Rochfort Bridge and the Longest Wooden Trestle in North America

Tuis Mayıs 24, 2022

Rochfort Trestle

I think this is how most people divide up Alberta...Edmonton and north is Northern Alberta, even though it's more central when you look at the map of Alberta. Calgary and south is Southern Alberta, and in between is, of course, Central Alberta. I grew up in Calgary but now live in Central Alberta. I don't get to explore North very much but enjoyed my stops while on my way to and from Grande Prairie recently.

One place we stopped was the hamlet of Rochfort Bridge. Named after the 2 Rochfort brothers, who homesteaded here, and for the bridge. So it does have a bridge? Yes, an impressive one! It is in fact the longest wooden trestle in North America. It is 2,414ft (736m) long, and 110ft (33.5m) tall. It was built in 1914 over the Paddle River and is still used periodically by Canadian National Railway (CN). A couple short sections have been replaced with steel. It's an impressive site and I wish I'd had a better spot to take a photo. An interesting part of it's history is that apparently walking across the bridge is a thing that has been done since it's early days. (Be forewarned, it's railroad property and is trespassing). Back then it was a convenient route for farmers and also for children walking to school. People apparently even rode horse and drove cattle over the bridge. A local hockey team once walked over the bridge to nearby Sangudo rather that forfeit the game when winter had made roads impassable. I don't think I could do it.

We stopped at the Rochfort Bridge Trading Post. It has a gift shop/restaurant where we had a quick and yummy burger and fries. Beside the trading post is a vegetable stand and a few buildings that make up a pioneer museum, closed at this time of year. Darn...I am sucker for a pioneer village. I noticed that they have an old school called Orangeville in their village, so I snapped a photo. If I am back this way during the summer month, (not a typo..summer is short here haha) I will stop in and also get closer to the bridge for a better photo. North of the trading post is the town, a couple blocks of homes, and Trinity Lutheran Church, built in 1933. I couldn't tell if the church was till in use, it looked ready for a service when I looked in the window. Further down the highway I spotted a marker for the area that Orangeville School originally stood. Serendipity!
Hope to see you again soon Northern Alberta!