Rockbridge State Nature Preserve’s claim to fame is that it serves as home to Ohio’s largest natural bridge, in the form of a 100 foot long rock arch. It is also wide enough that you can cross it to look around, and the trail will also allow you to go below to look up at the arch. When there has been enough rain, there is also a small waterfall that forms from the rock ledge behind the arch, which forms a small cave. To find the bridge, look for the small brown signs indicating the parking area for the preserve. To access the preserve, it is necessary to use a small right-of-way that passes through several private farms, so the parking lot is small and the signage clearly marked as to what is private property and what is the trail. The trail will lead you through the picturesque farmland, alternating between grass and boardwalk, until you reach the woods. Like much of the area, it is hilly, so despite the fact that there are only 2.75 miles of trails here, you can still get a good workout going up and down the trail. The Natural Bridge Trail is a loop that will take you from where you enter the woods around to the bridge and back again. As you follow this trail, you reach an area where you might here some whooping and hollering — there is a zipline nearby, visible through the trees during some times of the year. Visit during the right times of year, and you can see all of the beautiful wildflowers throughout the forest as you go. A second trail, Rock Shelter Trail, meets up with Natural Bridge Trail. This one will take you over to see a rock ledge, which may have a small waterfall if there has been enough rain. If you are enjoying the hike, feel free to continue past the rock ledge up to the rest of the rock shelter loop before heading back. If you just want to see the rock ledge, then heads-up — once you get there, that’s it. The rest of the loop just takes you uphill into more forest and then loops back again. No real notable things to see(well, unless you get some great wildlife sightings, of course)! Rockbridge is located near the Hocking Hills area, so in addition to being a neat feature to visit on its own, you can also easily group it in with some other hiking opportunities throughout the region. This is not quite as dramatic as what you will find in Hocking Hills, but I have to say there were no lines and it was much quieter, so it would make for a nice break from the crowds. I plan to visit again.
