Natural Bridges

By Joe David Rice

My friends with geology degrees tell me the recipe for natural bridges is simple. Find an area of exposed sandstone or limestone arranged in horizontal layers. Periodically add varying amounts of water, ice, and wind. Wait a couple of million years – and voilà!

Mother Nature has blessed Arkansas with a good mix of these wonders – and several are easy to visit. The best known of the lot is the aptly-named Natural Bridge of Arkansas, a commercial tourist attraction a few miles north of Clinton on the east side of US Highway 65. The majestic span, some 120 feet long, requires a short walk to see it and is worth the reasonable admission fee. The state’s premier underground attraction, Blanchard Springs Cavern, is only 60 miles to the east.

Another modest fee is required to inspect the small, naturally occurring bridge at the Pivot Rock tourist stop in Eureka Springs. What it lacks in size is more than made up by convenience – and it offers an interesting contrast to the architectural curiosities of this quirky little town.

Petit Jean State Park, the flagship of the state park system and about an hour west of Little Rock, includes a handsome natural bridge within its 3,500 acres. The popular Seven Hollows Trail provides a direct route to and then under the picturesque span. Make sure to check out Cedar Falls, Indian Rock House and the strange “turtle rocks” while you’re at the park.

The Buffalo River, winding across north Arkansas and America’s first national river, includes at least two natural bridges in its vast acreage. The most accessible of the pair is found in Lost Valley about 2 miles south of Ponca. Over the ages, Clark Creek has carved a hole in the bedrock, easily big enough to climb through, and the creek emerges from this opening in dramatic style – especially in the spring when the water’s up. It’s a relaxed hike and is among the most photogenic spots in the state.

Another Buffalo River example is located in the rugged and remote canyon of Indian Creek, upstream from Kyle’s Landing, a National Park Service campground between Ponca and Jasper. This natural bridge –sometimes called “the eye of the needle” because of its vertical orientation – is also photographer’s delight (take a wide-angle lens), but the treacherous, steep and often slippery route is not for the faint of heart.

South of Jasper and a mile or so west of the junction of Arkansas 7 and 16 is the Alum Cove Recreation Area maintained by the Ozark

National Forest. After a short walk on a marked trail visitors will arrive at an imposing 20-foot wide stone arch stretching some 130 feet in length. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially when the fall colors are at their peak.

A short distance to the south – as the crow flies – is the Hurricane Creek Wilderness Area, also in the Ozark National Forest. This challenging 15,300-acre tract is chock-full of interesting features to include an impressive natural bridge – although getting to this formation requires a serious hike. The Ozark Highlands Trail, which parallels the sparkling, boulder-strewn stream, is popular with the backpacking community.

Finally, yet another few miles to the south is the Buzzard Roost Area within the Ozark National Forest. Located off the backroads between Arkansas 7 and Big Piney Creek, this stretch of rocky terrain is not easy to reach, since it’s a dozen miles off the paved highway. But the adventuresome will be rewarded with a great array of attractive rock formations – to include at least two natural stone arches.

Spend some time bushwhacking the blufflines of the Ozarks and you can make your own discoveries of these fascinating geological anomalies. Late fall and winter months offer the best opportunities. No need to rush though. Arkansas’s natural bridges have been here for eons and are aging well.

Joe David Rice, former tourism director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism, has written Arkansas Backstories, a delightful book of short stories from A through Z that introduces readers to the state's lesser-known aspects. Rice's goal is to help readers acknowledge that Arkansas is a unique and fascinating combination of land and people – one to be proud of and one certainly worth sharing.

Each month, AY will share one of the 165 distinctive essays. We hope these stories will give you a new appreciation for this geographically compact but delightfully complex place we call home. These Arkansas Backstories columns appear courtesy of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. The essays have been collected and published by Butler Center Books in a two-volume set, both of which are now available to purchase at Amazon and the University of Arkansas Press.

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