It is located in the Sierra Nevada near Clio in Plumas County, California.

[1] The Western Pacific Railroad (now part of the Union Pacific) built the Feather River Route across the Sierra Nevada in 1909 to complete a San Francisco Bay Area–Salt Lake City route, competing with the Southern Pacific Railroad's line over Donner Pass.

While longer, the Feather River Route's highest elevation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is at the Chilcoot Tunnel that travels under Beckwourth Pass which is at an elevation of only 5,000 feet (1,500 m), as opposed to the 7,000 feet (2,100 m) elevation of the Donner Pass route; also because the route holds a grade of no more than 1% along its entire length which makes costs of operation over the route very cost-effective.

The Clio Trestle is the longest and tallest bridge along the route.

The Clio Trestle is a favorite railfan spot and is part of the Plumas County and Western Pacific Railroad Museum's "7 Wonders of the Western Pacific Railroad World" exhibit and tour.