What are the hours and how do I enter Natural Bridge State Park?

Hours and entry details vary by season. Check the official site on the day of your visit for current opening times, program schedules, and any advisories.

Where do I park and what’s the walking route to the bridge?

Park at the main visitor area and follow the signed path down to the creek corridor. Expect a short walk with stairs or grade changes; surfaces may be damp after rain.

When is the best time to visit to avoid crowds?

Arrive at opening or later in the afternoon for a quieter experience. Spring and fall are cooler and less crowded than peak summer holidays.

Is Natural Bridge accessible?

Some routes include stairs and uneven surfaces. Stop at the visitor center for current accessibility guidance and route options that best match your needs.

Can I take photos under the arch?

Personal photography is generally fine; early and late light work best. Mind footing near wet surfaces and follow any posted guidance on flash or restricted areas.

Visit Natural Bridge State Park, VA

Natural Bridge, VA: a short, scenic walk beneath a 215-ft limestone arch. Hours, parking, tips, and what we learned on our morning visit from Lynchburg

by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 9/23/2025

After three decades in Virginia (since 1992!), we finally checked Natural Bridge off our list. We stayed in Lynchburg the night before and rolled in the next morning, which turned out perfect for a quieter walk. The visitor center looks down over the creek, so you descend with that great sense of reveal—shade, running water, and then the limestone span appearing all at once.

We arrived at Natural Bridge with that mix of curiosity and road-trip dust you only get after a stretch of Blue Ridge driving. The visitor center is set high above the creek corridor, so the first minutes are all anticipation—trees, the low hush of water somewhere below, and then a bend in the path where the limestone suddenly fills your frame.

Nothing prepares you for the scale. Standing under the span, you feel small in the best possible way—cars and highways fade, and it’s just stone, water, and time. We lingered in the shade along the creek, watching light slide across the walls and the arch’s textures sharpen as the sun moved. Every few steps the perspective changes: look up from directly below to see the sky framed like a keyhole, then back up the path for the classic postcard angle.

The walkway is easy to follow, and we took it slow—pausing for photos, listening to the water, and letting groups flow past so we could have quiet moments under the arch. Surfaces can be damp, so we were glad for decent shoes. If you like photography, arrive early or stay late; the softer light pulls out warmer tones in the rock and gives the creek a mirror-calm look.

What we enjoyed most was the contrast: a landmark that’s undeniably grand, but experienced at walking pace. No turnstiles, no rush. Just enough interpretive signage to anchor the geology and history, and plenty of space to stand back and take it in.

On the way out we looped back to a favorite vantage point to catch the arch one more time. It’s the kind of place that’s easy to reach on a Virginia road trip and even easier to remember afterwards—simple, impressive, and worth the unhurried hour we gave it.

Hours & Entry
Parking & Walking Route
Best Time to Visit

The trails at the Natural Bridge in Virginia, such as the Cedar Creek Trail, are not paved but are composed of natural dirt and rock, with some sections featuring stairs to navigate the terrain. The park uses an easy walk path that includes scenic strolling, dirt paths, and stairs, offering views of the creek and surrounding forest.

Once you descend to Cedar Creek Trail from the Visitor Center - The snack bar offers a selection of snacks, beverages, and other items like gift shop products and information about the park.

Wow - Erosion did this? Nope, Cedar Creek did not create the Natural Bridge; the natural geological process of weathering formed the bridge over millions of years. Cedar Creek is a creek that flows through the Natural Bridge formation, a process that started approximately 500 million years ago.

Cedar Creek, was one of the forces that carved the bridge opening. The bridge is the remnant roof of a cave or underground tunnel that Cedar Creek once flowed through.

That white box is a rectangle painted around the initials G.W. which local legend attributes to George Washington. The initials are 23 feet up on the wall of the bridge, on the north side, across from the trail along Cedar Creek.

The Natural Bridge dimensions are; 215 feet high, span of 90 feet and a width that varies from 50 to 150 feet

State Park information signs are everywhere

The Natural Bridge Hotel

The Cedar Creek Trail, which leads you under the Natural Bridge to the Saltpeter Cave.

Visiting Natural Bridge State Park offers an awe-inspiring journey through natural beauty and American history. The main draw is the colossal 215-foot-tall limestone arch, carved by Cedar Creek over millions of years and once owned by Thomas Jefferson. Visitors can access the natural wonder via the Cedar Creek Trail, a scenic path that descends from the visitor center, winding alongside the gorge and offering stunning views of the bridge from below. The experience allows you to appreciate the sheer scale of the arch, which stands taller than Niagara Falls, and walk the same ground as famous figures from the nation's past.

Beyond the main attraction, the park features a network of hiking trails that lead to other sights within the picturesque landscape of forests and rolling meadows. The Cedar Creek Trail continues beyond the bridge to the 30-foot Lace Falls and passes by a small cave and a "lost river," which vanishes into the karst terrain. With over 10 miles of trails in total, there are opportunities for varying levels of hikers to explore. The park is also an International Dark Sky Park, offering unique ranger-led evening programs for stargazing, adding another dimension to this historic and naturally stunning destination.

Thomas Jefferson purchased the Natural Bridge and 157 acres in the 1780s. Lexington resident William Caruthers managed Jefferson’s business affairs in Rockbridge, and in 1817 wrote Jefferson that “Patrick Henry a free man of Colour requested me to write you that he will rent what land is cultivatable on the Bridge Tract – which is perhaps 10 acres all of which [he] is to clear off and enclose and for which he is willing to pay a fair value. Patrick is a man of good behaviour and as the neighbors are destroying your timber verry much it might not be amiss to authorize him to take care of it in order to which it might be well to have the lines run by the surveyor of the county.”

Jefferson responded to Caruthers that “I readily consent that Patrick Henry, the freeman of colour, whom you recommend, should live on my land at the Natural Bridge, and cultivate the cultivatable lands on it, on the sole conditions of paying the taxes annually as they arise, and of preventing trespasses.”

Patrick Henry became the first guide for the Natural Bridge, as reflected in an 1838 article recounting a visit there in 1818 by several Washington College students. It referred to a “sort of journal, kept to record visiter’s (sic) names by poor Patrick Henry, a man of color, who kept the bridge.”

Practical Tips for a Natural Bridge Visit

Check hours/entry before you go: operating times and any special programs vary by season. Confirm on the official site the day you visit.
Parking & approach: Large parking lot is free to the public, entry fee and initial access is through the Visitor Center.
Accessibility: Accessing the Natural Bridge requires navigating a stairway of 137 steps. Accommodations for accessibility can be made upon request with the contact rangers at the Visitor Center or by calling (540) 291-1326. Wear shoes with decent grip—rock and boardwalk sections can be slick after rain. Once you arrive at the bottom of the steps area, the trail is wide and flat.
Crowd timing: arrive at opening or later in the afternoon for quieter views; mid-day is the busiest.
Weather watch: after storms, water levels rise and spray increases under the span. Check conditions if it’s been raining.
Bring the basics: water, sun protection, and a light layer if you’ll linger in the shaded creek corridor.
Photography: wide-angle works great under the arch; step back along the path for a fuller perspective. Early/late light makes the limestone glow.
Best time: spring/fall for cooler temps; winter light can be lovely on clear days. Summer offers the lushest greens but also the heaviest crowds.
Are Pets allowed? Yes, pets are allowed at the Natural Bridge in Virginia, but they must be kept on a leash and are restricted to certain trails and areas.

A bit of Park History

For a stop that’s easy to reach and even easier to enjoy, Natural Bridge delivers. The short walk, creek-side shade, and that sudden reveal under the span make it a memorable hour on any Blue Ridge itinerary.

The site’s story is long, but one modern milestone stands out: Natural Bridge was designated a Virginia State Park in 2016, ensuring ongoing protection and public access. If you’re passing through western Virginia—or staying in Lynchburg like we did—plan a morning or late-day visit for softer light and fewer crowds.

Bring shoes with grip, check conditions after rain, and give yourself time to linger. It’s a simple stop that rewards an unhurried pace.