Fire Destroys Tank Creek Bridge Along Great River State Trail; Bridge Closed Until Further Notice

TREMPEALEAU, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that the Tank Creek Bridge on the Great River State Trail is currently closed until further notice due to damage from a fire on Thursday evening, May 15, 2025.

There were no injuries reported but unfortunately the bridge is a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The bridge was originally built in 1957 as a railroad bridge for the abandoned Chicago-Northwestern railroad line and is over 200 feet long and located approximately three miles east of Trempealeau.

Due to the location of the bridge, there is no current reroute in place. A timeline and budget for replacement has not yet been established.

The DNR will be working to address the removal of any bridge debris as safely and quickly as possible. The public should not attempt to access this structure.

The Great River State Trail has 21 bridge structure with over 3,100 linear fee of bridges. Most of these bridges are 100-year-old railroad bridges. The trail is 24 miles long with a crushed limestone surface and extends through the upper Mississippi River valley connecting Trempealeau and Onalaska. The trail connects to the La Crosse River Trail to the south.

No other information is available and DNR staff are unable to accommodate interviews at this time. View the Great River State Trail webpage for updates on the trail closure.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.