Completed in 1994, the Double Arch Bridge that spans Birdsong Hollow received the Presidential Award for Design Excellence in 1995 for its innovative design that rises 155 feet above the valley. The bridge carries Natchez Trace travelers 1,648 feet across the valley and Tennessee Highway 96.
The bridge can be viewed from two locations. We recommend taking in both views. Just north of the bridge there is a parking area with a view of the bridge and the valley below. Just south of the bridge is an exit ramp that takes you down to Tennessee Highway 96. At the bottom of the hill there is a parking area with a view looking up at the entire length of the bridge.
On June 6, 2022, the National Park Service (NPS) installed a temporary safety barrier on Double Arch Bridge. Construction crews installed a chain-link fence, topped with barbed wire, to provide a temporary safety barrier to deter further loss of life through suicide.
The NPS is working with the Federal Highway Administration on plans to install a permanent safety barrier to deter suicide. The temporary barrier will remain in place until a permanent barrier design is selected and constructed.