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Bearskin Trail - Minocqua Trestle

Oneida County, Wisconsin

Photos 

Looking North at the 375' Minocqua Trestle

Photo taken by Mark Boettcher in August 2020

Enlarge

BH Photo #509248

Map 

Street View 

Video 

Minocqua, WI - 'Minocqua Trestle' Bearskin Trail Bridge

Drone video

Mark Boettcher

Play video on YouTube

Description 

Originally built in 1887 at a span of 1200 feet, it was primarily used to transport logs. The bridge was rebuilt, possibly in 1898, with a span of 375 feet. The span was shortened by bringing in sand to extend the shore from the south/west. After the logging era, the line brought passengers into the area. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources bought the trestle and trail in 1973. The channel below the bridge is about 37 feet deep. - Source: signs on display at the trailhead in Minocqua

Facts 

Overview
Pony/through plate girder bridge over Minocqua Lake on Bearskin Trail
Location
Minocqua, Oneida County, Wisconsin
Status
Open to pedestrians only
History
Originally built in 1887 at a span of 1200 feet, it was rebuilt with a span of 375 feet.
Railroad
- Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (MILW)
Design
Pony plate girder
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 375.0 ft.
Also called
Minocqua Lake Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+45.87129, -89.71399   (decimal degrees)
45°52'17" N, 89°42'50" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/289364/5083329 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Hazelhurst
Inventory number
BH 70369 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (9,409)
Beam (17,290)
Built 1898 (344)
Built during 1890s (3,362)
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (1,119)
Girder (11,554)
Have street view (30,157)
Minocqua, Wisconsin (2)
Oneida County, Wisconsin (16)
Open to pedestrians (4,677)
 Owned by state (16,742)
Plate girder (9,071)
Rail-to-trail (1,673)
Railroad (16,930)
Span length 250-500 feet (1,302)
Through girder (4,356)
Timber stringer (4,438)
Wisconsin (1,764)
Wooden deck (6,250)

Update Log 

  • November 11, 2021: New video from Mark Boettcher
  • October 6, 2021: New photo from Mark Boettcher
  • October 18, 2018: Updated by Luke: Added link to aerial imagery
  • February 12, 2016: New Street View added by Luke
  • February 12, 2016: Updated by John Marvig: bridge is NOT doomed, added correct doomed bridge
  • February 12, 2016: Updated by David Backlin: Updated status to Doomed
  • December 28, 2015: Added by John Marvig

Sources 

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Comments 

Bearskin Trail - Minoquca Lake Bridge
Posted February 12, 2016, by John Marvig (marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com)

The bridge that is being torn down crosses US-51, not Lake Minoquca. I will add that bridge.