there's the big bridge but then there's a smaller one next to it. if you walk down beside the smaller one, you come to the dam. and if you walk down close to the water (down a little flight of wooden stairs), the sound (and smell) of the rapids, and the tall grass, pretty much obscures the background noise for traffic. but we could just walk down there and if it seemed like an unpleasant spot for a picnic, go someplace else.