Dent Bridge is a suspension bridge built by the U.S. Army Corps Engineers in conjunction with Dworshak Dam. It provides access over Dworshak Reservoir for those traveling between Orofino and Elk River. It is quite a visual surprise after driving several miles on a winding road through small acreages and forest.

Wikipedia says the bridge is 1,550 feet long and was named for Charles and Katherine Dent who homesteaded the land on the west end of the bridge in 1895. In 1972, it was named the "American Institute of Steel Construction Award of Merit 1972 Long Span" having been judged one of the 18 most beautiful structures in America.

There were challenges in getting the materials to the remote site and building a bridge that would support not just local traffic, but also 110-ton logging trucks that would cross its span. Idaho Public TV's web site says the new structure, built by Hensel Phelps Construction Company of Greeley, CO, was to be 17 miles above Dworshak Dam and have an overall length of 1550 feet. It is at an elevation of 1640 feet, 40 feet above the highest water level possible after the dam was filled. It is 610 feet above the floor of the Noth Fork of the Clearwater River. Learn more at: http://idahoptv.org/buildingbig/bridges/dentbridge.html

Idaho Byways web site says it took more than 20,000 cubic yards of concrete and 4,150 tons of steel, transported over winding logging roads to build the bridge. Check out their photo by going to: http://www.idahobyways.gov/byways/elk-river.aspx, then click on 2 on the map and "View Photo".

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