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Trail Guide for Natural Bridge State Park (SP) in Virginia. Published by Virginia State Parks.
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WELCOME TO NATURAL BRIDGE STATE PARK.
EMERGENCY - Call 911. Emergency phone numbers for non-
Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Park in
designated areas only. There is a per person admission
fee.
For more information, visit www.virginiastateparks.gov or
contact the park office.
To make your visit safe and more pleasant, we ask that
you observe the following:
The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk. Hikers need to be
off the trails by a half hour after sunset.
PRESERVE - Help preserve your park. Please don’t cut or
mar any plants or trees. Collecting animal or plant life is
allowed only for scientific purposes by permit from the
Richmond headquarters. Don’t feed any wild animals.
No trespassing is allowed on the rock face of Natural
Bridge. It is also unlawful to destroy, deface, damage or
remove any part of the rock face.
ALCOHOL - State law permits alcohol use only in private
areas or in areas designated on permits issued by the
Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
PETS - Pets are permitted in enclosed areas or on a leash
no longer than 6 feet. Please clean up after your pet. Pets
must be attended at all times. Pets are not allowed inside
facilities; service dogs are not considered pets.
DRONES AND OTHER AIRCRAFT - Drones, other unmanned
aerial vehicles, including remote control aircraft, and
aircraft in general may not be flown in state parks
pursuant to 4VAC5-30-400.
LITTER - Please help us keep the park clean by placing
litter and recyclables in the proper receptacles and
recycle centers or carrying out your trash. The releasing
of balloons is not allowed. Decorative balloons must be
deflated and disposed of as trash.
In an effort to reduce the impact on landfills, we
encourage the use of Leave No Trace Principles including
pack it in - pack it out.
FISHING - There are fishing areas for those 15 years and
under. People under 16 years may fish without a license.
A Virginia freshwater fishing license is required for those
16 and older.
PARKING - All vehicles must be parked in designated areas.
Lock valuables in your trunk and keep your vehicle
locked when unattended.
GROUP EVENTS - A special Use Permit is required for all
group events that involve amplified sound, catering,
equipment rentals and vendor deliveries.
PARK ACCESSIBILITY - We strive to make each park as
barrier-free as possible. Universally accessible facilities
are available throughout Virginia State Parks. Please
check the park’s website for details.
life-threatening emergencies and after-hours assistance
are posted at contact stations and other places in the
park.
INFORMATION - Park information is available at the visitor
center or the entrance gate. For more information on
Virginia State Parks or to make a cabin or campsite
reservation, call 800-933-PARK or visit
www.virginiastateparks.gov. The Customer Service Center
is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is
closed on all state holidays.
Natural Bridge Caverns and the Natural Bridge Hotel and
Conference Center are not part of Natural Bridge State
Park.
ABOUT NATURAL BRIDGE - Mecoure mechin kihoe is a
Monacan greeting meaning, “You are welcome to be
here.” By visiting Natural Bridge State Park, you join a
distinguished group. To Monacan Indians, the area’s first
inhabitants, this was sacred land. To Thomas Jefferson,
who owned the property in 1774, this land was a source
of inspiration and wonder. To frontiersmen, including
Daniel Boone and Sam Houston, who passed by on the
Great Wagon Road, this was a gateway to the West.
Learn more about those people from interpreters along
Cedar Creek Trail.
GIFT SHOP AND ARTISAN CENTER - Visit our gift shop inside
the visitor center. Tickets to see the bridge and caverns
can be purchased, as can memorabilia of your visit. The
gift shop offers a wide variety of apparel and souvenirs.
Our consignment center houses local artisan’s crafts.
Paintings, mugs and jewelry are just a sample of the fine
crafts offered.
NATURE PROGRAMS AND GUIDED HIKES - Check in at the
park’s visitor center to find out about special activities
during your visit. Special state and national programs are
scheduled throughout the year. Pack a lunch or enjoy a
meal at the snack bar while you are at the park.
MONACAN INDIAN EXHIBIT - Walk 500 yards from the
Cedar Creek Cafe, along the Cedar Creek Trail, and visit
a Monacan Indian outdoor exhibit, a living history
experience. The exhibit is open 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., April
– Thanksgiving.
GEOLOGY - The bridge itself is one of the oldest geologic
features on the East Coast. The limestone base consists of
compressed remains of organisms that lived in the seas
during the Ordovician period of the Paleozoic era nearly
500 million years ago. When the nearby James River was
formed 200 million years ago, the bridge was part of an
underground cave system. Eventually, water changed
course, and the cave collapsed, leaving only the thickest
part of a ceiling - the bridge we see today.
Virginia State Parks
TRAIL INFORMATION
DIFFICULTY SCALE
EASY - From .5 to 1 mile; grades are short, typically
fewer than 100 feet and less than 10 percent of
the trail length; easily accomplished by all users,
including the elderly and those with physical or
mental disabilities, with little risk of injury or fatigue.
Natural Bridge
State Park
MODERATE
- From 1 to 5 miles; steepness and grade
lengths vary; at least 60 percent of the length is fairly
flat; healthy people can accomplish the trail with
little risk of injury or fatigue.
DIFFICULT
- Trail length is greater than 5 miles;
more than 70 percent of the trail is on a grade;
experienced hikers only or groups of three to five
people recommended; there is a risk of overexertion
or injury to those not conditioned.
BEAR AWARE - Things to remember in bear country:
• Keep your dog on a leash at all times. Off-leash dogs
are the most common cause of backcountry negative
interactions with bears. Consider leaving your dog at
home.
• If you meet a bear, do not run. Back away slowly
while facing the bear. Alert it to your presence by
talking and making a bit of noise.
• Use extra caution in places where hearing or visibility
is limited, such as brushy areas, near streams, where
trails round a bend and on windy days.
• Reduce your chance of surprising a bear on the trail
by making noise, talking or singing.
TRAIL
GUIDE
VIRGINIA STATE PARKS ARE A TONIC
FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT.
Museums, visitor centers and
nearby historic sites make state
parks cultural treasures.
The recreational opportunities in
state parks are endless and easy to
see – from swimming and boating
to horseshoes and hiking, there’s
always something to do in a
Virginia State Park.
If you encounter a bear, please report the contact to the
park office.
6477 South Lee Highway.
Natural Bridge, Virginia 24578
540-291-1326
naturalbridge@dcr.virginia.gov
WWW.VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV
800-933-PARK
Trail
Mileage Usage Difficulty
Buck Hill Trail
Blue Ridge Trail
Cedar Creek Trail
1.80
3.30
0.80
H
H+B
H
n
11
gto
xin
Le
To
H = Hiking H+B = Hiking and Biking
= Easy = Moderate = Difficult
ar
81
Parking
Point of Interest
Restrooms
Amphitheater
Snack Bar
Waterfall
Picnic Area
Wildlife Viewing
l
B
dar
ai l
Tr
ou
n
ek
Monacan
Village
w
go
as
Gl
To
Ce
da
r
Cr
ee
Lost River
k
ai l
Tr
y
Hotel
130
il
Ce
da
rC
re
Lace Falls
Buck Hill Tr a
Caverns
Historic H ote
Park
B
ou
nd
Red Knob
Overlook
e
Trailhead
il
Tra
ge
Rid
y
Blu
Information
11
kB
r
a
P
Visitor
Center
Jefferson
Point
ary
Monacan
Village
o
d
un
Natural
Bridge
Salt Peter Cave
760
1
La
0.5
Miles
ffe
r
0.25
Sh
a
0
ne
Go
lf
Co
u
rs
e
Ro
ad
608
Cedar Creek
Cafe
Cascade Falls
Picnic Area
Visitor
Center