Fellas,

I need to build a bridge (about 25ft) to span a creek in order to access one of my deer stands…anyone have any experience doing this? I'm thinking about using a couple of treated poles to span the creek and screwing 2x6's on top. I need the bridge to be solid enough for an atv/utv to cross, but not much more. Any thoughts? Anyone do these types of projects and interested in a job? Let me know!

Getting some one to build it (without being engineered) may be a problem from a liability stand point.

We have used old trailers. Helped my brother's FIL put in a semi, flatbed trailer almost 20 years ago over a full time year round creek and it is still in use today (and will carry a nice load). I have see nthem for as little as 1-3k depending on condition.

You would probably want to double those poles and then X brace as well, if it can flex one way enough, you could get thrown.

Any way to have a wet crossing?

I have the same issue at my lease. Been thinking about doing what your going to do, except using 3 poles instead of 2, then drilling holes near the ends and driving rebar thru it and into the ground to keep floods from washing it away . Better to over kill than well, you know ! Good luck !

We got two telephone poles and the screwed 2x6's to the top. and it worked great for years.

Walter

An old trailer would be perfect

How the hell do you get the trailer frame to span the gap, lift truck?

We have used old semi trailer floats, mobile home frames and an old office building frame. We left the axles and wheels on them and pulled them to the crossing and unhooked the wheels and axles and used a trackhoe to set them in place. We used treated 2x6's with a piece of 2" wide flat bar across the top and bolted them to the frame.

Matt try this link.

http://easttexas.craigslist.org/mat/4552006222.html

preciate it Travis!

Like said a trackhoe works great.. You could use pullys and a truckor tractor also but very carefully. My PR has two big gaps 10ft deep or so and one 30ft wide and both have big rig trailers across them.. They take daily driving well

I built one on my place. Creek bank has about a 36 to 40 ft span if you went from the top of the bank. Me and my brother drug some full length drill stem pipe (32 ft) to the creek. We then cemented four corner post and I cut a saddle in the post and laid the full joint on top. Since all we had was pipe, I then put cross pieces in about a foot and half apart. After that, we laid cattle panel down and welded that to the cross pieces. Did this about 6 yrs ago and works great. Having a welding machine on a trailer sure came in handy since you can't get anything larger than a 4 wheeler to this site.

Sometimes you can find old county bridges that have been replaced sitting on property. There is one near my house but I don't know if it belongs to the county or the landowner now?

Be sure to drive some rebar or post in the ground to anchor it to on both sides if the creek ever gets high or you will find it down stream. I lost one that way and ended up just hauling in rock and making it a wet crossing.