1. Natural Bridge State Park
2. Virginia Safari Park
3. Next Time/ Other things to do
4. Conclusion

Natural Bridge, Virginia is located just north of Roanoke, VA and is surrounded by the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forest. It is also just south of Shenandoah National Park. We spent 3 nights in Natural Bridge and got a chance to explore two attractions within a 10-mile drive to the campground we were at, Natural Bridge/ Lexington KOA Holiday. 

Natural Bridge State Park

Our first day of exploration brought us to the Natural Bridge State Park. The very state park the town is named after. We hiked the Cedar Creek trail which is a one mile out and back trail. The trail is the highlight of the state park as it brings you to the natural bridge formation and to Lace Falls at the very end of the trail. 

While hiking the trail we walked along the Cedar Creek which traverses the very gorge that created the natural bridge. We were there in late fall and the area had not gotten a lot of rain, but the river and the falls were still running strong. 

As we made our way from the natural bridge to Lace Falls, we were surrounded by the high walls of the gorge. We came across a cave named, the Saltpeter Cave. The cave was once leased out by Thomas Jefferson, who owned the land, so they could excavate potassium nitrate which was used to make Saltpeter to produce gun powder. We were able to walk in the cave a bit to look around. 

As I mentioned before, the area had not gotten a lot of rain so I was less the hopeful that we would see water flowing at Lace Falls. I was shocked when it was not only flowing, but it was flowing very well. I have to imagine that in the spring or times of heavy rain, the falls would be raging. It was definitely the icing on the cake to a beautiful hike. It would seem that you can have a great waterfall experience no matter what time of year you go. 

The trail ends just shy of the falls, so you have to admire it from afar. It could be that way on purpose, or it could be that the terrain didn’t allow for the trail to continue. Either way, you can’t get up close and personal, but it is still a beautiful site even from the distance you’re at. 

The state park offers more than just the one trail as well. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to explore the other trails. There are 4 other trails in the state park that feature caverns, more waterfalls, and scenic overlooks. Things to look forward to when we return. 

The state park has an interesting history as well. As I mentioned above, Thomas Jefferson once owned the land. He purchased it in 1774 from King George III of England. Jefferson envisioned the land being used a public park for all to enjoy and marvel at the natural bridge formation. Unfortunately, his family had to sell it after his death to pay some of his debts. It was owned by several different people throughout the years. However, in 2016 the State of Virginia purchased the land and made it into a State Park, fulfilling Thomas Jefferson’s vision. 

The state park does charge a per person admission to see the Natural Bridge and to hike the Cedar Falls trail. For anyone ages 13 and up the cost was, $9 and ages 3-12 was $6 at the time of our visit in November of 2024. If you wanted to explore another part of the state park in addition to the Natural Bridge, you could as long as you showed your receipt at the trailhead. If you just wanted to hike other trails the cost was $5/ car. 

Virginia Safari Park

On our second day in Natural Bridge, we drove a half mile to the property next door to the campground, the Virginia Safari Park. The safari park is a 180-acre drive through safari where you can feed the animals from your car. 

This was the first time we had ever experienced something like this, and we absolutely loved it. They have more than 1,200 rare and endangered animals that roam free on the 180 acres. As we drove through, the animals came right up to the truck looking for a snack. We even got up close and personal with an Elk who performed his signature call. 

After driving through the safari, we explored the other section of the park called the Village. In this area, there were more animals to encounter. We were able to feed the goats and the giraffes in this section. Food for both had to be purchased at the store before entering the village. We also saw tigers, giant anteaters, lemurs, meerkats and more.

The cost of admission when we visited was $27.95/ adult and $20.95/ child (2-12). Both the drive thru safari and the walkthrough village were included. The admission was also good for the day, and they allowed reentrance. So, if you were staying in the KOA like we did, you could go home for lunch and then go back to the safari park later. 

Things We Missed

Next time we visit Natural Bridge, I definitely want to hike at least one trail in the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forest. While browsing AllTrails I noticed some pretty unique hikes. One of those hikes was called, Devils Marble Yard. It wasn’t a long hike, but other hikers said it was steep, and you have to rock scramble. Sounds like a great time to me. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway is also not fall from Natural Bridge. The Parkway is maintained by the National Park Service and traverses the Shenandoah Mountains, plus more for over 400 miles. While you could drive the whole thing, you could also just drive part of it to check out one or more of the many scenic overlooks. 

Conclusion

If you’re driving on I-81, I would highly recommend making Natural Bridge,

VA a stop on your journey. We were there for 3 nights and it was barely enough. With cavern tours as another option I think a week would be perfect. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about our tour of Natural Bridge, VA. Feel free to comment below and if you’d like, you can watch our YouTube episode about our visit to Natural Bridge. 

Thanks for reading. Until next time, God bless and stay safe!