Bridge Bay Campground-Natural Bridge Trail

The .7-mile connecter trail joins Bridge Bay Campground with the Natural Bridge Trail. From the junction, it's another .6 miles to the Natural Bridge, making it a roundtrip from the campground of 2.6 miles. The trail begins at the rear of Bridge Bay Campground near the marina. It leaves the campground, passes Bridge Bay Marina on the west side, and continues through lodgepole forests to a junction with the Natural Bridge Trail. This "trail" is really an old road-bed now reserved for hikers and bikers. Both trails are flat and make for an easy outing. Just 1.3 miles from the campground a road turnaround is reached. The trail continues to the right a few more yards and ends with a great view of Natural Bridge. The bridge, made of volcanic rhyolite rock, is 30 feet across and rises 10 feet above the creek. Many people confuse arches with natural bridges. Both are natural occurrences, but to be a considered a natural "bridge" there must be a watercourse that flows through it. Thanks to guidebook author, Tom Carter, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about visiting Yellowstone, check out his book, Day Hiking Yellowstone.