Sandy beach
Cliff jumping
Hike-in Required
Sensitive Habitat

Just why there is a bridge to nowhere stretching accross the Blowout Arm of Detroit Lake is widely unknown. And while the purpose of this construction may be a mystery, the beauty of this hidden trail cannot be questioned. The trail itself is about a quarter of a mile long, and it winds through a lush forest enviroment. During spring and early summer the trail is covered in tiny wildflowers; as summer progresses the trail remains surrounded by ferns and moss. During late summer and early fall the trail becomes a haven for rough-skinned newts, and it is not unusual to find 20 or more in a single day. Remember that a newt's skin is posionus, however, so please look and not touch. 

A few things to keep in mind if you visit:

  1. Overnight camping is not allowed.
  2. Leave No Trace! There are no garbage cans or waste disposal facilities at the parking lot or by the bridge, so plan on packing everything out. 
  3. Jumping from the bridge is allowed, though there is no lifeguard on duty. 

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)


Parking Pass


Open Year-round



Quiet, lush forest. Swimming. Fishing.


Pot holes.

Pets allowed



Family friendly
Bird watching
Near lake or river


Field Guide

Nearby Adventures


It’s amazing that there are plenty of photos of plants and trees, but none of the bridge itself. And somehow this is the first google result for the bridge that is a local legend, that we’ve all jumped off of if you’re from the valley or live in Detroit.

There also aren’t pictures of the swimming cove, the rope swing...nothing relevant to people who might actually want to visit

So I’ll post my picture of me and a friend jumping it. Because it would be nice to have an actual picture of the bridge that you’re giving info on available.

If I had never been to the area and didn’t know any better, I’d like to see a photo of the bridge before I jumped off of it.
The driving distances were a little shorter than the directions and I had to double back. Blowout road actually dead ends now and the turnout is a parking lot down to the right.

Once we got there, it was GORGEOUS. The bridge was too high for jumping since the water was so low, but there was a super fun rope swing, lots of high jumping rocks, and the water was very nice to swim in with warm currents. There were some boats, but they were very respectful. It was a bit of true Oregon paradise at the end of summer.
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