Plan with
Confidence
Natural Bridge State Resort Park regulations apply and this is also a state nature preserve. On weekends and holidays, the Rock Garden Trail West and the area around the arch can be congested with hikers.
Path Type
Point to Point
Begin at the Sky Lift Parking Lot. Tackle the beastly Low Gap Trail to gain Rock Garden Trail West. From Low Gap head right (south) toward Natural Bridge. Continue up through some insanely steep stairs (think Stairs of Cirith Ungol) that will make you think twice about returning the same way. At the top of the rock steps the grade eases and you can settle into picking your line through rocks and roots along the edge of a cliff with a few smooth sections interspersed. You'll breathe a sigh of relief when you see the big arch ahead of you.Look for the Hood Branch Trail just before being forced into a narrow passage (Fat Man's Misery). Hood Branch Trail is a nice quiet trail with some great views in wintertime of the surrounding cliffs. It winds back to the trailhead.
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