Huajiang Canyon Bridge: How It Feels to Cross the World's Highest Suspension Bridge

The Huajiang Canyon Bridge is a suspension bridge located in Guizhou province, China. It crosses the Beipan River within the deep Huajiang Canyon and serves as a vital section of the Guizhou S57 (Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway).
It currently holds the world record for the highest bridge, measured by the vertical distance from the bridge deck to the water surface. The bridge was constructed to significantly improve regional transportation and stimulate economic development and tourism as part of the Chinese government’s infrastructure campaign. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

How High is the Bridge Deck Above the River?

The deck of the Huajiang Canyon Bridge sits 625 meters (2,051 feet) above the Beipan River below. This depth establishes the structure as the highest bridge in the world, surpassing the previous record-holder, the Duge Bridge, which is also located in Guizhou.

For context, the bridge is more than twice as high as the United States' highest bridge, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, which is suspended 956 feet above the Arkansas River. The total length of the structure is approximately 2,890 meters (9,480 feet).

What is the Structural Design and Span?

The bridge utilizes a steel truss stiffened suspension bridge design. This system uses a 22,000-metric-ton steel truss framework to provide rigidity to the deck, which is then suspended from massive main cables.

Key specifications and engineering details include:

Main Span: The longest span of the suspended section is 1,420 meters (4,659 feet). This span is the world's longest for a bridge constructed in a mountainous area.
Support Towers: The main deck is supported by two monumental towers, which rise 262 meters (860 ft) and 205 meters (673 ft) respectively.
Structural Monitoring: The main cables feature embedded fiber-optic sensors. These sensors continuously track stress levels, temperature changes, and structural vibrations, ensuring real-time structural health monitoring.
Integrity Test: Earlier this year in August, a testing team drove 96 trucks onto designated points to successfully test the bridge's structural integrity and load-bearing stability.

When Did the Bridge Enter Service?

Construction on the Huajiang Canyon Bridge began on January 18, 2022. The main structure was completed in early 2025, and the bridge was officially opened to traffic on September 28, 2025.

The bridge's opening dramatically reduced travel times. The previous journey required to cross the canyon, which took around 70 minutes via older roads, was reduced to approximately two minutes using the new expressway.

This project is part of a massive infrastructure campaign in Guizhou province, which has long been challenged by its rugged terrain. Guizhou, now known as a "bridge province," is currently home to more than 32,000 bridges that are either completed or under construction.

What Additional Facilities are Included for Tourism?

Beyond its primary function as a highway crossing, the Huajiang Canyon Bridge was designed to be a major tourist destination to help revitalize the region.

Integrated tourist facilities include:

Observation Platform and Café: A specialty glass-walled café, named Interstellar Coffee, is situated atop one of the bridge's main towers. This café is perched at an extraordinary height of approximately 800 meters (2,624 feet) above the valley floor and offers unobstructed 360° panoramic views. Visitors access the two-story café via a high-speed glass elevator.
Glass Walkway: Beneath the road deck, the bridge features a glass walkway that enables visitors to look straight down into the canyon, approximately 580 meters beneath their feet.
Extreme Sports: The bridge is designed to accommodate adrenaline activities such as bungee jumping and paragliding.

Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson
Pic: By Glabb - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=175642467