A few miles south of Ennis, Montana is a structure called the Varney Bridge.
If you do a Google search for the Varney Bridge, you'll get links like this one:
It describes the fishing to be had there, but oddly enough it does not show you a picture of the bridge.
I am going to change that for you. Below is a photo of the Varney Bridge.
Hard to believe you can Google the Varney Bridge and not get any pictures. Not that the bridge is much to look at or
that it spans some magnificent, visually stunning section of waterway. While the Madison River is rightly regarding
as one of the prettiest rivers in the West, and is renowned for its fabulous fishing, the river as is goes beneath the Varney
Bridge is average looking at best. Downstream 30 or so miles the river is achingly beautiful and is wonderful to float
on inner-tubes for a lazy afternoon. Under the Varney Bridge, however, the Madison is not yet the stunning waterway
it will become.
None of the websites I found with my Google search of the Varney Bridge gave any sense of how the
bridge got its name. At this website
You'll be rewarded with the brilliant, insightful information below:
Varney
Bridge is a state fishing access site in southwest Montana along the Madison River. Camping is permitted with toilet facilities
available and access for camp trailers. There is a 7 day limit and a small fee. Boat launch at the site.
Gosh, that's great if your a fisherman or want to camp along the banks of the Madison. If you want
to see what the bridge looks like, you're out of luck.
Except you're not, thanks to this photo.
What you're seeing here is the bridge structure.
It is a steel- frame bridge with wooden planking, There is reinforcement where the wheelbase of a vehicle would most
likely track. It is a one-lane bridge, meaning if you come to one side just as another vehicle comes up to the other
side, one you you will have to give way.
I have never encountered that situation in the half-dozen times I've
had occasion to cross the bridge.
Let's have another photo, shall we?
You are seeing the Mighty Madison River from the deck of the Varney Bridge. Yes, you can stand on the bridge
and gaze out at the majestic waters of the Madison River coursing about twelve feet beneath your feet. Here you will
not have to worry about dodging cars as you contemplate the river gliding silently beneath you. On the other hand, this
is not a good place to go bridge-jumping. The water here is swift and not especially deep beneath the bridge, and the
riverbed is full of large rocks. My advice - enjoy the view and the serenity. Then walk back to shore and get
back in your car.
Here's a piece of trivia for you. The Varney Bridge is actually two different bridges. They
both cross the Madison River, as in this part of the Madison River Valley the river meanders about and has carved some smaller
channels in the fertile soil. Some of these channels are mere rivulets that can be stepped over or crossed with an ATV.
One, however, is significant in size and warrants its own span. And so it has one, and know you can see it with
your very own eyes in the photograph above or to your left. This span is much smaller in length that the major span,
yet shares similar construction and decking.
By now you no doubt want to see the Varney Bridge for yourself,
so compelling is this prose and the photographs in this fine piece of literature. "Camping Machine Guy," you
say to yourself, "how can I see the Varney Bridge myself, in person?"
I'm all about helping you.
Coming into Montana from Route 20 out of Idaho Falls, heading East Northeast, you will pass through Island Park,
Idaho. Really, you're heading to Yellowstone National Park, but after reading this you realize you can see that
old park anytime - and once you've seen Old Faithful erupt once, the second time is really a letdown. So yo decide
to take a detour and see something far fewer people have actually seen (since we've just proven that a Google search will
not turn up any images of the Varney Bridge except the ones in this blog post) and you decide you must see it for yourself.
So you take that left on route 287, cross the Continental Divide over Raynolds Pass and descend into the Madison River Valley.
You'll follow the river for many miles. Just as you pass through the Bar, excuse me, the TOWN of Cameron, Montana
you will soon see a dirt road on your left.
Let the Adventure Begin.
You will follow this dirt road
for about three miles or so, and you will come upon the first of two spans that make up the Varney Bridge. How will
you know you're in the right place? Thanks to me, you now have pictures to confirm your destination.
And
if the bridge you are looking at does not look like this one:
Hard to believe you can Google the Varney Bridge and not get any pictures. Not that the bridge is much to look at or
that it spans some magnificent, visually stunning section of waterway. While the Madison River is rightly regarding
as one of the prettiest rivers in the West, and is renowned for its fabulous fishing, the river as is goes beneath the Varney
Bridge is average looking at best. Downstream 30 or so miles the river is achingly beautiful and is wonderful to float
on inner-tubes for a lazy afternoon. Under the Varney Bridge, however, the Madison is not yet the stunning waterway
it will become.
