Summary:

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, at 5,353 feet long, is one of the world's longest bicycle and pedestrian bridges. The Bridge spans the Mississippi River and provides a vital link in the bi-state trail system, connecting to the St. Louis Riverfront Trail in Missouri and the MCT Confluence Trail in Illinois. The Bridge, once part of the beloved Route 66, has a rich history and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
View Old Chain of Rocks Bridge Photos on Flickr

View more information and maps of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

Location
10950 Riverview Drive, St Louis, MO 63137
Link to Google Maps for directions

Bridge Hours
Effective 6/23/08: Due to funding limitations the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge will be open between 9 am and dusk until further notice. When the Bridge is closed, please use the McKinley Bridge to cross the Mississippi River. From the Missouri entrance to the Bridge, the McKinley Bridge can be accessed 7 miles south on the Riverfront Trail. From the Illinois entrance to the Bridge, the McKinley Bridge can be accessed by taking the MCT Confluence Trail south to bike-friendly IL Rt. 3 South (8 miles).
In extreme winter weather the Bridge may be closed. For more information call 314/436-1324 #107.

Parking
Free parking is available at the Illinois Bridge entrance and at North Riverfront Park, south of the Bridge along the Riverfront Trail. The Missouri Bridge entrance will only be open for vehicle parking during special events. Secure parking will be available for these events.

Eagle Days at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
January 16-17, 2010 -- 9:00AM-3:00PM

This FREE public program gives visitors the opportunity to view wintering bald eagles in a natural habitat.

• Educational eagle program repeated every 20 minutes, 10 a.m. – 2:40 p.m.
• Viewing scopes on the Bridge permit close-ups of eagles
• Lewis & Clark re-enactors interact with the public and acquaint visitors with aspects of their 1804-06 expedition, the Corps of Discovery
• View St. Louis area birds through hands-on exhibits by St. Louis Audubon volunteers
• Get your photo taken in the replica of an eagle’s nest
• NEW THIS YEAR will be special presentations on bird photography by local wildlife photographers Danny Brown and Jim Stokes at 9:00 a.m. each day in the program tent at the Missouri Bridge entrance
• Bring your binoculars and dress to stay warm
• For public safety during the event do not bring your pets

Note: Programming is at both Bridge entrances and in the middle of the Bridge. It is about a 1/2-mile walk to the middle of the Bridge for assisted eagle viewing and programming in the warming tent.

Sponsors: Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, Illinois Conservation Foundation, Metro East Park and Recreation District, U.S. Bancorp Foundation, Pettus Foundation, Trio Foundation of St. Louis

Partners: The Confluence Partnership, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation

Parking: FREE parking is available at two satellite lots in Missouri, the St. Louis Welcome Center at Riverview and I-270 and North Riverfront Park, off of Riverview south of the waterworks. A FREE shuttle will be available from both locations. FREE parking is also available at the Illinois Bridge entrance.

Parking at the Missouri Bridge entrance is $5.

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was constructed in 1929 as a toll bridge. It became part of the now-historic Route 66 in 1936 and was purchased in 1939 by the City of Madison, Illinois. The opening of a modern free bridge 1,800 feet to the north led to a decline in revenue and ultimately the Bridge's closure in 1968. Demolition was planned in 1975; however, a steep drop in the value of scrap steel rendered it unprofitable to tear it down. Trailnet became involved in the project in 1997 when it initiated a restoration project to re-open the Bridge as one of the world's longest bicycle and pedestrian bridges. Trailnet completed the Master Plan for the Bridge and has implemented a number of its planned improvements, including a Route 66 themed bump-out, full-span pedestrian lighting, Missouri-side restrooms, benches, bike racks and interpretive plaques.

* City of Madison, Illinois
* Great Rivers Greenway District
* Illinois Department of Natural Resources
* Missouri Department of Conservation

* Ameren UE
* Employees Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis
* Carboline Company
* David R. Francis Society
* The Conservation Fund
* Barbara and Robert Fredholm
* Phil Galang
* Gannett Foundation/KSDK-TV
* Gateway Foundation
* Great Rivers Greenway District
* Harlan Company
* Lotsie and Rick Holton
* Illinois Department of Natural Resources
* Pat Jones
* Koman Properties, Inc.
* Nancy and Rich Marston
* Missouri Department of Natural Resources
* Missouri Department of Transportation
* Nicholas and Linda Penniman
* St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management
* Emma Ware

Added to National Register of Historic Places
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was added to the registry on December 1, 2006. The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture.

Winner of the 2006 Outstanding Trail Sharing Award
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was recognized by American Trails as the recipient of the Outstanding Trail Sharing Award on October 21, 2006 at the American Trails Conference. This award recognizes innovative and successful trail sharing efforts, programs, and systems. The Bridge is part of the historic Route 66 Scenic Byway System, serves as a key link connecting trails in Missouri and Illinois and is a shared venue for many outdoor recreational activities.

Ultragate Added to the Bridge
James Woodfill, from Kansas City, completed a public art installation on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in August, 2006. The goal of Woodfill’s public installation (photo below) is to encourage reflection about the site and about the environment that the viewer is “in” both physically and emotionally. Funding for the project was secured through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Department of Transportation. The City of Madison Public Works assisted with the installation.
Woodfill's portfolio may be viewed at www.jameswoodfill.com.

Rest Area Facilities Enhanced at the Bridge
Trailnet received funding from the Regional Arts Commission to work with St. Louis artist, Andy Cross, to enhance the new rest area facilities at the western entry area to the Bridge (photo below). Work was completed in summer 2006.