The width and depth of this river has always presented a challenge to the volunteer trail builders of the North Whiteshell Trail Association which links the part of the trail that begins at Bannock Point with the western end of the trail that travels through the new Nutimik Campground. The building of this bridge accomplishes the technical objective of linking the Betula Lake trail system to the Nutimik Lake trail through Bannock Point but also has instantly become a tourist magnet as witnessed by the number of visitors to the bridge since the opening.

The building of the Whiteshell River Bridge represents the first and largest element of this trail completion initiative. The 86 metre clear span, cable stayed bridge built by FWS Industrial Project Ltd., who pioneered a unique construction technique, spans the 50 metre river width four metres above the high water level. The bridge will enable cyclists and hikers to cross over to the stunning Sturgeon Falls as well as to the 7.6 kilometre trail heading south.