In a tiny town in north Alabama, 200 million years of history quietly waits for anyone willing to wander off the beaten track.
Here, Natural Bridge Park is home to the longest natural rock bridge east of the Rocky Mountains. The sandstone and iron ore rock formation stretches 148 feet across and is estimated to be 200 million years old. The secluded park has been open since 1954 and is located in Natural Bridge, Alabama, about an hour and a half from the busy roads and packed bars and restaurants of Tuscaloosa.
As soon as visitors enter the park, they are greeted by a bright green sign that welcomes all with a distinctly Southern message: “COME ON IN! WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING Y’ALL!”
The park has a $3.50 general admission fee, which goes to support the maintenance and care of the park and its few facilities. This fee is manageable even for college students, particularly when compared to similar sites throughout the Eastern United States. These other, more well-known bridges typically have higher admission fees, such as the popular Natural Bridge in Virginia which charges adult visitors $20 per person.
The park also features several hiking trails that allow visitors to meander through immense trees and moss-covered boulders. These trails are designed for people of all ages and are perfect for those seeking a leisurely afternoon stroll rather than a strenuous workout.
The visitor center has a small garden and tidy picnic area. This section of the park is available for guests to sit and enjoy lunch by a quiet creek which circles the area and flows out through the trees.
The natural bridge itself is an easy five-minute walk from the visitor center and gift shop. To reach the bridge, visitors leave the picnic area and stride across a wooden bridge and down a level, leaf-covered path. Almost everyone stops short as soon as the bridge comes into view. It stretches approximately 60 feet above the trail, causing guests to gaze upward and strain to see every detail of the multicolored sandstone formation far above.
Visitors are not permitted to walk across the bridge due to safety and preservation concerns. Instead, the trail leads to the cavernous area underneath the bridge, where hikers of all skill levels can walk on the stone steps and gaze up at the rocky underside of the double bridge. Handrails are installed along the trail to assist guests as they explore the area.
Sunlight filters down around the bridge, catching on droplets of water and reflecting on the sloping walls around the walkway. Patches of the light land on damp rocks or mossy patches of earth, and the glistening stones and signs posted by the trail remind visitors to use the handrail, as parts of the walkway are often slick.
On the trail between the bridge and visitor center, there is a large rock outcropping shaped like a human profile. Information in the visitor center compares this immense stone to the Native American head on the American nickel. This site is informally called the Stone Indian Head and is a great spot to stop for pictures.
The nearby town of Natural Bridge also has a personality all its own. Natural Bridge is the one of the smallest towns in Alabama with a population of 37 people at the time of the last census. It has a post office, family-style restaurant, town hall, community center, and, of course, the park. The community center is main social venue for residents and frequently hosts events such as catfish dinner, quilt shows, and family reunions. Here, visitors can grab lunch and experience Southern small-town living at its finest after spending the day at the natural bridge.
The park is located outside of town on County Road 314 in Natural Bridge, Alabama. It is open from 8 a.m. till sunset everyday.
