Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia is centered around a giant and beautiful natural bridge limestone landform that has been carved out by Cedar Creek over millions of years. This was once considered one of the great natural wonders of the Americas, and one that tourists have flocked to for centuries. We visited Virginia’s newest state park on our drive up north from the Carolinas. I can honestly say that in real life, it really is so much more impressive than any picture can ever convey. I mean, look at those tiny trees up top!
Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia
Standing at 215 feet tall, Natural Bridge is a limestone formation that has been slowly carved out over by Cedar Creek in the James River Valley. This arch spans over 90 feet and is 40 feet thick. It was once a tunnel or cave that the creek once passed through, but over time has eroded away into its current form and will sadly disappear one day, eroding away completely.
Ever since humans have been in the Americas, they have been fascinated by this natural wonder. The Monacan Native Americans referred to the bridge as “The Bridge of God” and considered it a sacred site. In the very early history of America as a nation, Natural Bridge along with Niagara Falls, were the great wonders of the Americas that ignited the earliest tourism industries. Interestingly, Natural Bridge is even taller than Niagara Falls by 55 feet!
Our Founding Fathers
For such a renown site, it is no wonder that our founding fathers have figured their way into the history of Natural Bridge. In 1750, George Washington was working as a surveyor and was instructed to survey the surrounding land. It was long believed that he carved his initials, G.W., onto the left side of the bridge during his visit. This remained popular lore for centuries. Then, in 1927, a stone was found that had “G.W.” and a surveyor’s cross carved onto it. That was when historians accepted the legend as fact. A little circular marker at the site erected in 1984 pays tribute to this story.
In 1774, Thomas Jefferson purchased this site and the surrounding land from the King of England himself. Jefferson was quite the thinker and was fascinated with this site calling it “the most Sublime of nature’s works”. During his ownership of the land, he surveyed the area himself and even sketched out an image of the bridge. During Jefferson’s presidency, he had two cabins built nearby so he could linger longer during his visits.
My husband is extremely interested in early American history, and being in a place where these figures who were larger than life become almost tangible made it very special.
Natural Bridge today
In 2013, the surrounding area was set to be broken up and sold at auction. It was saved by the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund (VCLF) in an effort to keep the parcel together. In 2016, the site was almost lost again, so the ownership of Natural Bridge thankfully went from the VCLF to the state of Virginia and became Natural Bridge State Park. Today, it is open for anyone to enjoy and there is a whole tourism complex formed around it. In the evening, visitors can watch a light show play upon Natural Bridge.
Hiking
There are several hiking trails located in the park. The main trail leads from the visitors center down to Natural Bridge, along Cedar Creek, and up to a living museum replica of a Monacan Native American village. We had a lot of fun here, talking to the reenactors, looking at the furs, native foods, and seeing how these buildings were erected.
This trail is quite short and should be easy for most people. The most difficult part of the trail is the sizable stairs at the very beginning that take you down into the creek gorge.
Where is it Located?
Natural Bridge State Park is located at 6477 South Lee Highway in Natural Bridge, Virginia, just off of Interstate-81.
Map
A map can be downloaded from the official Virginia Government State Park website here.
