Rock Island Swing Bridge — Attraction in Inver Grove Heights

I liked revisiting a historic bridge that I used to drive across when I was younger and was kind of saddened to see it was only half there. Only one small section in the middle is the original bridge. The part going out to that section was rebuilt in 2010 but it is a nice historic landmark to visit. They maybe could have done a better job of preserving more of the original bridge structure and the railroad tracks that went over the top of the bridge. Perhaps had some photos displayed of the bridge in action including clear back to the horse drawn buggy days but for what it is it's a nice place for a walk in...

It's a nice little slice of history, though I emphasize little. At one end is the parking lot with some picnic tables, garbage, information, a bike maintenance station, and a well maintained bathroom, and at the other end is a gazebo with more tables, garbage, grills, and the remnants of the bridge. In between are two walkways with some displays of information and art, and that's it.

It's a nice little park, and I like it a lot, but don't expect to spend a whole day here. It's more like a scenic terminal for the pedestrian/bike path that (eventually) goes back to the river levee and then up into...

When we visited, the bridge was closed for maintenance. I look forward to coming back and walking across it in the future. If you’re not interested in a long walk, there is a great mini tour directly from the parking lot to the bridge. There is a viewing platform that you can climb up to view the river and the bridge. We took the route through the tour, up the stairs to the viewing platform, and along the upper trail back towards the parking lot. It was a gorgeous February day, and we noticed a lot of other walkers. I can only imagine how lovely it would be to walk this bridge...