The Lower Glen is the area downstream of the Minnehaha Falls where the Minnehaha Creek tumbles its final 58 feet down to the Mississippi River. The glen is an old Mississippi River channel that was abandoned, and later filled in to cover the rocks and cliffs. There are four footbridges that cross the glen, plus a fifth that crosses the creek in the gorge below the falls.

This bridge is the third footbridge when heading upstream from the confluence of the creek with the river. It is actually the 3rd bridge to cross the creek given that it is upstream of the high steel arch bridge that crosses the lower glen at tree top level to carry traffic into the Old Soldiers Home. Bridge #3 is nearly identical to bridge #2, with both bridges being built in 1939 and being rebuilt in 1994. Bridge #3 was recently refurbished when I first visited in 2009.

The photo above is a view looking upstream at the south face of bridge #3 as seen from the west bank of the creek.

The photo above is the upstream north face of bridge #3 as seen from the west bank of the creek. Note that the Old Soldiers Bridge is visible in the background. The photo below is looking east down the length of the bridge deck. Note that the right side of the bridge has been freshly repaired.