As of June 27, 2025, Ontario Parks has permanently closed the Highland Backpacking Trail Bridge over the Madawaska River. The rest of the trail remains open. Backpackers should reroute to the Old Airfield (near Mew Lake Campground), travel across the Old Railway Bike Trail Bridge at the Madawaska River, and then return to the backpacking trail using the the Old Railway Bike Trail, and then rejoin the trail to Starling Lake.
https://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/visit/camping/highland-backpacking-trail.php

Thanks to Google Earth for 2024 overhead image ....

Thanks to Bill Warren for a 2008 image of the bridge ...

From Barry Bridgeford, a 2008 image of the view upstream from the bridge ...