glen-Woody Bridge​

This, Doug, is a well made picture. The landscape is well drawn and the bridge itself draws us in, all quite effective. Added to that, your travel and geographical descriptions allow us to be by your side! I hope the structure is under someone's competent jurisdiction to keep it safe!!

We look generally northwest here, from the river edge of the highway.

The bridge is no longer used. Here we see a view across it, with Carla in the foreground:

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla at the Glen-Woody Bridge​

When you say the bridge is no longer used, what's stops folk from doing so? As far as I can see, lovely Carla can simply decide to use the bridge as she wishes!!! Is this part of the Republican view on life that we can't be protecting people against their own free choices?


Asher

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Asher,

This, Doug, is a well made picture. The landscape is well drawn and the bridge itself draws us in, all quite effective. Added to that, your travel and geographical descriptions allow us to be by your side!

Thank you so much. It was a fun trip.

I hope the structure is under someone's competent jurisdiction to keep it safe!!

I'm not sure what jurisdiction this is part of, and what regulations might govern such a structure.

When you say the bridge is no longer used, what's stops folk from doing so? As far as I can see, lovely Carla can simply decide to use the bridge as she wishes!!!

Yes, and she knows better than to since:

• It is obviously unsafe, and

• It is "posted" "Do not enter", and thus for her to enter onto it would be, of itself, criminal trespass.

Is this part of the Republican view on life that we can't be protecting people against their own free choices?

Well, I hardly want to seem to endorse "the Republican view", but it would be silly to (for example) require the (private) owners to take down this bridge where nearby there are thousands of opportunities for the unwise to injure themselves (just as there are along the hundreds of miles of the precipitous rim of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado that are unfenced).

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Jim Galli]

Any shots of the semi famous bridge at Otowi where the old road crossed the river and went up to Los Alimos school. There were 2 books written about the lady, Edith Warner, who operated a small cafe there during the Oppenheimer era. The gadget group, while under very strict security rules, were allowed to stop there and have a meal. She was a fascinating person. Friends with the local indians, and with scientists that were changing the course of history. What a span of past and future she experienced in her little out of the way spot.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Jim,

Any shots of the semi famous bridge at Otowi where the old road crossed the river and went up to Los Alimos school.

No, we didn't get there. I have seen pix of the old bridge (right next to the new one on NM502). Maybe next time we get north of Santa Fe we'll try and go by.

I'll suggest that Carla get Warner's books.

This stuff is all so fascinating!

Best regards,

Doug