The hook
A graceful arched bridge from 1913 curves 150 feet above the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena, beautiful enough to be a landmark and sad enough to have earned a grim nickname.
01Why it's worth it
When it opened in 1913 the Colorado Street Bridge was a marvel, the tallest concrete bridge of its day and the first ever built on a curve, its engineer bending the span so the piers could rest on solid ground. Eleven Beaux-Arts arches carry it across the canyon, edged with balustrades, old lampposts, and little alcoves with benches; for a few years in the 1930s it even carried Route 66. It's genuinely lovely, especially seen from the Arroyo floor below with the arches marching overhead. It also carries a heavy history: it has drawn people to end their lives here since 1919, which is why it's sometimes called the Suicide Bridge, and why tall barriers now line the deck. It's worth knowing that going in; the bridge holds both things at once.
02How to experience it
It's in Pasadena over the Arroyo Seco, about six hours from the Bay. You can walk across it, but the best view is from the Lower Arroyo trail underneath, looking up through the arches, especially in late-afternoon light. It pairs with Old Pasadena and the Rose Bowl nearby.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text.