The Scariest Bridge in Maine Will Make You White-Knuckle the Steering Wheel

Imagine driving up a steep and narrow bridge spanning over 1,000 feet. As your car travels upwards, the road before you disappears due to the steep downgrade on the other side. Although it sounds like a nightmare for those afraid of heights, it’s the only bridge connecting Little Deer Isle in Maine to the mainland. Known as the Deer Isle Bridge, it’s possibly the scariest bridge in Maine.

What is the Scariest Bridge in Maine?

Officially known as the Deer Isle–Sedgwick Bridge, the bright green suspension bridge has been connecting drivers to the mainland for over 84 years. Before that, travelers and residents could only cross the Eggemoggin Reach via ferry.

The Deer Isle Bridge spans 1,088 feet. Although it’s not the highest bridge in Maine, that would be the Penobscot Narrows Bridge at 135 feet above the water. Still, the Deer Isle Bridge is rather high to allow boats to pass underneath. The height in the middle is about 85 feet, while the roadway is 98 feet above the water. To have such a high clearance, engineers built the bridge with a stunningly steep grade of 6.5% and a short 400-foot vertical curve at the center.

All of this combines to create a white-knuckle experience for travelers crossing the bridge. As cars ascend the steep grade, it creates an illusion similar to that of a rollercoaster. That the road ahead simply drops off into space. To make it even more hair-raising, the bridge is a narrow two-lane highway only about 20 feet wide.

If you’d like to see for yourself, this YouTube video has filmed the terrifying ascent.

Where is the Deer Isle Bridge Located on a Map?

The Deer Isle Bridge in Maine crosses Eggemoggin Reach between the town of Sedgwick and Little Deer Isle along Route 15 in Sedgwick and Hancock Counties. The bridge is located about an hour south of the city of Bangor in the area of Penobscot Bay known as “Downeast Maine.”

Construction of the Deer Isle Bridge

Before the bridge was built, residents on the island relied on getting their supplies by steamers and ferry service. The ferry service had run since 1792, although it had humble beginnings as a man with a row boat rowing islanders across Eggemoggin Reach. The bridge was built in 1939, during the Great Depression, to make transportation easier for tourists and also to be able to transport freight on and off the island.

Besides the challenge of needing a steep grade to provide enough clearance for boats to pass underneath, the bridge was scheduled to be completed by summer. This meant most of the work had to be done over winter. To do this, many of the parts were prefabricated and shipped to the site, then assembled quickly. The use of prefabricated parts wasn’t used much at the time in building bridges. However, it cut down on costs and allowed the bridge to be completed during bad weather.

Once the bridge was complete, islanders had a much easier time traveling back and forth to the mainland, goods could be shipped by truck, and tourists had a more convenient way of getting to the island.

About Little Deer Isle

Little Deer Isle is a small island just north of Deer Isle. It’s only reachable via the Deer Isle Bridge. It’s a small community located on the eastern side of Penobscot Bay. Little Deer Isle has only about 300 year-round residents, while the larger island, Deer Isle has about 3,000.

On Deer Isle are two towns, Deer Isle and Stonington. The area is full of natural beauty and offers many features for nature lovers, including fir and spruce forests, wildflower fields, stunning ocean views, nature preserves, and even a boreal fog forest.

There are also restaurants (it’s known for lobster), shops, and many places to stay on the island, including the 200-year-old Pilgrim’s Inn in the town of Deer Isle. On the National Register of Historic Places, the Inn has a view of the northwest harbor.

Wildlife

There is plenty of wildlife living around the bridge connecting Little Deer Isle to the mainland, and swimming in the Eggemoggin Reach below.

Some of the birds you may spot on the island include osprey, black-throated warblers, bald eagles, and hermit thrushes. Nearby Seal Island can be reached by boat tours from Stonington. Seal Island is a nesting home to a large population of puffins. Visitors aren’t allowed to disturb the birds, but they can view the birds from the boat.

Egemoggin Reach separates the island from the mainland. Marine life in the area includes harbor seals, lobsters, clams, mussels, flounder, haddock, and mackerel. During the winter, you may spot a porpoise or grey seal.