Millennium Bridge is what happens when Denver decides a staircase over train tracks needs a branding strategy. On paper, it's a pedestrian bridge connecting the Union Station side of downtown to Commons Park. In practice, it is one of Denver's most self-aware pieces of infrastructure. It does not just help you cross from one area to another. It makes sure you know you are having an experience. The bridge goes up and over the railroad tracks just south of Union Station, which gives the crossing more drama than your average urban walkway. You are not just getting from downtown to the other side. You are ascending above rail lines, light rail, and the low-grade chaos of that whole area like a person briefly rising above Denver's ongoing negotiation with itself. The design is civic theater. Big white mast. Cables. Clean lines. Early 2000s optimism. It has "public project that wanted to be iconic" energy. Denver could have built a plain functional bridge. Instead it said, no, let's make this pedestrian overpass look like it's aspirational. And then there are the stairs. The stairs are where the bridge really reveals itself. Because yes, this is a sleek architectural statement. But it is also, very literally, a bunch of stairs asking whether you meant it when you said you wanted to walk. There are elevators, thankfully, for anyone with luggage, mobility needs, or no interest in turning a casual crossing into a leg day. Denver may give you the aesthetic, but it would also like you to put in a little effort. What the bridge connects is actually useful. Union Station, downtown, and the 16th Street area on one side. Commons Park and the Platte Valley side on the other. So yes, it serves a real purpose. But it also feels like one of those places where Denver gets to pretend it's a denser, more polished city for about six minutes. The vibe is extremely local. A little aspirational. A little performative. A little windy. You cross it and see trains below, glass towers nearby, and just enough skyline to think, okay, maybe this town does clean up well. Then somebody on a scooter whips by, a runner treats the stairs like Red Rocks training, and your trance breaks. That is probably why the bridge works. It is dramatic without being truly grand. Useful without being humble. A piece of infrastructure with main-character syndrome. Would cross again. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Beautiful Denver Millennium Bridge is the world's first cable-stayed bridge using post-tensioned structural construction. It's located near downtown in Riverfront Park. The bridge is one of 3 pedestrian bridges between Downtown Denver and the Highland neighborhood. The 1st pedestrian bridge crosses the train tracks, 2nd a creek & 3rd interstate 25. These 3 bridges were built in 2002 & cost $9,000,000 each. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

A beautiful transition zone between the DTDEN neighborhoods of Lower Downtown LoDo and River North. Great for a stroll, run or just getting from downtown proper to the REI store. Lolzsies. Wonderfully conceived. read more

From this bridge you can see the Highlands (LoHi) neighborhood. The bridge is a good place for a workout especially after going up and own the long flight of stairs. read more

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This is a beautiful bridge that is gorgeously lit up at night. It is right next to Union Station. the bride is 26 feet high, 80 feet wide and 131 feet long. The first thing that you will notice from the bridge is its white tapered steel mast that climb to 200 feet in the sky. The anchors are amazing to look at as well. It goes over the train tracks and overlooks Union Station's boarding area. It was opened in April of 2002 and was built by Edward Kraemer & Sons, Inc. The bridge connects Denver's Lower Downtown area with the Highland Neighborhood, letting out at Lakeside and Commons Parks. The bridge has some step stairs on both sides and is commonly used for people looking to get a good workout. There is an elevator on both sides of the bridge, however, it were not working when I was there. There are a set of angle wings that you can use for a good photo op on the Highland side of the bridge, which also sets the bridge as the background. This is a pretty bridge, but not a destination attraction, nor does it have much utility outside of crossing from one part of the city to the other or some quick photo ops. If is definitely something cool to see if you are in the area, but I would not make a special trip or go out of my way to get here. Luckily, it is by a lot of other attractions that can be used to fill an itinerary up with. read more

Millennium Bridge is a great location & spot to visit. It defines the youth & new emergence of Denver when it was being revitalized & connecting of neighborhoods. I had my engagement pictures taken here by the wonderful Broxton Art by Tavis Broxton. It was my wives idea and a great one at that. Travis brought out the beauty in the pieces & and bridge that are in the area. I see they added some new great artwork pieces, i.e., the floating wings, which is a great addition. If you want a cool spot for pictures and nice restaurants & bars go down to this little area. read more

This bridge makes a better connection between the city center and the waterside area than would exist otherwise, and offers some intriguing architecture. It's good for a quick photograph or two, but there's nothing exciting going on here. Definitely an area you want to be walking through if you are visiting Denver. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This bridge is quite prominent at the end of the Mall near Union Station. Whether this was the end destination or it leads to somewhere; but it seemed to lead to nowhere other then crossing the railway line. After reading some reviews there were some parks beyond but it was not obvious or looked inviting. As I was taking a picture someone passed by and said it was ugly. Well, not ugly in my opinion but not a destination place unless you happen to be within spitting distance which I was. The locals may feel quite differently about this. read more

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This bridge is at the end of the 16th Street mall near the Union Station. It offers a great selfie locale if you like suspension cables and a tower. It's nothing more than an elevated walkway over some train tracks. Do not go out of your way to visit. As far as pedestrian bridges, I'll give it 4 stars, but who wants to devote vacation time to visit a pedestrian bridge? Don't believe the hype. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

All the way back in the ancient history of late 2019, I took a trip to Denver for the Great American Beer Fest (remember in-person events? Ha.) Over the course of that weekend, I also explored as much of the rest of Denver's beer scene as I was able to do on foot from the heart of downtown - and one of my (many!) favorite breweries that trip was Denver Beer Co/Cerveceria Colorado (can you tell I'm going crazy waiting to be able to travel again?) Anyway, when I saw to get there, I would be crossing not one but two pedestrian bridges important enough to have yelp pages, I knew I had to add my name to the list of silly yelp people weird enough to go around ironically reviewing random bridges, cause why not? Of course, then life got busy, but it's not like the entire planet could change overnight, right? Then covid hit, and turns out it could. So I didn't look at my saved review drafts for like a whole year. Well anyway, now that it seems like we *will* have a future, I was thinking about how much I'd love to be back in Denver again, and realized: it's a bridge. Public-access pedestrian bridges are probably the only thing that *haven't* changed during covid, so you know what? Have a year and a half old review of a bridge, so I can get it out of my queue. I'm sure if it's actually been made meaningfully different in the past year, a Denver local will see this and let me know, but I can't imagine. :D So, is it worth visiting Denver to see this random foot bridge? No, duh. This isn't the Golden Gate, it's just a pedestrian bridge over some train tracks. If you're interested in photography or cool architecture, it's probably worth a brief stop, because it is actually a legitimately neat-looking bridge. Also, if you're still a little kid at heart and think giant trains are cool, you may also want to stop for that - I will admit I got a small rise out of seeing a single train with about a hundred coal cars in a row drive by immediately underneath the bridge I was on. And regardless, if you're staying in downtown and planning on visiting breweries on the other side of the river by foot (both of which are things I intend to do again in the hopefully relatively near future!), you'll need this bridge, and it's not like it costs money. So 5 stars just for that! (Of course, if you're getting there by car, then never mind!) read more

Such a nice structure, fun to walk though there are lots of steps, with an interesting piece of art at the base of the western steps and a good view. On such a nice day, we had a great view from the top where there is seating to rest or have a snack. I am sure office workers from the nearby buildings take advantage of it. If you can't do steps, they have an elevator access on both sides. We also took the opportunity to walk west all the way to LoHi, crossing the additional two pedestrian bridges, though this one is the largest and most interesting in design. read more

This was a fun little tourist spot to drop by while in Denver. It's a very cute, though a hard to walk up spot, especially because on one side, you can see through the steps. So if you have vertigo, or height issues, I recommend walking up from the Union Station side and enjoying the picturesque view then walking down the other side for a few selfies. There is an elevator, but it isn't well marked from the ground floor, so if you do have mobility issues and want to enjoy the "bridge" (it's not really a bridge, but more of a man made hill) definitely check the ends for the elevator access. We snapped a few fun pictures and continued on our adventure. read more

As a bridge engineer, I wanted to see the Millennium Bridge when visiting Denver. It's super convenient to get to, being only about a block from Union Station, and being at one end of the 16th Street Mall. Compared to other cable stayed bridges, this structure's span and over size isn't overly impressive, but its architecture with the canted tower and splayed stay cables are pretty cool. It's also nice and low, so it's an easy climb up the stairs for visitors (also accessible by elevator). The views from the top of the deck is nice. Definitely recommended if you're walking in the LoDo area! Good spot for pictures too. read more

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The first time you lay eyes on the Millennium Bridge, the first instinct is to merrily shout "Ship Ahoy." Standing at the northernmost point of the 16th Street Mall in Lower Downtown Denver, this tubular steel footbridge extends the pedestrian walkway to the Riverside Park /Commons Park greenspace besides the South Platte River. Brought to life on April 22, 2002; it has given Denver the honor of having the World's first cable-stayed bridge using post-tensioned construction. The focal point is the 200 feet high steel mast. Although it is not a landmark that stands out in the Downtown landscape, it stands out in the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall landscape. When I first became acquainted with the Mile City, the leading two landmarks that I saw in upon entering the mall from Welton Street were the D&F Tower and the tall mast. I was thinking to myself that there must be a shipping industry along the South Platte River. As I got closer to it I realized it was a pedestrian bridge. Finally when I walked across it, I saw up close the 200 foot high steel mast. There is one flaw with the sail boat architecture. That flaw is that the Millennium Bridge crosses railroad tracks instead of water. The 16th Street Mall Pedestrian Mall is the spine of the Downtown Denver tourist area connecting the vicinity of the Denver Capital Building to the vicinity of Union Station with Lower Downtown Denver. It's southernmost reaches are at the foot of the Millennium Bridge. From this point, the pedestrian mall develops into the bridge that empties out onto Riverside Park /Commons Park and ultimately to the South Platte River. There was a time that the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall emptied into a derelict landscape of rail yards and abandoned buildings. Thanks to the Union Station revitalization project and other shareholders in the Denver Business Community there is a massive revitalization taking place. With my own eyes, I saw all around the Millennium Bridge the Construction Workers building residential and commercial high rises. I also saw brand new high rises including the Da Vitta Headquarters. The Millennium Bridge stands 25 feet above street level. If you have arthritis or feet problems, the stairs protruding from the end of the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall and the parkland on the other side is truly an inconvenience. My old man had difficulty getting up the steps on account of a knee problem. Fortunately there is a glass elevator on each side. More fortunately the elevator worked. Once we reached the top of the 25 high bridge the inconvenience was worth it. From here, I looked south to take in the totality of the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall with the skyscrapers and D&F Tower. From the exact area, I looked north to take in the rolling green parkland reaching to the South Platte River. When I looked east and west I saw the Iron rails that bring the Mile High City to the rest of the United States. When Iooked down on the bridge I saw white concrete interspersed with plant buffers. And when I looked up I saw the 200 foot tall white steel mast. When I looked forward it was walking towards the other glass elevator returning us to street level. In Denver fashion, the north elevator delivered us to an attractive public plaza. From this viewpoint there is a mini waterfall below the Millennium Bridge. Bridges are more than physical. The Millennium Bridge also served as a bridge to adventure. After discovering the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall with Lower Downtown, it was time to explore the parkland and trails following the South Platte River. The Millennium Bridge ultimately led my family and I to new adventures. Perhaps the 200 foot high steel mast is the symbol of sailing into memorable land adventures. read more

This place is pretty cool. If you're walking around Denver, this is a detour worth making. It's fun to look at, walk on and photograph. You can get Instagram worthy shots from almost any angle. There are benches at the highest point so you can hang out on the bridge and even eat lunch there. Fun fact: When I was there last, a film crew was in the middle of filming a pilot episode for a new tv show on the bridge. They had lookouts posted at either end of the bridge warning pedestrians about the film crew and asking us to walk by normally without staring at the camera crew and actors. Denver knows how to keep things interesting. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Interesting pedestrian bridge that's only a quick 5-10 minute walk away from Union Station. I've seen people having photoshoots here as well as getting in their workout using the steps. It's free, always open, and has an elevator available as well. There are a few benches up at the top if you want to take a quick break and take in the view. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

awesome name. took a lot of talent to build it. by no means is my review meant to disregard the time and effort it took to create this. however, it is a very short bridge. this was one of the landmarks i wanted to see during my trip to denver i felt a bit cheated. i just wished it was longer or more sites to see while i was visiting this bridge. during my visit the elevator was not working and you gotta take the stairs. which is not very great when you have a stroller to be pushing around. so overall, if you have time to kill during your visit then come to the millennium bridge. if you don't have time then you definitely aren't missing out too much on anything. tips: *free to visit *elevator available when its working. *next to the davita building. *within walking distance to shopping areas/restaurants. *street metered parking. *open 24-7 *could be a good photo op. read more

Millennium Bridge - Millieum bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I am a lover of cable-stay bridges.

Bridges to me have always represented the light side of industry, the part with the engineering and pioneering spirit, instead of the darker side of alienated labor and pollution. Pedestrian bridges are sort of the new thing for cities it seems. Now, while this bridge doesn't get anywhere near close to the Millennium bridge in London (I mean woah!), it still maintains some of the sweeping metal-white lines, as well as the same sort of feel. Cool cool cool....bridges are cool, especially ones you can walk across. Woot! And it is a ship! read more

I walk over this feat of engineering marvel and architectural beauty every time I go to the 16th street mall. in the summer this bridge is decked out in flowers and offers very photogenic views of lower downtown, plus it connects you to the new RTD mall station which offers free bus rides. The stairs on this bridge have tracks near the edge that are designed for bicycles. read more

Millennium Bridge - Bridge at night - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The Millennium Bridge is such a cool feature because it draws together Lower Downtown and the Potter Highlands area. Being a Denver native, It's very rewarding to see how the Downtown landscape has come together in the past 10 years (minus some of the condos). I love the bike groves. Allows you to walk your bike up the stairs and avoid carrying it (or possibly tripping over it while a little tipsy). read more

A really nice mast/bridge by Union Station. I always thought it was interesting and now my new HQ building has been built right next to it. If the windows opened on the 8th floor I think I could touch it. For me it marks the end of the 16th and the beginning of new adventures as you cross over towards Commons Park, different restaurants and shops. read more

Yuck! The bridge itself does its job - hence the two stars. But the design with a domineering enlarged colorless phallus that reminds us of who is really in charge kinda makes me sick. Glad everyone else seems to like it, but it is a personal reminder of opression and I am not a fan. read more

My first experience with this gorgeous bridge was during a scavenger hunt I did as part of my orientation at DU. I continue to be impressed by it's style and it's location, just past LoDo and downtown and just before an awesome area that includes sweet hotspots like Paris On the Platte. It's one of the many things I love in Denver! read more

Fun to walk across; you get a good cross-section segment of Denverites from the well-off to the worker bees to those getting by here; and the architecture? It's the Bridge That Has Secret Aspirations To Be A Ship. If you've been there, you know what i mean. The spikes, the cabling, the angles...and it's not entirely uniform, but it *is* fun. There are also planters with flowers on the actual bridge itself (I'm sure that is subject to accomodating seasons), and an awesome modern "waterfall" on the west side of the stairway. Connecting the newly renovated Union Station area with Commons Park, Little Raven Park, Zengo, Ink Coffee, the Glass Tower and some trendy little shops; and eventually leading to the lower Highlands and places like Denver Beer Co. .Fair amount of pedestrians, cyclists [there are grooved angled areas alongside both stairways of the bridge; you can slot your bike tires in there and rtoll it up and down if you don't feel like carrying it!], sightseers, hipsters, kids, foodie/drinkies - whatever the type here, people generally seem like they have a smile on their face and/or are happy and energized to be there. Warning: if you're here and need to find a restroom quickly, it can be challenging. Many establishments in the area don't let you use the restroom unless you're a customer. My friend and I "piggybacked" into ink coffee's place on the purchase of another member of our group, but I don't know if that'll always work. And that public restroom area so helpfully pointed out by 1 or 2 business owners? Locked on a Saturday afternoon around 12:45pm. (both genders) Be warned... read more

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Wow, Rebeca R. (below) has some serious issues. This is a cool bridge, you wouldn't expect it in a place like Denver with no real water features. It adds some uniqueness to the area. read more

Been on this bridge a few times looks best in the summer when flowers are blooming. Very unique designed bridge. Leads to the free mall ride. Although walking and enjoying the sights is alao fun. I enjoy seeing new places where i have been before looks new again. read more

Millennium Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This is a pretty neat local feature. It's nicely built, and when the surrounding development and construction subsides, it's going to be a fun landmark. I was a little disappointed at how low the view points were... doesn't really make this the best place to take a photo with the Denver skyline in the background.. read more

Millennium Bridge - View towards bridge, walking from 16th st mall - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

"The Ship" The Ship is a notorious landmark of Denver and it lies smack in the middle of many places you'd like to explore such as Paris on the Platte or the Denver Skate Park. Believe me, you can have h ours of fun exploring even a (small) large ship bridge thing. What a nice place to take your friends as they accordingly visit from Europe or Africa---come here and you just may remind them of their travels. They surely have never seen a ship on a bridge in the midst of a landlocked state before. read more

Another reason to visit denver: to cross the enlightenment of the bridge. I've seen this bridge multiple times before going in for class. I love this little landmark gem. read more

This is a pretty cool bridge to cross although it's quite short. It is the 1st of 3 bridges you cross to get to the Highlands from Downtown. I saw a guy having a photoshoot on the bridge. There is a waterfall on the west side of the bridge (towards Highlands) and it's nice to look at or sit and enjoy the view. There are a couple restaurants and shops aligning the street right by the bridge. Once crossed over from Downtown, you have access to Confluence Park, Commons Park, and the river. read more

Millennium Bridge - From the west side - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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NICE. the views here are gorgeous and just walking along this bridge will lead you to some cool ass places. I walked here and found this like river park. YESSSSS. read more

Aka to the Denverites "Oh, the spike at the end of 16th Street" Take your visitors here, it's a sight to see. On one side you have the newly (creating) Union Station (btw heard the Union Station stores are going to be phenomenal with shops and on the go eateries, can't wait). On the other side Riverfront Park/Highlands. Great place to take pictures, eat, and take in the Denver Skyline on the bridge. Surrounding the bridge you have the light rail, future union station, upscale condominiums, the glass house, eateries, Zengo restaurant, deli's, corporate bldgs, free mall ride for 16th street and locals going up and down the stairs to migrate between Highlands/LoDo. The bridge is wheelchair friendly, there are elevators on both sides, hopefully they work they day you go :/ The area is safe, just watch your surroundings. read more

This was definitely a structure carrying a road, path, railroad, or canal across a river, ravine, road, railroad, or other obstacle (AKA "a bridge"). It was handy, and has nice views (especially of the shiny DaVita building/World Headquarters!). It even has elevators for wheelchairs, B-Cycles, or the merely indolent. However, some of the choices are downright annoying. They put grooves on the one side to aid in those ferrying their bicycles up and over. However, this is also the side where one might naturally gravitate towards to grasp a handrail, and now you are tripping over grooved concrete and acting confused (you are, just admit it). There is one central handrail, but people seemed to be going up and down both sides equally and randomly (anarchy! said I). In summation, I didn't think I could say much about a foot bridge"/stairway to somewhere", but I guess I somehow succeeded. read more

I love the Millennium Bridge. I grew up back east and spent a lot of time in all the amazing port cities, so moving here was difficult not being near water. Whenever I see the bridge it makes me feel, just for a second, that I am in Baltimore, or Philly, or Boston. It is also very functional for pedestrians, I use it often when I take the train downtown and need to get to the west side. The views from the bridge are very nice too. This is a favorite of mine to take out of towners when they visit. read more

This is a great bridge to go check out! You get a decent view once you are on the top of it. It is sandwiched between the 16th Street Mall and Confluence Park n Denver. Definitely a up and coming neighborhood and I mean that since this used to be an area where homeless people lived in the old structures that were abandoned here as well as religious cults that would sneak into these places and do their 'ceremonies'. Just don't go on the elevators if you can help it, I went up one here at the bridge and the elevator barely moved and then stopped, I was stuck in there! Luckily someone called the fire department and they got me out. They do have a phone on the elevator that calls security but it is almost all staticy and you don't know if anyone can hear you or if anyone picked up the phone in the first place. The elevator facing the 16th street mall too reeks of urine too so it is good times all around to get stuck there! read more

I am amazed at how clean and environmentally aware the downtown area seems. I'm from San Francisco, a place you'd think was on top of the environmental front, and it does isnt. I love how Denver encourages people to use bicycles, especially though the availabity of public rentals. And this pedestrian bridge is no exception. It has bike "lanes" up the side of the stairs. I saw a lot of people using them. How neat! read more

Wear comfy shoes and take the stairs. We like to walk to the bridge from the Highland area (where Little Man ice cream is). I've only seen it at night with all the pretty lights and really enjoyed the view. :) read more

when i first moved to denver i was mesmerized by this bridge. i couldn't stop photographing it! now that i've been here 6 years, i still love to walk on it and i'm amazed at how much i STILL want to photograph it, day or night, empty or crowded, i just love every angle of this bridge. a lot of groups seem to use it as a place for taking portraits, as an exercise spot, or as a place to show out-of-towners... and it's a wonderful place to do all of those things. i love that it looks like a ship's mast in the middle of an urban setting in the capitol of a land-locked state. read more