Building a Walking Path Foot Bridge

One of our ongoing projects is constructing a new trail in northeast Massachusetts. As part of this trail we needed to construct a simple footbridge to cross a low point in the path that collects water in the spring.

The supports are pressure treated timber that should last quite a while. The two footers are set on top of crushed stone, to aid in draining water from around them. We were able to source the wood for the decking from a small, local sawmill. We chose white oak due to its water resistant properties.

You will often see simple planks, or other improvised items, used to cross small wet areas on trails like this. We wanted to something more permanent, something that showed this trail was cared for, and that invited users to continue exploring the trail. This bridge is near the beginning of the trail and we feel it helps do a nice job of getting users excited to continue walking the rest of it.

We finished off the bridge by adding stone transitions at the end. Instead of having an abrupt step up onto the surface of the footbridge we used stones to create a small gradual ramp up. We brought in stone dust and crushed rock to use as a base to set the larger stones in. We then used the abundant large stones already present on the property to create the transition. It was then just a matter of finding the right stones and fitting them together like a puzzle.

Get in touch if you would like assistance doing this type of work on your property.