NATURAL BRIDGE VIRGINIA

 In 1774, by grant of King George III,  Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres along a tributary of the James River, known as Cedar Creek. Included in this purchase was the "Natural Bridge".   Thomas Jefferson writing of this geological marvel said:  "So beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light and springing as if were up to heaven, the rapture of the spectator is really indescribable.  It is really the most sublime of Nature's work."

The Natural Bridge is located 30 minutes north of Roanoke just off Interstate 81.  It is the centerpiece of  numerous interesting destinations for tourists and hikers in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  It is over 215 feet tall spanning the Cedar Creek.   It is now a State Park of the State of Virginia.   We visited there one October afternoon and beheld of one's of Nature's most unusual sights.

Arriving in the early afternoon we found the parking lot at the visitors center overflowing with sightseers.  The Park Ranger posted at the entrance informed us that this was one of the largest crowds of the year.  Not caring for a social hike, we opted to drive up the road to the Blue Ridge Trail.  It is a four mile loop trail through mountain meadows leading up to the Red Knob.  Not very scenic, it was nevertheless a great workout for the Fat Bald White Guy and his Faithful Hiking Companion.

Unfortunately, the best view was at the trailhead!   It is a nice hike and good for the exercise and we were no worse for the experience but at Red Knob Overlook we were greeted with a cleared mountain top that still left the surrounding mountainside obscured from view.

While resting my dogs at a trail bench I took a shot of the only real view of the mountain range to the east. 

The best thing about the hike was that it provided time for the crowd at the Natural Bridge to thin out.  We enjoyed the walk in the woods but would not recommend this as place to visit for scenery.  Though I do like this picture of the golden fall forest we walked through.

Returning to the Natural Bridge Visitor's Center we were pleased to watch a steady stream of visitors leave. While waiting for my Faithful Hiking Companion to retrieve our admission tickets,  I was reminded that Virginia is for Lovers!

The Cedar Creek Trailhead is located behind the visitor's center down over 150 steps! It is an out and back 2 mile trail that follows the Cedar Creek beneath the Natural Bridge and terminates at a waterfall.  It is well marked and well maintained.  There is a replica Monacan Native village, a cave and a hidden river.  It is a trail that is very handicapped accessible as well.

The stairway down to the trailhead allows for some interesting views as well.

One of the sights is a tree that looks like it came from the movie set of the Wizard of Oz.  In truth it is a tree that is over 1600 years old that died in the 1980's.

At the base of the steps is a rather ornate miniature waterfall and frog pond.  Nearby is a trail office building with restrooms and concessions.  Not far from the trail office is the feature attraction of the Park.  The magnificent Natural Bridge is just around the corner.  A truly astounding sight that stops visitors in their feet as they take in the majesty of Nature's architectural genius.

The horizontal limestone bridge span is ninety feet long.  A cobblestone path follows the banks of the Cedar Creek allowing visitors to stroll beneath the bridge.  The rocks forming this bridge are dated to be over 400 million years old. There are many theories to the formation but Geologist Edward Spencer theorizes that the bridge is the remnant of a underground river.  In fact evidence of that exists on  the site as a hidden river was exposed over a century ago by miners and can be seen on the trail about a half mile up the trail from the bridge seems to confirm that theory.  Another theory says that this bridge was created by the Great Flood described in the story of Noah and the Ark.

The man in gray trimmed in orange is the Fat Bald White Guy standing beneath the bridge.  The size is ginormous!   On the other side of the bridge is a small amphitheater allowing Park Rangers to interpret the scene for visitors. Late in the afternoon, the crowd thins and the trail is far less social and the scenery less obstructed.

Cedar Creek is a very picturesque adornment to the Natural Bridge.  Looking upstream from the small bridge near the bridge, a splash of color intermingles the flow of the stream.

Further up the trail is a replica Monacan Village.  Though closed for repairs we were able to get an understanding of what it must have been like for Natives to live along this creek in the shadow of the Natural Bridge.  It is believed that George Washington as a young surveyor explored this area.  In fact there are two inscriptions "GW" at the site, one of which contains a surveyor's mark leading historians to believe he was on the site.  Legend has it he climbed the rock wall and even threw a rock over the span!

The trail terminates not far from a two tiered cascade waterfall.  The trail overlook provides a great vista from which photographs can be taken.  Unfortunately, it is not close enough to hear the roar and feel the soul in the waterfall but is nonetheless very picturesque.

Like all waterfalls, ever picture brings a different interpretation of the scene.  Like everyone else there today, I took many pictures, each different but all beautiful. The waterfall is named "Lace Falls" as the water flowing from the lower cascade looks like a lace doily lain over the rocks.

While the fall colors are not as vibrant as a photographer I would like to see, the color is subtle and provides a wonderful back drop for the scenery.  Nothing on this hike proves this concept more than photographs of this waterfall in the late October of 2020.

The Cedar Creek provided many opportunities for photographs of the fall foliage.  My favorite was taken behind the Monacan Village featuring a wonderful reflection.

This should be a bucket list hike.  The Cedar Creek Trail is a very easy two mile trek.  Without the Natural Bridge, it would be a great family hike.  The Natural Bridge is something you must see to fully appreciate.  It is massively majestic.  It is a testament of Nature's artistic mastery.  Everywhere you look on this trail is a postcard in the making.  All you have to do is stop and take the photograph.

Rating this trail is easy...access is a 10....just a few miles off Interstate 81....the trail is a wide sidewalk of cobblestone and crushing rock...10...the scenery is something you cannot compare to any other trail....it is unique...10....now one note....stairs...there are over 150 stairs from the parking lot in front of the visitors center to the trailhead....easy to go down but a real thumper when you leave....making the effort to view ratio...perfect!

We plan to return soon.  Natural Bridge Virginia features a wonderful old hotel which can be a great place to stay to hike the peaks nearby and visit the caverns.   Stay tuned!

We missed a unique feature of the park.  Certainly the Natural Bridge would make one think of a scene from "The Lord of the Rings".  And true to form, there is a quote inscribed in a rock which is perfect.

Don't pass by the wonders of nature that surround you.  Take time to walk away from your cities, your worries and the pressures of your life.   You see there are "hidden paths that run west of the moon and east of the sun"!