I mentioned here that we have to stay fairly close to home these days so that Jeremy’s work doesn’t put him in quarantine for two weeks. When we booked our camping HipCamp camping trip, we chose a spot near Natural Bridge State Park because we originally planned to do some sightseeing while we were there. Then we remembered that our youngest kiddo is a very tactile child who can’t keep his hands out of his mouth. He’s the one who would be sure to bring home all the nasty germs, so we decided not to do any sightseeing that trip.

We actually visited the area a couple years ago, when I ran a race in Lexington. We do want to do explore more of the area, so we will visit again. Not everything is fully open yet, but if you’re in the area, you should still be able to do enough to make your trip worthwhile.

Where is Natural Bridge State Park?

It’s about 15 miles south of Lexington, Virginia and about 40 miles north of Roanoke.

What is Natural Bridge?

As the name suggests, it is a natural bridge, carved out of limestone. It is 215 feet tall, and there is a road on top of it. In fact, there’s been a road on top of it since 1753, and before that there were trails on it.

There is a myth that George Washington surveyed the area in 1750 and left his initials carved on the wall, but there is no evidence to support that claim.

Thomas Jefferson purchased Natural Bridge and the surrounding 157 acres in 1774 from King George III.  The area stayed in private hands until 2014, when a conservation group purchased it. The site was made into a state park in 2016. It is also an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. Affiliated Areas preserve important parts of our nation’s heritage, but are not owned nor operated by the NPS.

Where should you stay while visiting Natural Bridge?

There is no state park campground, but there are a number of national forest and private campgrounds in the area. When we stayed in the area most recently, we found a private campsite through HipCamp.

There are also a number of motels and hotels, including the Natural Bridge Hotel. This converted caboose looks like a fun option.

Important details to know

As is the case with many places, services are currently limited. You can still visit the Natural Bridge, but there isn’t a shuttle to take you there from the Visitor Center. You’ll have to walk from the Visitor Center to Natural Bridge, but it’s not a long walk. The Visitor Center is open, but the Monacan Village is closed and there are no interpretive programs scheduled.

Entrance fees are $6 for ages 6-12, $8 for 13+.

5 things to do when visiting Natural Bridge State Park

1. Tour Natural Bridge and the surrounding area

Walk from the Visitor Center to Natural Bridge (here’s a map). After you admire its size and take some pictures, follow the trail under the bridge, past the amphitheater. Cedar Creek Trail is paved trail that continues past a Monacan Indian Village. Further on is an old saltpeter mine that was used during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. It’s not open for exploring. The trail ends below Lace Waterfall.

2. Explore the hiking trails

While the Cedar Creek Trail is hard to avoid when visiting Natural Bridge, there are three other trails in the area to explore. You can find a map here if you want to check them out ahead of time.

3.  Visit the Caverns at Natural Bridge

The Caverns are very close to Natural Bridge, and can be visited in the same day. Tours last about 45 minutes and you should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a light jacket as it can be a little chilly.

You can purchase tickets just for a guided tour of the caverns, or bundle them with entrance tickets to Natural Bridge for a discount. They are currently open and offering guided tours, but they fill up fast, so arrive early.

• Cavern tour: $12 for 6-12, $18 for 13+
• Cavern tour and Bridge: $14 for 6-12, $22 for 13+

4. Float the James River

The Upper James River Water Trail is perfect for float trips, kayak trips, fishing, and more. When we camped by the river, we saw a number of groups floating past. If you have enough vehicles, bring your own gear, or hire an outfitter to provide equipment and handle the logistics for you.

5. Hike the Chessie Trail

The Chessie Trail is a 7.2 mile gravel and dirt trail on what was once an old canal towpath. It’s used by walkers, runners, hikers, and bikers. There used to be fixed gates that had to be climbed over or lifted, making it not ideal for bicycles. However, recently all but one of those gates have been replaced with self-closing gates.

This is actually the trail that I ran a race on a few years ago when we first visited Natural Bridge. Fastest 5k I’ve run in a long time because of how flat the trail is! I need to go back and do the half marathon one of these days.

Have you visited Natural Bridge? What was your favorite part?