Exploring ABANDONED Trestle 16 / Black Brook Bridge (Lincoln, NH)

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Nestled deep in the dense forests of the Pemigewasset Wilderness sits a rickety old railroad bridge, once spanning across the rushing rocky waters of Black Brook. This bridge, located in the town of Lincoln, New Hampshire, was once an integral component of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, a 72-mile-long logging railroad snaking through the White Mountains along the East Branch Pemigewasset River. Trestle 16, or Black Brook Bridge as it is sometimes known, is one of the few intact remnants of this vital logging railroad. While the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad operated between 1893 and 1948, Trestle 16 was built in the early 1900s, likely around 1906 - 1907, under the supervision of Levi Dumas. The bridge, primarily built out of wood and sheet metal, would be used by logging locomotives for several decades, until its last recorded use in 1946. Ever since then, Trestle 16 has weathered many New England storms as it slowly decayed and deteriorated, even surviving particularly devastating natural disasters like Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. However, as recently as 2018, a portion of the bridge crossing Black Brook has collapsed, with only a minor section still standing strong.

To get to Trestle 16, I hiked for five miles along the Lincoln Woods Trail, before switching over to the Wilderness Trail, and then finally crossing onto the Bondcliff Trail; from there, the bridge was just barely off-trail on a small, abandoned section of trail. In total, the journey to and from the bridge took roughly four hours amid 10 miles of hiking—and it was absolutely worth it! The Pemigewasset Wilderness is a gorgeous, scenic section of natural beauty, showcasing all that the White Mountains region of New Hampshire has to offer. Furthermore, witnessing the historic railroad bridge still standing in the middle of the woods was a truly captivating site, as it has stood there, unused, for nearly 80 years now. Along the way, you can find other remnants of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, including old tracks and rail spikes. If you love history and nature, this site is the perfect blend of the two! If you guys liked this video, make sure to stay tuned for more exploration videos all across New England!

https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/2013/09...

00:00 J-MASS Intro
00:41 Hiking in the Woods
02:16 Introduction to Trestle 16
04:03 Channel Memberships
04:59 Exploring the Bridge
09:55 How it Collapsed
11:27 Exploration Continued
18:23 Outro