Virginia - Natural Bridge

Photo by Bo. W

The "Natural Bridge", which is located in Rockbridge County, Virginia. It is a geological structure, the Cedar Creek (a small tributary of the James River) create a mountainous terrain of limestone canyon, forming a natural arch 215 feet (65.532 meters) high and spans 90 feet (27.432 meters). It is not only the United States of Virginia and important historical sites, it is also one of the natural wonders of the world, attracts about 20 million visitors visit.

Photo by Bo. W

We walked along the path, downstairs, just a few steps, was surprised to find that a brook in sight. It on the bottom, and sometimes the light flow, sometimes nasty, when falling from rocks, splashing waves, form small waterfall, like a walk with your child, from time to time made the action of naughty and attract your eyes.

Photo by Bo. W

In front of a tall tree, we stop, it is the mark of arbor vitae tree on the tourist map. The trees grow slowly, and for every 30 years, one inch diameter to growth. This old tree, diameter of 56 inches long, more than 1500 years old. It is the world's oldest and most one big arbor vitae tree. It is life-in-death, still standing. The trees around the spring green, autumn in gold, only it all year round, gray does not change, such as a character.

Photo by Bo. W

Path to the bottom, the stream into the gather in the bottom of the Cedar Creek. We walked along the river walk, billow above, and the green wave ripples, bring warmth to the spring. Suddenly, a stone bridge needs to appear in the former. It is 215 feet high, span 90 feet, wide of 50 to 150 feet, one hole no pier, one integrated mass, across the deep ravine, magnificent incomparable. View bridge countless my life, but such a huge natural bridge, it is the first time to see, very spectacular.

Photo by Bo. W

We slowly walked to the bridge, loudly call, Natural Bridge echo reply. I gently stroked it rock stack body, started in debt-laden notch, looking for former President George Washington for short. In under the guidance of an elder, we found the words "G.W.", away from the surface of the water 23 feet high, in the southeast, the legendary George Washington, he came here in 1750 when the survey left. In fact, such outstanding Natural Bridge, it wouldn't care about any celebrity.

Photo by Bo. W

Over time, through weathering and erosion, the underground river collapsed and disappeared almost completely, the Natural Bridge being the only surviving relic of the roof of the ancient underground river. The creek’s larger flow contributed to form the present day gorge, significantly increasing the distance from the bottom of the water flow to the roof of the underground channel. Today, the “Lost River”, about half a mile upstream from the Natural Bridge, is a vivid example supporting the hypothesis of the underground river. Water from the side of the gorge flows into the Cedar Creek, similarly as the ancestral Cedar Creek underground river allegedly flew into the Cascade Creek, presently entering the Cedar Creek approximately 500 feet below the Natural Bridge.

Photo by Bo. W

This bridge of Cedar Creek, which rises 180 miles away Alleghany Mountains. After a natural bridge, which continue to flow to the southeast, a mile away, into James River.

Photo by Bo. W

The Natural Bridge in West Virginia, the Canyon area from Rockbridge County is located in the territory of the Indian Monacans also naturally formed. Monacans called it "the bridge of God", as the holy land. Monacans now, there is in accordance with the three hundred years ago of the archaeological record recovery reconstruction of the tribe, along the Cedar Creek to build settlements. Around the village, it is surrounded by trees and branches fence.

Standing under the bridge, head look: the bridge is surrounded by green vines wrapped around trees, across the sky in between. Go under the bridge, stroking the rock, feeling the solid nature, and the weight of history. Call aloud, echo waves, feeling the celestial melody. Crossed the stone bridge, when I look back, footbridge located under the blue sky, among the pines and cypresses, the bridge opening like a huge skylight to enjoy the heavens and the earth.

Natural Bridge is on the top surface of the formation, its edge on the highway11. Natural Bridge after a hundred years of experience, its image was representing the United States, it has been designated as "National Historic Landmark”.

Unfortunately, we don't have a visit to the bridge top. Hear a bridge and bridge top is different. In a bridge, feel is quiet natural world, did not hear the hustle and bustle of modern society; Standing on the bridge, and hear the water flowing under the bridge, the breeze blowing, the birds chirp sound of nature, feel the wind engraved rock, towering old as conceptions of ancient natural vicissitudes of life.

Around the Natural Bridge, the trip in a hurry, I still failed to visit a lot of landscape, many of the stories I've never heard yourself, and I will come to see you again, perhaps in the spring of overflow hill green, maybe change the color of autumn in each layer of trees.

Bye, Natural Bridge!