Pine Creek Bridge Has Been Around A While

State Route 88 shows off one of Arizona's most beautiful and rugged landscapes: the Mazatzal Mountains. Craggy rock formations covered with greenery meet the eye everywhere you turn. Red dirt and small creek beds also abound here along with small wildlife, and there isn't much noise to be heard. The area gives off a timeless quality to its many visitors.

Many bridges on this route also give off a vibe of "been here a while." The one we're looking at today is the Pine Creek Bridge, which turns 100 this month.

This bridge has been carrying traffic here since September 1925. It's found about 37 miles east of the US 60 junction, just past the Apache Lake viewpoint. The one-lane concrete structure has had a dirt topped deck for the majority of its 100-year life, and is supported by two weathered spandrel arches that nearly blend into the landscape. The historic inventory description says it's about 18 feet wide with solid concrete guardrails.

Pine Creek Bridge is also a feature in recent SR 88 history. Earlier in May 2025, the bridge deck was paved as part of a paving projectfrom just past Apache Lake Marina to Roosevelt Dam. This bridge is also just past the area of SR 88 that was damaged by severe monsoon flooding in September 2019 (the area was scarred in the June 2019 Woodbury Fire). That section has since reopened to high-clearance vehicles.

Although it's not huge and doesn't span a deep canyon, the Pine Creek Bridge is a good example of an arch bridge on a highway with more than a century of rich history.

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