# Natural Bridge Park > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Natural_Bridge_Park > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Natural_Bridge_Park.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridge_Park > Source revision: 1355152411 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Private park in Winston County, Alabama, USA Natural Bridge Park Natural arches at the Park. Interactive map of Natural Bridge Park Location Winston County, Alabama Nearest town Natural Bridge, Alabama Coordinates 34°05′35″N 87°36′53″W / 34.09306°N 87.61472°W / 34.09306; -87.61472 Opened 1954 (1954) Owner Donnie and Naomi Lowman Operator Donnie and Naomi Lowman Status open Hiking trails 2 mile nature path **Natural Bridge Park**, near the town of [Natural Bridge, Alabama](/source/Natural_Bridge%2C_Alabama), is a privately owned park in [Winston County](/source/Winston_County%2C_Alabama) that has been open since 1954.[1][2][3] The current owners are Donnie and Naomi Lowman.[4] The Park's primary attraction is a [natural-arch](/source/Natural_arch) rock formation that is 60 feet (18 m) high, 148 feet (45 m) long, and composed of [sandstone](/source/Sandstone) and [iron ore](/source/Iron_ore).[1] [2][5] The bridge is purported to be the longest natural arch east of the [Rocky Mountains](/source/Rocky_Mountains) in [North America](/source/North_America). A two-mile nature trail guides visitors beneath the arch and past nearby rock formations.[6] Walking across the bridge itself is not permitted, due to safety concerns. The Park includes picnic accommodations, an [artesian well](/source/Artesian_well) that supplies drinking fountains, a gift shop featuring hand-crafted items, 27 varieties of [fern](/source/Fern), and a stand of eastern [hemlock](/source/Tsuga) (*Tsuga canadensis*)—a species that dates back to the Pleistocene epoch (approximately 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago).[3] Downhill from the arch is an [outcropping](/source/Outcropping) of rock resembling a Native American head in [right profile](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/profile), similar to that of an old U.S. ["Indian head" nickel](/source/Indian_Head_nickel). The stone formation is just over 15 feet (4.6 m) high. - Indian head nickel. - Stone formation. As of 2024, the park is open from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm seven days a week and admission is $10.00 for adults.[4] ## History This natural-arch formation dates back about 200 million years.[1] It was formed by the New River eroding weaker sandstone away from the stronger stone which constitutes the bridge spans.[3][2][7] [Muscogee Creek Indians](/source/Muscogee) lived in this area, and they probably used the bridge-cave enclosure for shelter.[2] The Park itself was opened to the public by the Legg family in 1954.[2] In recent years, it was owned and operated by Jim and Barbara Denton. In August 2023, Donnie and Naomi Lowman purchased it and are now running it (as of January 2024).[4] ## Gallery - Entrance sign. - Entrance and gift shop. - View from under the arch, looking upward. - Under the bridge. - Looking outward, wintertime. - Rock formation visible from the nature trail. - Eroded rock - Eroded rock - 19th-century graffiti ## Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AB_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AB_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AB_1-2) Alisa Beckwith, "Natural Bridge History", "Small-Town Pride in Natural Bridge", from *[The Tuscaloosa News](/source/The_Tuscaloosa_News)*, [Tuscaloosa, AL](/source/Tuscaloosa%2C_AL), February 10, 2002, webpage: [geocities-NatBridge](https://web.archive.org/web/20090829012801/http://geocities.com/naturalbridge35577/NaturalBridge.htm). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ET_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ET_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ET_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ET_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-ET_2-4) Ettractions.com, "Natural Bridge of Alabama", 2008. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-encyclopedia_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-encyclopedia_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-encyclopedia_3-2) Greer, Caroline (May 13, 2024) [Originally published 2020-09-16]. ["Natural Bridge Park"](https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/natural-bridge-park/). *[Encyclopedia of Alabama](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Alabama)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250917122550/https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/web/20250917122550/https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/natural-bridge-park/) from the original on September 17, 2025. Retrieved November 9, 2025. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-northwest_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-northwest_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-northwest_4-2) ["Natural Bridge Park Saved"](https://www.mynwapaper.com/index.php/node/12762). *Northwest Alabamian*. August 23, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-OH_5-0)** "Natural Bridge, Alabama (Cities)", 2008, Online Highways, webpage: [OHwy-naturalb](http://www.ohwy.com/al/n/naturalb.htm). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-NA_6-0)** ["Natural Bridge Park"](https://www.northalabama.org/listing/natural-bridge-park/269/). *Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association*. Retrieved January 15, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-EB_7-0)** "Britannica Online Service :: Search", Britannica Online, 2009, webpage: [EB-n6](http://www.britannica.co.kr/boltitles/n/n6.html)[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]. ## External links - ["Natural Bridge in Alabama"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180613170137/http://lampton.home.mindspring.com/naturalbridge.htm). Archived from [the original](http://lampton.home.mindspring.com/naturalbridge.htm) on June 13, 2018. - Gann, Pamela (September 23, 2022). ["Everything you need to know when visiting Natural Bridge Park, Alabama"](https://www.pamgann.com/natural-bridge-park/). *Pam Gann*. Retrieved January 15, 2024. [34°05′35″N 87°36′53″W / 34.09306°N 87.61472°W / 34.09306; -87.61472](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Natural_Bridge_Park¶ms=34_05_35_N_87_36_53_W_type:landmark_region:US-AL) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Natural Bridge Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridge_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridge_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.