totally worth the detour. the roadtrippers coordinates don’t take you right to it, you either pass it or don’t go far enough depending on the direction you’re coming from. if you came from 75 south via the weird long sand road that looks straight out of a swamp horror movie, the gps will send you past the bridge, but you should be able to see it before you pass it. ignore the gps and take the little road to the left of the dept of agriculture checkpoint (if you’re facing it). it’s marked road closed but there aren’t any barriers until the bridge itself. i saw several pairs of people walking and biking the area. some folks told me there were ruins of a town on the other side of the bridge and down a path that somewhat followed the river, and there’s a sign for the city of ellaville, but i walked for about 20 minutes past that and didn’t see much besides an old hearth and a few benches.
it’s a beautiful place to stop for a picnic and some photos. it would be a really cool place to bring a dslr and a model or your pals. highly recommend for a free and chill stop to eat and stretch your legs.
Their website says that the museum is currently closed for renovations.