No Hands Bridge — cliff jumping spot in Auburn, California
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No Hands Bridge

Auburn, California
Photo: liannadavis / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

About this spot

No Hands Bridge is the historic Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge (1912), a quarter mile downstream of where the North and Middle Forks of the American River meet in Auburn State Recreation Area. Reach it via Highway 49 south of Auburn; free parking sits on the El Dorado County side of the Highway 49 confluence bridge, with other pullouts charging a $10 day-use fee. A short trail drops from the road to the river. Locals swim and jump from streamside rocks at the confluence itself rather than off the bridge deck; pool depth and rock placement shift with releases and season, so scout before jumping. Hazards: swift current near the confluence, submerged rock, and cold snowmelt water even in summer. No lifeguards — this is an unofficial, self-supervised area.

Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.

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