Natural Bridge State Park (Wisconsin)

{{Short description|State park in Sauk County, Wisconsin}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Natural Bridge State Park | image = NaturalBridgeStateParkWI.jpg | image_caption = | image_alt = Natural arch, prehistoric rock shelter | image_size = 280 | location = Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States | coordinates = {{coord|43|20|53|N|89|55|52|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = <ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|1679049|Leland Natural Bridge}}</ref> | area = {{convert|530|acre|abbr=on}} | elevation = {{convert|1020|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=gnis/> | established = 1942<ref name=parksystemhistory/> | administrator = Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | free_label = | free_data = | visitation_num = 33,217 (DNR est.) | visitation_year = 2024 | visitation_ref = <ref name=mjs/> | website = {{Official website}} | module = {{Infobox protected area | map = USA Wisconsin#USA | label = Natural Bridge State Park | label_position = | map_caption = Location in Wisconsin | relief = 1 | module = Wisconsin State Parks }} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Raddatz Rockshelter | embed = yes | nrhp_type = nrhp | image = | caption = | location = Address restricted | coordinates = | locmapin = Wisconsin#USA | locmap_relief = 1 | map_label = Raddatz Rockshelter | added = December 18, 1978 | area = | refnum = 78000139 }} }}

'''Natural Bridge State Park''' is a {{convert|530|acre|0|adj=on}} state park of Wisconsin, United States, featuring Wisconsin's largest natural arch. Directly beneath the arch is the '''Raddatz Rockshelter''', a rock shelter once used by Paleo-Indians and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is located southwest of Baraboo between the unincorporated communities of Leland and Denzer, in the town of Honey Creek.

==Natural history== The park is on the edge of the Baraboo Range in an unglaciated Driftless Area of south-central Wisconsin. Outcrops of quartzite, hardened sand deposited about 1.6 billion years ago jut out of the tops of these hills.

The arch and rock shelter have been weathered out of one such outcropping. The top of the arch is {{convert|35|ft|m}} above the ground. The arch opening is {{convert|25|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|15|ft|m}} high. The rock shelter is {{convert|60|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|30|ft|m}} deep.

The park's hills are forested with oak and other hardwoods. Some ridge tops bear small prairie remnants with grasses and cactus. Around the outcrop walls grow ferns such as the walking fern (''Asplenium rhizophyllum''), slender lip fern (''Cheilanthes feei'') and the rare purple cliffbrake (''Pellaea atropurpurea''). The shade of the rock faces also supports ''Solidago sciaphila'', a rare goldenrod.

==Cultural history== An archaeological excavation of the rock shelter was conducted in 1957 by Warren L. Wittry of the Wisconsin Historical Society. His team found evidence of human use over a long time period. The remains of 50 vertebrate and 15 mollusc species were identified. The oldest artifacts were pieces of charred wood, presumably from fire pits, which were dated to between 9000 and 8000 BCE. This would make it the oldest documented site of human occupation in the upper Midwest.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raddatz Rockshelter and Natural Bridge |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=36901&qstring=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisconsinhistory.org%2Fwhi%2Fresults.asp%3Fsubject_narrow%3DArchaeological%2Bsites--Wisconsin |work=Wisconsin Historical Images |date=December 2003 |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society |access-date=July 14, 2012}}</ref> There were also artifacts such as antler-scrapers dating back to six to seven thousand years ago. Evidence indicates that the shelter was used only periodically at first, perhaps as a hunting or seasonal camp. Later it was inhabited year-round.<ref name=parkhistory/>

The natural bridge has been a tourist attraction for modern visitors since 1870. The state park was established in 1972, and the following year {{convert|60|acre|0}} centered on the arch were given a further level of protection as '''Natural Bridge and Rockshelter State Natural Area'''.<ref name=dnr2/> In 1978 the Raddatz Rockshelter was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

==Recreation== There are no amenities at the park.<ref name=parkrecreation/>

There are two trails in the park, totalling about {{convert|3.5|mi|km}}. The arch and rock shelter are short distance up the Indian Moccasin Nature Trail, which then loops further through the wooded hills. Signs along the trail interpret the medicinal uses of many native plants. The longer Whitetail Hiking Trail leads across the highway to the less-used southern half of the park.

The southern portion of the park is open for hunting during parts of autumn.

==Gallery== {{gallery|mode=packed|align=center |File:Natural Bridge time lapse - stars 1-19-2012 VP8.webm|Natural Bridge time lapse - stars Jan 19, 2012, VP8 |File:Natural Bridge State Park, pan VP8.webm|Natural Bridge State Park, pan VP8 }}

==References== <references> <ref name=parkhistory>{{cite web |url=https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/naturalbridge/history |title=Natural Bridge State Park: History |publisher=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |access-date=2026-04-05}}</ref>

<ref name=parkrecreation>{{cite web |url=https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/naturalbridge/recreation |title=Natural Bridge State Park: Recreation |publisher=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |access-date=2026-04-05}}</ref>

<ref name=dnr2>{{cite web |url=https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/statenaturalareas/NaturalBridgeandRockshelter |title=Natural Bridge and Rockshelter State Natural Area |publisher=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |access-date=2026-04-05}}</ref>

<ref name=mjs>{{cite news |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/2025/01/28/these-were-the-most-visited-wisconsin-state-parks-in-2024/77967337007/ |title=These were the most visited Wisconsin state parks in 2024 |author=Reid, Claire |date=Jan 28, 2025 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |access-date=April 5, 2026}}</ref>

<ref name=parksystemhistory>{{cite web |url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8cdf6c4573b7494a8695880b1cc1c585 |title=History and Timeline of the Wisconsin State Park System |publisher=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |year=2025 |access-date=2026-04-05}}</ref> </references>

* {{cite news |last=Hasheider |first=Philip |title=Treasures close to home; unspoiled beauty is a hallmark of areas at the western edge of the Baraboo Range, in Sauk County |newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal |location=Madison, Wis |date=May 8, 2005 |page=H1}}

==External links== {{commons category|Natural Bridge State Park (Wisconsin)}} *[https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/naturalbridge Natural Bridge State Park] Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources *[https://widnr.widen.net/s/lnss8mjp7n/natural-bridge_map Natural Bridge State Park Map] Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

{{Protected areas of Wisconsin}} {{NRHP in Sauk County, Wisconsin}} {{authority control}}

Category:Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin Category:Driftless Area Category:Natural arches of Wisconsin Category:Protected areas established in 1972 Category:Protected areas of Sauk County, Wisconsin Category:Rock shelters in the United States Category:State Natural Areas of Wisconsin Category:State parks of Wisconsin Category:Articles containing video clips Category:National Register of Historic Places in Sauk County, Wisconsin Category:1972 establishments in Wisconsin