[/caption] A great view of Portland and the St. Johns Railroad bridge as well as the foothills of the Cascades, the Willamette river and the Port of Portland. You can also get great views of Forest park aw well. I took this photo from the St. Johns bridge, which offers some awesome and interesting views of Portland that no other bridge offers. You can also get a great view of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helen’s and Mt. Rainier from the bridge. The park that sits just below the bridge, in St. Johns, is a great place to photograph the grander of the bridge. Since you are facing south when viewing Portland, you may want to visit during the early morning or later afternoon since the glare of the sun can really wash out your photos as well as too much back light can really ruin your shots. Even though the St. Johns bridge is pretty long, you can access it pretty easily and you can walk to the middle span in just a few minutes. There are two large and very safe viewing platforms that you can set up a tripod or just enjoy the views without having to stand too close to the big rigs blaring by you. However, you may want to watch out for bicycles since they also use the platform as they ride across the bridge.
Tag Archives: St. Johns bridge
St. Jonhs Bridge in Portland, OR
[/caption] The St. Johns bridge is the Willamette Valley’s only major suspension bridge but at the time of its opening in 1931 it had the longest span of any suspension bridge west of Detroit’s Ambassador bridge. the main span length is 1,207 feet and the tower height is 400 feet above the water. The St. Johns is also the tallest bridge in Portland. There is pedestrian access for both joggers and bicycles and you have a pretty nice view of the Port of Portland and downtown Portland at about the mid point of the bridge. It’s worth making the walk and make sure to bring your camera and tripod. You can get a good view of the bridge from either side of the river. Forest Park, on the west side, has several vantage points and the St. Johns neighborhood, on the east side of the river has great views from the park. You also have a good chance of seeing Osprey, bald eagle or Hawks near the bridge.