A Unique and Interesting Park in Northwestern Massachusetts - Natural Bridge State Park
Written: Nov 15 '07
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Pros: Unique, Marble dam, Marble gorge & natural arch, Picnic areas, Inexpensive
Cons: None really
The Bottom Line: I think a visit to Natural Bridge State Park is worth it - it’s a unique place and well worth the time it takes to explore
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| jps246's Full Review: Natural Bridge State Park |
Located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, the Natural Bridge State Park is an interesting stop for a few hours. The park covers the site of an old marble quarry and you can both explore the mining area and then explore the Park’s namesake, which was formed by a small stream carving down through the marble rocks.
While it’s not a large park, the natural bridge is interesting and for the small entry fee, well worth it. I wouldn’t make the park a centerpiece of your visit to the northwestern Berkshires, but it is well worth the stop if you are in the North Adams area.
Where is the Natural Bridge?
North Adams is located in the northeastern corner of Massachusetts and abuts against New York to the west. The park is located off of Route 2 on McCauly Road (Route 8). It’s fairly well signed. There is a sign on Route 2 and then another on McCauly Road where you turn and cross the river. From here, it might seem like you went the wrong way, but go to the right after crossing the river and you will enter the park. Drive slowly as the road is fairly narrow.
You’ll come up and into the marble mine area and then the road continues on up the hill to a parking lot at the visitors center. The visitor center is home to a ranger during the summer months and some small information exhibits on the park. There’s also information available on other State Parks in the area.
There is a $2 parking fee during the summer months. You can pay that at the visitors center and then put the parking pass on the dashboard of your car. That $2 is well worth it though, as this is an interesting little park.
What’s there?
There’s an interpretive trail that leaves from the visitors center and travels around the major sites in the park. The trail itself is generally unimproved (except at the natural bridge) and is not handicap accessible in general. The least accessible portion of the site is the Natural Bridge area.
First you cross a small stream and just upstream is the State’s only dam constructed out of marble. Just beyond the dam, the stream drops into a gorge carved into the marble bedrock and that’s where you’ll be able to see the Natural Bridge. The stream has carved its channel in such as way that a natural arch, made out of the marble bedrock has been formed.
The trail through this area includes steps and gangplanks so you can walk around and see both into and around the natural bridge and gorge area. Those who are afraid of heights might not be completely comfortable, but the trail doesn’t require you go into those areas to continue on your tour.
I found that this is where my partner and I spent the most time. You’ll take the pathways out to various observation areas and you can get a really good view of the gorge and the natural arch.
From there, the trail begins to loop around and you climb to the edge of the marble mine quarry. Here you can see how much rock was cut away from the hillside and removed. There are also interpretive signs along the way that help show what the area looked like during the mining days and how the marble was mined.
The whole tour takes maybe an hour or two if you stop and read all the signs and enjoy the sites.
If you are looking for a spot to have a picnic or a bbq, there are several picnic tables and bbq grills available. They are first-come, first-serve, though the time we were there, there were only a few people picnicking.
My Experiences
For years I’ve driven through North Adams and seen the sign for the Natural Bridge State Park along Route 2 and always wondered what was there. It wasn’t until my partner and I were just traveling around the Berkshires and we were driving by and we looked at one another and said “let’s go there” that we finally got to explore the park.
I’m kind of glad I waited. It would have been interesting to visit on my own, but it was definitely more fun with my partner. He and I are both interested in geology and we both enjoyed exploring the marble gorge, arch and mine. I also enjoyed the smaller exhibits in the visitors center, though he wasn’t as interested in those.
All in all, it was a good way to spend about 2 hours of our time. We got to see something that you don’t generally see in Massachusetts, we got to spend that time together and we enjoyed ourselves, all for $2. I call that a pretty good deal.
Final Thoughts
Natural Bridge State Park makes for a good stop on your way through the North Adams area. Its best as part of a larger tour since it only takes an hour or two to visit. My suggestion would be to stop at the Natural Bridge State Park first thing in the morning and then make your way over to Mount Greylock, where you can take the auto road to the summit.
That said, I definitely think a visit to Natural Bridge State Park is worth it. It’s a unique place and well worth the time it takes to explore.
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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