Which Utah trails are the most treacherous?
Where in Europe is the highest suspension bridge?
Find out as we look at the Scariest Walkways On Earth!
#13 Iya Valley Vine Bridges Stretching across Japan’s Iya River in the
valley of the same name are three terrifying relics dating back to the 12th century.
Bridges built from Wisteria vines dangle 45 feet above the water, with planks spaced up
7 inches apart.
The modern rendition of these walkways features steel cables for better reinforcement, and
the walking planks have been moved closer from their original 8 to 12 inch gaps.
These bridges will still rock back and forth, but they’re much more stable now than ever
before.
#12 The Maze In southeastern Utah, near the city of Moab,
is the Canyonlands National Park, comprised of the mesas and canyons surrounding the Colorado
and Green Rivers.
The park is divided by the rivers into three major districts: the Island in the Sky, the
Needles, and the Maze.
The first two districts are highlighted by a massive, flat mesa that looms 2,200 feet
above the rivers and a series of rock pinnacles that come to a point, respectively.
But the third district earned its name for being a fairly treacherous experience.
The Maze is the most remote area of the national park and one of the most remote places in
the US overall.
The paths and trails here can lead visitors to become lost for days at a time, or even
weeks, and proper gear and rations are required to survive the venture.
#11 Titlis Cliff Walk Glistening among the snowy caps of the Swiss
alps is the highest elevated suspension bridge in all of Europe: the Titlis Cliff Walk.
At ten thousand feet above sea level, this frigid path endures snow storms regularly
and is capable of withstanding winds up to 120 miles per hour!
On top of that, it’s said to be able to hold up to 500 tons of snow before withstanding
damage.
With such fortifications in place, the bridge itself is considered perfectly safe for the
general public to cross.
That being said, it’s still a panic-inducing sight to behold while attempting to walk the
320-foot suspension bridge.
Should you somehow defy all failsafes, the way down is nothing but steep, sloping rock
perpetually covered in fresh white powder.
#10 Sochi Sky Bridge The Russian city of Sochi is primarily known
for having hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, but just northeast of the city is an amazing
sky park.
Offering breathtaking views of the surrounding environment, the Sochi SkyPark features a
zip-wire ride, bungee jumping, observation platforms and, of course, a 1,440 foot long
bridge.
As visitors stare down at the ground 679 feet below, nervousness sets in with no real foundation
to be seen.
But worry not, as the 740 tons of steel and more than 528 thousand gallons of concrete
used in this sky bridges construction are said to ensure it won’t fall to hazards
like hurricanes, earthquakes and intense precipitation like ice, rain, and snow.
#9 Kakum Canopy Walkway Near the southern coast of Ghana’s central
region is the lush, tropical forest of Kakum National Park.
The entirety of the park spans an impressive 145 square miles and features a wide variety
of unique, albeit endangered, species like the giant bongo antelope, Diana monkey, and
African elephant.
The overall biodiversity in this protected region is one of the major reasons for the
park’s preservation, as well as one of the top factors in its popularity.
But once visitors arrive to the Kakum National Park, one attraction sticks out above the
rest: the Kakum Canopy Walkway.
Towering 130 feet above the forest floor, this walkway made from wooden planks, wire
rope, and aluminum ladders grants the public a look at parts of the park they would otherwise
be unable to access.
Protected by netting along the sides, falling from this walkway would be difficult, but
the experience is unnerving nonetheless thanks to the combination of heights, a narrow path,
and the primal wildlife just on the other side of those nets.
#8 Coiling Dragon Cliff Skywalk Wrapping around Tianmen Mountain, a peak rising
just under five thousand feet high within the national park of the same name, is a petrifying
pass called the “Coiling Dragon Cliff”.
Measuring just 328 feet long, this walkway is relatively short compared to others on
this list.
Yet the terror felt by those traversing it is among the worst on the list with glass
platforms showing offering a glimpse of the potential 4,982 foot direct drop to the forest
below.
The path leading to the glass walkway portion hosts 99 winding curves and is the inspiration
behind the name of this treacherous trail.
The Coiling Dragon Cliff skywalk has become one of the most profitable tourist attractions
in the Zhangjiajie region of the Hunan province, in addition to another entry still to come
in this video.
#7 Hussaini Hanging Bridge In rural regions of the world, getting around
can be a grueling task.
Such is the case in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Northern Pakistan, where traveling from
one town to another might require crossing long-weathered, semi-decrepit rope and plank
bridges.
One path matching this description is the Hussaini Hanging Bridge, which closed the
gap across Borit Lake in Pakistan’s Hunza Valley.
For years this bridge hung, swinging wildly for those not accustomed to its rickety nature.
The planks of the bridge were widespread and gave foreigners attempting the journey more
than a difficult time, as well as an unsettling scare when seeing an older, even more frail
version of the bridge right beside it.
But after sustaining damage in the last decade, the Hussaini Hanging Bridge was replaced recently
with newer, evenly spaced planks, granting a bit more stability while inspiring all the
same fear.
#6 Langkawi Sky Bridge Rising from the tree-covered mountains of
Pulau Langkawi, the main island of a Malaysian archipelago, curves a unique structure called
the Langkawi Sky Bridge.
The bridge curves outward toward the horizon for 410 feet as a means of giving visitors
a panoramic view of the scenery.
Built of steel and concrete, this sky bridge remains suspended by 8 cables that connect
the walkway with a single pylon at the center, angled at about 78 degrees.
This, combined with a pair of cables on the pylon for stability, are all that holds up
the maximum of 250 people aboard the bridge at any one time, a stark difference from many
of the other bridges and walkways on this list which are installed directly into the
side of a cliff.
Relatively low railings, low carrying capacity, and very little visible structural support
all make this trek a certified hair-raising adventure.
#5 Angel’s Landing Southwestern Utah is home to one of America’s
most beloved national parks in Zion Canyon and the surrounding region.
Millions of visitors flock here annually to experience the offerings of the rocky desert
oasis.
Among the trails and wilderness waiting to be explored is the nearly fifteen hundred
foot high rock formation known as Angels Landing.
This titanic, natural high-rise hosts a trail that leads hikers from the base to the top
level by way of a path cut directly into the rock more than 90 years ago!
Much of this trail follows thin stretches of mountainous terrain, relying on the naturally-formed
steps in the summit.
It’s an exceptionally dangerous climb, with 5 people having fallen to their demise since
2004.
But following an intense storm which left the trail damaged in 2018, a chain railing
was installed to help hikers balance while making their ascent.
#4 El Caminito del Rey As steep as they are gorgeous, the walls of
a gorge near El Chorro, Spain are some of the most fearsome cliffs to climb in the world.
A single ledge, pinned to the side of the rockface, is known as El Caminito del Rey,
or the King’s Little Path.
Originally this walkway was a three foot wide concrete path built atop steel railing and
supported by stanchions in 1905.
In 1921, King Alfonso XIII of Spain walked the road for the first time, giving it its
namesake.
But as time went on, erosion kicked in and the path began to deteriorate.
It broke down to the point that vast chunks of concrete were destroyed, creating large
gaps in the walkway that require balancing on the remaining rails!
Luckily for visitors, El Caminito del Rey was restored after being closed throughout
most of the 2000s, reopening in 2015 with a bevy of new safety precautions.
#3 Zhangjiajie Bridge When the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge was first
built and opened to the public in 2016, it was predicted that the bridge would receive
around eight thousand visitors daily.
As such, the fourteen hundred foot bridge was constructed to hold just 800 people at
a time, supported chiefly by four massive pillars installed along the edge of the canyon
it crosses.
But the bridge’s management committee was unprepared for the sudden popularity of this
Hunan province attraction when ten times the predicted amount of tourists appeared over
the first two weeks of the bridge’s opening.
The Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge averaged more than eighty thousand people a day, which caused
a sudden closure for the next month as upgrades to the bridge, customer service, parking,
and ticketing needed to occur to proceed.
This beautiful glass bridge offers a transparent look at the 980 foot drop into the Zhangjiajie
National Forest Park below, sending chills down the spines of visitors.
#2 Capilano Suspension Bridge The Capilano River is located in the Coast
Mountains of North Vancouver, British Columbia.
Rising 230 feet above it is the unnerving Capilano Suspension Bridge, which spans 460
feet across the forest canopy.
This bridge has existed since 1889 when it was built using hemp ropes and cedar planks
for its deck.
But by 1903, these natural resources were replaced with the more stable wire cables
used today.
The bridge itself is tethered to the massive trees of the surrounding forest, as these
natural pillars are able to keep both the walkway and its users suspended among the
branches.
Each year, the Capilano Suspension Bridge attracts 800 thousand risk-seeking visitors,
bringing in millions for the bridges private owners.
#1 Mount Hua Plank Walk Scaling the side of the Chinese summit known
as Mount Hua can be a horrifying experience as narrow, high-angled passages lead up the
side of the mountain where 100 hikers perish here per year due to falling.
The scariest portion of the climb comes in the form of the mountains notorious plank
walk, a thin platform made of wooden planks lining a cliff face.
Oddly enough, this is also one of the safest parts of the hike too, as a sturdy chain built
into the rocks allows hikers to use a harness and straps for added protection.
Which of these walkways frightens you the most?
Let us know which one and why in the comments below.