Each of these incredible photos is more difficult to believe than the one before, but that just shows how unbelievable nature really is, if you only know where to look. This photo was taken with long exposure at the moment lightning hit the tree. Electricity shoots down the tree trunk and spreads to the ground, illuminating the trunk in a beautiful violet color. As pretty as it is, if you ever get stuck in a thunderstorm, it’s best not to stay outdoors!

This dog looks completely resigned to his fate after his lunch was commandeered by this cheeky skunk. This canine knows not to mess with a skunk unless he wants to get sprayed and carry the stench for months. Maybe he’s expecting his owner to do something, but his human is just as wise to the skunk’s sneaky stratagems as the dog is. The best course of action when unwanted guests are eating all your food is to cut your losses and let them have their fill before they bugger off.

The sight of this is enough to send most people running to the basement, yet this girl was brave enough to pose for a picture with the tornado behind her. You would expect her mother to come yelling after her to stop playing around and to get into the cellar, but her mother is actually the one taking the picture! Marrilee Thomas took the photo of her daughter, Audra, in 1989 on the family property. A barn was destroyed but no one was injured, thankfully.

This was taken by a woman who woke up in the middle of the night when she was camping. She heard strange noises and poked her head out of the tent to see what exactly was going on. Raccoons generally stick to themselves, but tonight something brought them all to her campground. In all likelihood, this freaked-out outdoorswoman didn’t properly seal her food, which attracted these forest critters. What’s scarier is the fact that while over a dozen are pictured here, there were probably many more that don’t appear in the image.

Water and electricity together are so dangerous that everyone should be cautious when using electric appliances near water. The combination is even more deadly in the ocean when lightning strikes. One bolt can send 300 million volts into the waters, killing nearby fish. This is far more than enough voltage to kill a human. If you are ever caught swimming and hear thunder or see lightning, it is highly recommended to exit the water as soon as possible. Swimming in bodies of water when lightning can strike is extremely dangerous.

Here the pyramids of Giza are pictured along with the Milky Way, our own solar system’s galaxy. The ancient Egyptians, who buried their pharaohs in the pyramids, associated the Milky Way with fertility, envisioning a pool of cow’s milk flowing from their cow goddess, Bat. The array of the pyramids corresponds to Orion’s Belt, part of the Orion constellation that is associated in Egyptian mythology with the god Osiris. Osiris is the god of afterlife and rebirth, so it makes sense they would plan their tombs to their religious beliefs.

This photo was captured before the magnificent thylacine went extinct. Also called a Tasmanian tiger, this species wasn’t actually a tiger, nor was it a canine. In fact, this was considered the largest carnivorous marsupial on earth until the International Union for Conversation of Nature declared it extinct in 1982. The Tasmanian government did the same four years later. However, many reports come in of sightings in the wild, raising the likelihood a population of these majestic animals is still living somewhere out there in the wild.

This vintage photo shows the Endurance, a ship that got caught in ice during a 1914 expedition to Antarctica. The ship was unable to move, and the crew figured they would be released by the thaw during the spring. Instead, the climatic changes caused the ice to exert so much pressure that the ice damaged the hull, causing the ship to sink. Forced to abandon ship, they made their way to Elephant Island. Most of them waited there while several comrades left for South Georgia Island to call for their rescue.

Although for years dismissed as legend, ball lightning really does exist. However, it is so rare that only some 5% of the world’s population has ever seen it, even though it usually lasts longer than a lightning strike. Ever since 1843, when English physician and electricity researcher Sir William Snow Harris brought the matter for discussion, the cause or causes for the phenomenon have been debated. Let’s hope you never experience it up close—there have been reports from terrified people who watched ball lightning go through windows and walls before traveling around the room!

This photo from Australia looks like it was taken in the dead of winter after the snow fell, but all that white is actually spider webs. Flooding drove these spiders to higher ground, so they used their webs as hot air balloons to get them to safety. They will climb up as high as they can get before sending out silk webs that are then carried by air currents. People with arachnophobia are advised to avoid such areas; the webbing below covered about a mile and a half of land!

While this photo looks photoshopped, it’s actually real. It may look like a tsunami was flash-frozen, but actually, the photographer here captured a phenomenon known as blue ice, which is when falling snow gets so packed on a glacier it eventually becomes part of the glacier. The reason it is blue is that the ice absorbs lower light frequencies while reflecting the higher ones. This means that red, orange, yellow, and green get absorbed, but blue and violet are reflected.

In 1933, this photographer captured one of the largest manta rays ever caught. Its monstrous size was measured, boasting a wingspan of 19 feet and 9 inches and weighing over 5,000 pounds. This unfortunate specimen got caught up in a boat’s anchor line. Manta rays are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and many countries are leading conservation efforts to protect these majestic creatures from the threat of pollution, fishing nets, and hunting. Manta ray gill rakers are used in Chinese medicine and can cost up to $500 a kilogram.

This isn’t just another random picture of Sylvester Stallone taking selfies from Twitter. These turtles, named Cuff and Link, are actually the same turtles that are featured in the 1976 movie Rocky. That makes the turtles over 40 years old! In the movie, Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer with a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the world title, gifts the turtles to his girlfriend, Adrian. The picture was posted on Sylvester Stallone’s Twitter account. “In CREED 2 with my original buddies from the first Rocky,” Stallone wrote. It’s likely that these turtles will have a cameo role in the upcoming film!

Careful there! This man has scaled a cell phone tower to do maintenance after a storm caused ice to form in the jagged manner seen below. When condensed water droplets freeze on surfaces, this is known as hard rime. These form in the direction of the wind, and can be seen on planes, trees, towers, and other structures that are exposed to the elements. It looks like it’s very slippery up there, so it looks like this guy was smart enough to ascend the tower with climbing equipment.

The megalodon, which means “big tooth,” is an extinct shark species that was four times longer than a great white. These frightening marine predators would crush bone and tendons with their powerful teeth. Measuring up to 60 feet long, this photo shows a reconstruction of this monster’s giant jaws alongside a life-sized model of a great white shark for comparison. It is considered by paleontologists as one of the largest, most powerful predators that ever lived. Thankfully, sailors don’t need to worry about this marine monster anymore.

This incredibly large crocodile was shot and killed in Australia by a Polish woman named Krystina Pawlowski in 1957. Measuring at 28 feet long, this is the largest crocodile ever found on the continent. Pawlowski was nicknamed “One Shot” after she killed the animal. Later in life, she regretted taking the shot. “He never woke up, and he never knew we were there,” she recalled. “He was the most beautiful animal. If someone offered me a million dollars to shoot a crocodile now, I wouldn’t.”

This amazing photo was taken of saltwater in the Gulf of Alaska meeting freshwater from glacial melt. Different bodies of water don’t mix due to differences in density and salinity. As the saltwater meets freshwater, the two remain separate. Similar phenomena can be observed in other places around the world where bodies of water meet, such as the cape of Africa where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. The clash between different bodies of water can also cause violent currents.

At first, it looks as if someone skilled with photoshop produced this photo of marshmallow-like clouds. In reality, these clouds are called mammatus clouds, or mammary clouds, because they resemble udders. These clouds often appear along with severe stormy weather or tornados and pilots tend to avoid them because of turbulence. They are formed by cold air sinking in pockets, which produces the puffy shape as hot air rises in tandem. The first time these clouds were described was in 1894. If you see them, best get indoors!

We assure you, this picture is real—sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. These goats are climbing an argan tree, native to Morocco. These trees are valued for their timber, oil, and fruits that are also sought out for food by these goats, bringing them to these heights high up in the branches. What’s impressive is the fact that the tree is holding so many goats at once. Unfortunately, the area covered by argan forests was halved in the past century. Although goats aid in dispersing the seeds, they also stunt the growth of the trees.

Also known as Carribean white tent-making bats, these cute critters are Honduran white bats. They eat only one type of fig, building “tents” out of leaves that they cut and fold down to provide shelter. These animals are so cute many would go out in the wild searching for them, but that’s only possible in the Central American countries of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Paraguay, where they are native. A female bat can give birth several times a year, but only to one bat pup at a time.

Here is an unbelievable picture that is actually a frame from a 1981 film called Roar. At least 70 cast and crew members were injured by predatory animals during production, which lasted 11 years. This fact was used to attract an audience, but the film was a financial failure. Actress Tippy Hedren claimed later the number of people injured was actually over 100, explaining: “If we wanna make a movie with lions, people are gonna get bitten. We just hope that nobody dies and we’ll do everything we can to makes sure that doesn’t happen.”

In this historical photo from May 4, 1922, twin twisters rage together through Austin, Texas. The building is actually the Texas state capitol building, and this is what is considered by historians to be one of the worst disasters from tornados in Austin. The two tornados were originally one twister that split to wreak havoc throughout the city. When all was said and done, 13 people were dead and at least 50 others were injured. Some $400,000 in damage was done to property, according to estimates.

A spotted black jaguar is one animal you’re likely not to see, even if you live in South America and parts of Central America where these cats are from. Originally, the natives considered them different animals from their lightly-colored spotted brothers and sisters, but now taxonomists know they are the same species as the jaguar. These unique animals have a dominant melanistic allele that gives them their dark color. This means that a pair of black jaguars can have both black and spotted offspring, but two spotted jaguars will only birth spotted jaguars.

This mesmerizing picture appears to be two different shots that were placed one on the other, but the fact is that happens to be how straight the line is dividing the water from the mountain. This is was taken in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Established in 1855, it is Canada’s oldest national park. The park attracts over three million visitors every year to its location in the Rocky Mountains. We can see why from the beautiful scenery!

This image isn’t of alien lifeforms invading our planet to snatch our bodies. In fact, this was taken in the N3 Cave, the world’s longest salt cave, located in Qeshm, Iran. If N3 sounds like a made up name, that’s because it is: the name is an abbreviation. N3 refers to the three naked people who discovered the cave, first stripping down bare naked to swim through a pool to get to enter and explore. When they emerged, naked, this lent its name to the cave itself.

It looks like someone photoshopped the Imperial Crest from the Star Wars movies into a snowflake. How else could such a recognizable shape appear in a natural formation? In fact, this six-pronged shape has been created due to water’s molecular shape, which forms fractals, repeating a six-pronged shape when water freezes. A water molecule is comprised of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, and freezing causes these to form into a solid, crystal lattice structure. Just looking at this brings to mind the Imperial March, however.

Africa boasts this unique saline lake, which looks more like the surface of an alien planet than a body of water on our own planet, Earth. The reason for this unique color is evaporation of the water: as water evaporates, the concentration of salts and other minerals in the water rises, attracting micro-organisms that thrive in these conditions. These organisms color the water red. This lake is the sole breeding ground of the lesser flamingo, a species that is endangered because of the destruction to this habitat.

This looks like it came from a science fiction movie; it wouldn’t be out of place to suddenly see Captain Kirk and Spock come into the frame. This is a saline endorheic alkali lake located northwest of Osoyoos, a town in the eastern Similkameen Valley of Canada’s British Columbia. In the winter and spring the lake looks quite ordinary, but as the summer comes the water evaporates, leaving brine-y pools like what appears below. The area is fenced off due to its ecological and cultural sensitivity.

This isn’t a still from a movie about the rapture, even though it does look like this pit is so deep it goes into the bowels of the Earth. This photo was taken in 2010 after Agatha, the first tropical storm of the season. Combined with soot from a volcano that ruptured right before the storm, faulty sewage pipes, and massive amounts of rain, the pipes got clogged and leaked. This event shouldn’t be confused with Guatemala City’s sinkhole of 2007, which was also allegedly caused by faulty pipes.

This famous photo was taken by Jean Guichard. The lighthouse, called la Jument, is critical for maintaining maritime safety along the Brittany coast in northwestern France. Built on a rock in the middle of the sea, it endures frequent storms and raging seas. The man pictured here heard Guichard’s helicopter and went to see what the noise was. Then the giant wave hit. “If I had been a little further away from the door,” he later said, “I wouldn’t have made it back into the tower. And I would be dead today. You can’t play with the sea.”

It appears builders constructed the foundations to a structure but then abandoned their project to nature. Although such perfect rectangular shapes make this formation appear to be manmade, it is a naturally occurring structure known as tesselated pavement. This photo was taken in Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania, which is a strip of land connecting the Forestier Peninsula with the Tasman Peninsula. It looks absolutely stunning, especially with the beautiful colors of the sunrise seen reflected off the rock formation.

This unbelievable picture below was taken in the Mission District of San Fransisco. It appears a schooner is looming in the air high above the city, but this isn’t the Flying Dutchman floating overhead. No photoshop was used here. In fact, this is just the radio tower on top of Twin Peaks, which jut out and overlook the city. Because of San Fransisco’s unique topography, the city constantly has fog roll in and obscure the view. It doesn’t take long for it to dissipate and for a breathtaking view to appear from Twin Peaks.

This picture looks like some divine power has split the skies — or maybe this a misleading, mesmerizing formation that appears just before an inter-dimensional being like the Cthulu enters our universe. In truth, this is a natural phenomenon with many names, like a fallstreak hole, a hole punch cloud, or a cloud hole. It is formed when water molecules are cooled but do not yet have something around which to solidify. Then, after some catalyst causes the molecules to quickly freeze, the sudden absence of water molecules creates a hole in the clouds.

These floating platforms of snow appear to have been inserted artificially somehow, but that’s not how they were formed. The image was captured following flooding during the winter. The top level of the water became ice, which remained after the waters receded. Afterward, snowfall gently accumulated on the icy platforms, creating this unbelievable formation. If you live in a region with much snowfall this sight must be common. Others who live in warmer climates, however, might not believe their eyes when they set their eyes on this for the first time.

It looks like this boat is moved by supernatural laws, suspended above the water and held down only by its anchor. It doesn’t make any sense, on first glance. An object in the water will usually cause ripples, even if it’s anchored, but none can be seen here. This isn’t because it was photoshopped in, but because the water here is so clear that the fishing boat looks like it’s floating in the air, looming above the surface of the water.

If you’re ever trekking through the tundra and come across a polar bear mother with a cub, don’t do what this Soviet soldier did and offer it condensed milk. Instead, just run! Things seem to have turned out all right, and it looks like the cubs just wanted to play. Polar bears will generally avoid humans in the wild unless they are starving and desperately seeking food. This Soviet-era photo was taken decades ago in the Chukchi Peninsula, the eastern-most part of Russia.

This photographer captured a hilarious moment here, with a cat hiding between two walls to avoid crossing paths with a pair of Doberman pinschers. What makes this even funnier is the cat’s acting like a human by standing on his hind legs. These dogs are oblivious to what’s going on, despite their high intelligence. These dogs are also fiercely loyal and muscular, making them ideal guard dogs. They were first bred in 1890 by Karl Dobermann, who lent the breed his name.

These aren’t snowballs someone rolled up on the ground; these are Arctic hares, also known as polar rabbits. This species has adapted over thousands of years to survive the harsh climate of the Arctic. In winter, their fur actually changes to white from brown or gray. This helps them stay camouflaged and avoid predators. This species is native to Greenland and the northern Canadian territory inside the Arctic circle. These are among the largest hares and can reach speeds of up to 40 miles an hour.

This is the only known brown panda in the world. Named Qizai, this fellow lives in the Foping Panda Valley in China. Instead of black, it is believed Qizai received his unique coloring due to a genetic mutation. Sadly, this has made him a loner. When he was growing up, other pandas bullied him. He was just several months old when he was abandoned by his mother. How sad! Let’s hope Qizai has found some friends that respect him for who he is since then.

Many of the photos on this list have been of lightning, which is due to its being seen in some bizarre circumstances. This picture captures lightning formed in a cloud that erupts from a volcano. It’s difficult to imagine something scarier than a joining of these two frightening events, but it indeed occurs in nature. Natural occurrences have been recorded as early as 79 AD by Pliny the Younger, who observed Mount Vesuvius erupting along with “the transient blaze of lightning.”

The village of Hussaini in Northern Pakistan is home to Borit Lake and the Hussaini Hanging Bridge. Watch your step, because this footbridge features unpredictable gaps between the sticks and wooden planks which serve as a makeshift walking path. The Hussaini Hanging Bridge has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout its history, probably because it was never constructed professionally in the first place. You’ll need nerves of steel if you want to make it to the other side!

The Mekong river flows through a total of six different Southeast Asian countries – China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Depending on where you are along the river’s path, the water conditions can range anywhere from gentle to full-on raging rapids. This photo must have been captured just after a severe storm. The man walking along the wires appears to be an expert slack-liner, and it’s a good thing because falling into the water could be very dangerous!

The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado is one of the most spectacular suspension bridges in the world. The bridge, which spans 1,260 feet over a rocky canyon, was first built in 1929. For over 50 years, the Royal Gorge had no stabilizing wind cables, a feature which is now considered crucial for a bridge’s structural integrity. In 1982, the bridge was finally renovated, and wind cables were added. While the Royal Gorge Bridge is now much safer, we still wouldn’t recommend looking down!

The Millau Viaduct is the tallest bridge in the world. The cable-stayed bridge crosses the Gorge Valley of Southern France and stands about 1,125 feet above the base. The bridge is over 8,000 feet long and 105 feet wide. Construction began in 2001 and finished in only three years. To this day, the Millau Viaduct is praised as one of the greatest modern-day engineering achievements, and even won the 2006 Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

The ‘Indo Board’ is a device used by surfers and skateboarders to help them develop and work on balance. Basically, the goal is to balance a wheel-less board on a foam cylinder without either end touching the floor. Even the most well-trained ‘indo-boarders’ wouldn’t fare so well on this bridge in Indonesia, which appears to be on its very last leg and probably shouldn’t be in use by anyone. For some reason, that doesn’t seem to bother these schoolchildren!

Believe it or not, the Hanging Bridge of Ghasa in Nepal is used for both humans as well as animals. On a regular basis, donkeys and cattle traverse the terrifying footbridge hanging high above the river valley. Despite its vulnerability to wind and rain, the Bridge of Ghasa has been used actively for decades. While the bridge often sways back and forth, it is equipped with high side rails, providing security to those daring enough to cross.

The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge in Northern Ireland might just be the scariest hanging bridge on our list. Every year, thrill-seekers from all over the world head to the UK to walk across the 65-foot bridge that stands 100 feet above the rocky shores and cliffside. The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge was originally designed by a fisherman who wanted to get to Carrick Island. For some reason, this fisherman decided to include just one rope handrail. Thankfully, the bridge now has handrails on both sides.

Above the Sidu River valley in the Badong County of China, you’ll find the Sidu River Bridge, a suspension bridge that stretches for over 4,000 feet. It’s a long way down from this bridge- 1,600 feet to be exact. Constructed in 2009, the Sidu River Bridge was the world’s highest bridge at the time. Unlike many of the other bridges on our list, the Sidu River Bridge was built professionally, using modern technologies. Regardless, it’s still awfully scary to cross!

Spanning 558 feet over the glaciers of Switzerland at a height of 328 feet above sea level, the Trift suspension bridge is situated near the town of Gadmen in the Swiss Alps. The bridge was initially constructed in 2004, but those who were daring enough to cross the bridge on foot quickly noticed a pretty big problem with it. In windy conditions, the bridge would sway back and forth violently. So, in 2009, stabilizing cables were integrated to minimize the dangerous swinging.

This terrifying rollercoaster of a bridge wasn’t completed until 2005. With its unique design, the Langkawi Sky Bridge actually curves through the mountains of Kedah in Malaysia. The most frightening aspect of this bridge, which spans 410 feet, is that it only utilizes just one angled pylon for support. In 2012, the bridge was shut down for maintenance and upgrading. After years of delaying the bridge’s reopening, it was finally opened and deemed suitable for regular use again in 2015.

About 10,000 feet above sea level in the Swiss Alps, you’ll find a pedestrian bridge suitable for only the bravest of thrill-seekers. The Titlis Cliff Walk is thought to be the highest elevation suspension bridge in all of Europe. The bridge has a length of 320 feet with a width of just 3 feet, giving visitors the sensation that they’re walking along a tightrope. Although this bridge can reportedly withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour, we won’t be pushing our luck anytime soon.

Located in the tundra of Siberia, it’s honestly a miracle that the Vitim River Bridge is still standing today. The bridge, which is just 6 feet wide, is made of rusting metal with rotting wooden planks used as a walkway. Aside from the apparent deterioration, the most dangerous aspect of this bridge is the frequent build-up of ice. If you still want to cross this slippery pathway, keep in mind that there are no railings and the bridge teeters back and forth with the river’s tide.

Any bridge with the nickname of “The Bridge of Death” or the “Oh My God” bridge is certainly deserving of a spot on our list. The Quepos Bridge on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica is situated along the road connecting Jaco to Quepos. It was constructed back in the 1930s as a railroad. Even though this bridge is barely suitable for one-way car traffic, truck drivers frequently attempt to cross the narrow pathway because they simply have no other options.

Just getting to this next bridge is a wild adventure in its own right. The Bridge of the Immortals is located in the mountains of Eastern China. The Huangshan, or “Yellow Mountain,” range is home to one of the most iconic historical sites and tourist destinations in the whole region. The trail leading to the Bridge of the Immortals is made of narrow wooden planks and some rusty nails. It follows the cliffside and wraps around the mountain.

This massive Florida bridge connects St. Petersburg to Terra Ceia. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, commonly referred to as “the Skyway,” stretches for over four miles above the waters of the Tampa Bay. The spectacular feat of engineering took about five years to build. Today, the Sunshine Skyway is considered Florida’s “flag bridge.” If you’ve got a fear of heights, we would strongly suggest taking a boat to cross the Tampa Bay because the Skyway stands at a whopping height of 430 feet.

The U Bein Bridge in Burma crosses the Taungthaman Lake. It spans about three-quarters of a mile and was constructed in 1850 using a type of tropical hardwood called teak. As you can see, this bridge is extremely dangerous because there is no form of support and nothing to hold onto along the sides. In addition, the U Bein Bridge has become a hotspot for criminal activities in recent years. A small police force now guards the bridge to protect tourists.

The Storseisundet Bridge, located in Norway, connects the mainland of the Romsdal peninsula to the island of Averøya. This unique bridge was built using cantilevers, massive structures that extend out horizontally but are only supported at one end. The Storseisundet Bridge covers a distance of 850 feet. At its highest point, the bridge is 75 feet above the sea. It took a total of six years to build the bridge thanks to the region’s unpredictable weather and frequent hurricanes.

The coolest thing about these bridges in India is that they are constructed entirely by nature. The Ficus elastica, a tree that thrives in the southern Khasi and Jaintia hills, produces a network of secondary roots that project outwards from higher up on the trunk. Over time, local tribes like the War-Khasis and the War-Jaintias learned how to manipulate the growth of the trees’ roots and create these spectacular bridges and pathways over rivers and through the forest.

As you could probably guess, this bridge stretches for close to seven miles, connecting Knight’s Key in Marathon, Florida, to the Lower Keys. The Seven Mile Bridge, which was one of the longest bridges in the world at the time of its construction, probably doesn’t seem so dangerous upon first glance. However, once you consider the inevitable hurricanes that hit Florida on a yearly basis, you’ll understand why this bridge is among the most dangerous bridges in the United States.

If you loved to climb trees as a child, you might want to consider visiting the Sky Walk in Costa Rica on your next getaway. This vast network of footbridges allows you to trek through the treetops of the Monteverde rainforest. In total, the six suspension bridges stretch for 984 feet and give visitors the opportunity to see what lies within the upper levels of the jungle. Just be sure to use plenty of bug spray and watch out for snakes!

The Taman Negara canopy walkway in Malaysia is believed to be the world’s longest suspension footbridge of its kind. Stretching for over 1,700 feet and standing over 130 feet above the forest floor, this bridge has become a spectacle and must-see destination for tourists from all over the world. You’ll need some serious nerves of steel if you want to make it all the way to the other side of this footbridge! Whatever you do, don’t look down!

While most people probably wouldn’t trust a bridge made of woven grass, the Keshwa Chaca Bridge has stood strong since it was created over 500 years ago by the Incas. Building this bridge was truly a team effort. First, Incan women braided small, thin ropes, which the men then used to braid large support cables. Even though the Keshwa Chaca Bridge has withstood the test of time, it is actually the last remaining structure from the age of Incan engineering.

If you ever find yourself driving on the Pontchartrain Causeway in Southern Lousiana, rest assured that you will eventually be back on land. Just make sure you have plenty of gas in the tank because this bridge is almost 24 miles long. While it might not look so intimidating in photographs, realize that when drivers are in the middle of this bridge they can’t see land in either direction. If you’ve got a fear of big bodies of water, stay away from the Pontchartrain Causeway!

Kakum National Park in Central Ghana is home to an extensive network of hanging bridges. The bridges of the Kakum Canopy Walkway can reach 160 feet above the forest floor. Even with the safety netting, these bridges are terrifying to cross!

You could say that the Aiguille du Midi Bridge in France is situated between a rock and a hard place. At 12,605 feet above sea level, this short bridge has been known to raise heart rates of daring visitors who decide to look down. In order to get to the Aiguille du Midi Bridge, travelers must take a 20-minute cable car that ascends a total of 9,200 vertical feet before reaching the scenic and precariously placed human-made structure.

If you ever visit Vietnam, you’ll find plenty of these handmade bamboo passways, known as “monkey bridges.” They are particularly prevalent in the areas of the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta. While several locals have no problem crossing monkey bridges, which often lack any sort of handrails, visitors and tourists are typically terrified at the thought of stepping foot on these primitive structures. Vietnamese locals will frequently cross monkey bridges while carrying between 20 and 50 kilograms of supplies on their shoulders.

The Longjiang Suspension Bridge, also known as Long River Bridge, is located just outside of Baoshan, Yunnan, China. Spanning over 3,900 feet, and standing 920 feet above the Long River, the Longjiang Bridge is one of the longest bridges ever built, as well as one of the tallest. A relatively new creation, the Longjiang Bridge finished construction in 2016. Before this massive bridge was built, driving from Baoshan to Tengchong meant taking an incredibly inconvenient 8.4-mile detour.

High above the Capilano River in Northern Vancouver stands the Capilano Suspension Bridge, a pedestrian walking bridge which sees more than 800,000 visitors each year. The simple suspension bridge is 460 feet long and about 230 feet above the water. The bridge was first constructed in 1889 by a Scottish civil engineer named George Grant Mackay. After it was sold twice, Henri Auveneau eventually ended up buying the bridge and decided to renovate the entire structure in the mid-1950s.

High above the Iya-gawa River in Tokushima, Japan, you’ll find the magnificent vine bridges of the Iya Valley which date all the way back to the 12th century. Among these unique footbridges is the Iya Kazurabashi Bridge, a terrifying and rickety structure made of wooden planks connected with mountain vines weaved together for extra strength. Cross the bridge if you’re looking for a rush, and if you’re feeling courageous, cross the bridge without holding onto one of the handrails. Just be sure to watch your step!

Deception Pass Bridge actually consists of two separate two-lane bridges that connect Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island in the state of Washington. At about 180 feet above the water of Oak Harbor, Deception Pass Bridge spans close to 1,500 feet. Surprisingly, it cost more to repaint the bridge’s spans in 1983 than it did to build them in 1935. This bridge is not only an impressive demonstration of human engineering capabilities, but also a historical monument included in the National Register of Historic Places.

High up in the mountains of Ukraine, thrill-seekers and mountaineers will find this frightening footbridge that crosses over a canyon 4,200 feet deep. The Ai Petri bridge connects two peaks of the Crimean Mountains. What makes this bridge particularly dangerous is the massive amounts of wind and fog that the area deals with on a regular basis. Even on a relatively calm day, visitors can feel the bridge swaying back and forth as they cross over the enormous canyon.

If you’ve been to a theme park like Six Flags, you’re probably familiar with that feeling of anxiety and suspense as a rollercoaster slowly approaches the drop-off point, immediately followed by the stomach-churning sensation of falling over the edge. That’s exactly what you’ll experience when you drive over the Eshima Ohashi Bridge in Western Japan. This two-lane bridge covers about a mile over Lake Najaumi and rises rapidly at a 6.1 percent gradient, allowing ships to pass beneath the road.

This bridge is located in the Baliem Valley of Western New Guinea. We definitely would not recommend crossing this makeshift structure unless you’re interested in going for a swim in the rough waters and foaming rapids of the Baliem River. While it’s clear to us that whoever built this bridge followed the same basic outline that the professional engineering companies use, we’re not so sure it’s safe to trust in their strange and primitive use of building materials.

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is a skywalk bridge located in China. Built as an attraction for tourists, this bridge is glass-bottomed and completely transparent. When it first opened, it was the longest and tallest glass-bottomed bridge in the world. Just 13 days after it opened, the authorities put out a notice stating that they’re closing the bridge due to overwhelming visitor traffic. Israeli architect, Haim Dotan designed the bridge to carry up to 800 visitors at a time but it was attracting about 80,000 people per day — exciting yet dangerous!

The South Tongass Highway is located over Hoadley Creek in Ketchikan in Gateway County of Alaska. Considering the fact that this freeway was built in 1957, it’s standing pretty strong. Unfortunately, though, looks can be deceiving. With 15,147 daily crossings, it’s no surprise that this highway is classified as structurally deficient. Of the 1,592 bridges in the state, 155 are classified as structurally deficient, meaning one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition. Repairing this highway would cost about $148.7 million.

The Marienbrucke, also known as ” Queen Mary’s Bridge,” is located in Germany. This particular tourist attraction happens to hold the title for the world’s most dangerous bridge. Situated close to the Bavarian Alps, the Marienbrucke is built to connect two cliffs to each other. It’s a stunning yet dangerous bridge that passes 295 feet over the Pöllat river, offering unparalleled views of Neuschwanstein Castle. Being that the bridge is a popular place to visit amongst tourists, the Marienbrucke can get very crowded and therefore, dangerous.

The Pai Memorial Bridge, a historical landmark, is located in northern Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Province near the Myanmar border. Originally made of iron, the bridge was actually built by Japanese soldiers in 1942 during World War II in order to cross the Pai River. They used elephants to drag trees from the jungles and forced villagers to work. After the war, the soldiers left and burnt down the bridge. This caused problems for villagers who used the bridge in their daily lives, so they rebuilt the wooden bridge over the Pai River once again.

The Linyanti River Bridge is located in the Mamili National Park, specifically in the north-eastern corner of the Zambezi Region in Northern Namibia. The bridge over the Linyanti River is about 131 feet long. It’s considered to be one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. While it does the job of getting you from one side to the other, the bridge is essentially just some iron planks over scary mud and deep water so we think it’s safe to say that this bridge is quite dangerous.

When you have set up just a couple of wooden planks on the edge of a cliff, that can hardly qualify as a bridge. And yet, these Chinese locals, who live in and around the top of Mount Hua aren’t too fussed. Even at 7,000 feet from ground level, these people have no problem setting up some wooden planks and using them as makeshift bridges. In order to cross, you need to connect yourself to a harness that is connected by rope to a chain. While the view is undeniably stunning, is it really worth the risk?

The Ojuela bridge, also known as the Mapimi, is located in the Durango state of Mexico and is closely connected to the goldmine that bears the same name. While miners used to use the bridge for work purposes, it is used these days by pedestrians. However, you would be crazy to try and drive a car over it – the bridge is just way too fragile for that kind of weight. Originally completed back in 1898, the Ojuela bridge acts these days as one of the most important tourist attractions in the area.

While there are a number of dangerous bridges in Alaska, there is no denying that the Captain William Moore bridge is one of the most perilous out there. Located near the town of Skagway on the Klondike Highway, Captain William Moore was constructed back in 1976 in order to allow drivers to pass smoothly over the Moore Creek Gorge. However, the bridge has deteriorated a lot in recent times due to being heavily used by large trucks.

They don’t call this bridge the “Big Mac” for nothing. Connecting the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan state, the Mackinac Bridge was completed back in 1957 and is an impressive sight to behold, seeing that it spans a “whopping” 26,372 feet. These days, the bridge is a true tourist attraction and although it appears to be pretty safe, the Mackinac has been known to send certain cars to their doom. You could always catch the ferry, which has proven to be much safer.

The Borovsko Bridge is located in Borovnice in the Benešov District of the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Also known as the Czech Avignon, the construction of this never-used highway bridge started in 1939 shortly before World War II started. This 328-foot bridge was only finished in 1950. However, it was also then that the construction was suspended and the bridge was abandoned. It was later flooded by the drinking water reservoir that was built in 1976. The bridge is so dangerous that all cars are totally forbidden.