Perilous bridges are bridges that are either at risk of falling or are dangerous to cross. Fictional perilous bridges are common to find in fictional worlds, where they often play a narrative role with characters needing to cross these bridges to escape harm to reach a goal. They often span a deadly drop, and may be perched over canyons or chasms. Beneath them may be jagged rocks, piranha pools, or simply an endless drop into nothing. Perilous bridges are home to trolls.

Bridges may be made from rope, from wood, or from natural elements like vines, tree branches or giant hollow logs. Consider how a perilous bridge fits within your fictional world. In post-apocalyptic worlds bridges may be ruins of real bridges or cobbled together from scavenged parts. In fantasy worlds perilous bridges may have at one time been great magical constructs, but perhaps now that magic is fading…

In addition to simply being narrow, other elements can be used to heighten the danger of a perilous bridge. The bridge itself (or portions of it) may be close to collapse (or already has) or the weather of the day or region may be particularly rough.

Crossing a perilous bridge in narratives often serves as a potent symbol, reflecting a characters journey through adversity and transformation. The bridge becomes a metaphorical threshold or transition point, representing a passage from one state of being to another. The precarious nature of the structure heightens the stakes, underscoring the risks and uncertainties that accompany the symbolic passage. The act of crossing becomes a courageous leap into the unknown confrontation of fears.