Leaving the retreat on my way to Asheville, North Carolina I noticed a sign for Natural Bridge State Park. Ever curious, I pulled in to explore.

The towering formation was once the roof of a cave but given enough time, limestone succumbs to water. Cedar Creek eroded away the soft rock until the majority of the cave collapsed, leaving behind a remarkable feature.

The 215′ tall bridge has attracted attention for centuries, the local Monacan tribe still considers it sacred land. When Governor William Gooch sent a team to explore that area of Virginia in 1742 they made note it.

8 years later, George Washington was a member of the land survey team. According to legend, he carved his initials in the rock (see the photo with the white painted box). In 1774 the bridge was purchased from the King of England by Thomas Jefferson who considered it, “the most Sublime of nature’s works”.

As evidenced by the historic graffiti, many people left their marks over the years. The property went through multiple hands before finally being purchased by the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund in 2013. They turned it over to the state for management and it became Virginia’s 37th state park in 2016.

I admired a fuzzy Buck Moth caterpillar (Hemileuca maia) along the trail and played a one-sided game of hide-and-seek with a Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) before continuing on my way to Susan’s, just outside of Asheville.

We enjoyed a lovely evening stroll before dinner. It was only an overnight visit but it was wonderful to catch up with a good friend. Thoroughly, an enjoyable trip!