Natural Bridge Park

Natural Bridge Park
View of the natural arches.
Natural arches at the Park.
Map
LocationWinston County, Alabama
Nearest townNatural Bridge, Alabama
Coordinates34°05′35″N 87°36′53″W / 34.09306°N 87.61472°W / 34.09306; -87.61472
Opened1954 (1954)
Owned byDonnie and Naomi Lowman
Operated byDonnie and Naomi Lowman
Statusopen
Hiking trails2 mile nature path

Natural Bridge Park, near the town of Natural Bridge, Alabama, is a privately owned park in Winston County that has been open since 1954.[1][2][3] The current owners are Donnie and Naomi Lowman.[4]

The Park's primary attraction is a natural-arch rock formation that is 60 feet (18 m) high, 148 feet (45 m) long, and composed of sandstone and iron ore.[1] [2][5] The bridge is purported to be the longest natural arch east of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A two-mile nature trail guides visitors beneath the arch and past nearby rock formations.[6] Walking across the bridge itself is not permitted, due to safety concerns.

The Park includes picnic accommodations, an artesian well that supplies drinking fountains, a gift shop featuring hand-crafted items, 27 varieties of fern, and a stand of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)—a species that dates back to the Pleistocene epoch (approximately 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago).[3]

Downhill from the arch is an outcropping of rock resembling a Native American head in right profile, similar to that of an old U.S. "Indian head" nickel. The stone formation is just over 15 feet (4.6 m) high.

  • Indian head nickel.
    Indian head nickel.
  • Stone formation.
    Stone formation.

As of 2024, the park is open from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm seven days a week and admission is $10.00 for adults.[4]

History

This natural-arch formation dates back about 200 million years.[1] It was formed by the New River eroding weaker sandstone away from the stronger stone bridge spans.[3][2] creating an erosion feature: natural-bridge.[7]

Muscogee Creek Indians lived in this area, and they probably used the bridge-cave enclosure for shelter.[2]

The Park itself was opened to the public by the Legg family in 1954.[2] In recent years, it was owned and operated by Jim and Barbara Denton. In August 2023, Donnie and Naomi Lowman purchased it and are now running it (as of January 2024).[4]

  • Entrance sign.
    Entrance sign.
  • Entrance and gift shop.
    Entrance and gift shop.
  • View from under the arch, looking upward.
    View from under the arch, looking upward.
  • Under the bridge.
    Under the bridge.
  • Looking outward, wintertime.
    Looking outward, wintertime.
  • Rock formation visible from the nature trail.
    Rock formation visible from the nature trail.
  • Eroded rock
    Eroded rock
  • Eroded rock
    Eroded rock
  • 19th-century graffiti
    19th-century graffiti

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Alisa Beckwith, "Natural Bridge History", "Small-Town Pride in Natural Bridge", from The Tuscaloosa News, Tuscaloosa, AL, February 10, 2002, webpage: geocities-NatBridge.
  2. ^ a b c d e Ettractions.com, "Natural Bridge of Alabama", 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "Natural Bridge Park". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  4. ^ a b c "Natural Bridge Park Saved". Northwest Alabamian. 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  5. ^ "Natural Bridge, Alabama (Cities)", 2008, Online Highways, webpage: OHwy-naturalb.
  6. ^ "Natural Bridge Park". Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  7. ^ "Britannica Online Service :: Search", Britannica Online, 2009, webpage: EB-n6[dead link‍].

34°05′35″N 87°36′53″W / 34.09306°N 87.61472°W / 34.09306; -87.61472