natural bridge state park

No snow this year, trail was muddy. Great fun there, kids climbed and ran around got great exercise. We spotted a bunch of animal tracks and the bathrooms were open! It really is a beautiful place and you can feel how old the rock is. Located in Wisconsin's driftless area, there were archeological findings dated at least 12,000 years old. AWESOME and great for exercise, photos and fun for all ages!!!

With Utah being ground zero for natural bridges and arches I'm kind interested in those that form out of something besides Entrada or Navajo sandstone. So we had to take the time to visit here. It is in a beautiful part of the driftless Wisconsin countryside and the drive to it was peaceful and enjoyable. There are a few trails here and it was unclear really which one would take me quickest to the arch. Fortunately I chose the correct one. The trail through the forest was magical, tall trees, and spotted sunlight, gentle breeze, the call of birds. The trail wasn't long maybe 1/4 mile, but it is mostly uphill. At one point there was a sign warning me about poison ivy. It really is amazing that after all these years it really is the first time I've seen it for sure, the forest floor there was covered with it. Then you come around a bend and see the arch. With a 35 ft span it is a significant opening. And it is an arch, not a bridge (which is formed from water flowing beneath it). Information gleaned from the internet says the rock here is sandstone which is 1.6 billion years old. What makes it look old is the dark rock covered with moss and eroded with ledges making it look like something with wrinkles and splotches of hair. I enjoyed some time just pondering, looking at the various plants and flowers. The unexpected surprise was the cave under neath it. I wondered if it had been excavated to make it larger. It was quite large enough to live in, which apparently some paleohumans did back 8-9000 years ago, probably while they were hunting the mammoths at the edge of the retreating glaciers. On the soft side of the arch close to the trail are more recent carvings into the stone, names and dates, natural graffiti.... no, I didn't add mine. Not much else to do here although there are some other trails that could provide some nice diversion for a longer visit. I'm glad we were able to see it and would definitely recommend the drive out to it if you are in the vicinity.

This is a great hiking place! It's not too far to hike and you get to see the Natural Bridge. The rock bridge was used by Indians once upon a history time. When my husband and I went, there was not a single person there, so it was peaceful and private. We took our dog, who ended up with three wood ticks. Yes, this place is jam pack loaded with ticks! It's completely worth it though. Quiet, peaceful, and you get to sit under this cool rock and imagine all the people who sat/camped under it throughout history.