I have lived most of my life in Virginia, but somehow until recently have not been to see all the great places in the state. We visited Natural Tunnel, so logically we also needed to go to Natural Bridge. What a wonderful trip we had.
As we planned the trip, we noticed that one of the eateries on our list of places to explore was on the route we would be traveling. We stopped at Mac’s Country Store for tasty fried chicken. From there we made our way through the backcountry roads until we reached the Blue Ridge Parkway, which we followed south to the parking area for Apple Orchard Falls. (Be warned if you ever make this trip…the GPS will send you down a small gravel road to get to the falls. It does not get you to the falls. Park in the lot and use the trail.) Chris did spot a large owl while we detoured down the gravel road, so our extra trek was not a waste of time.
The trail is a beautiful walk a little over a mile along the creek. It is a very downhill walk. There are several small waterfalls along the way. At one point, we reached a larger waterfall. We had passed a family on the way down who told us to keep going past that point. I am so glad that we did. The trail opened up to a beautiful view of the mountains. As we made our way down the stone steps we could hear the rushing of Apple Orchard Falls. We continued around the bend to find a gorgeous 200-foot waterfall. There is a very nice viewing area at the bottom with benches to sit on.
After taking our time to enjoy the beauty of the falls, we headed back up the mountain. The trail does continue to make a 5-mile loop, but in the interest of time, we opted to walk back out the way we came in. The hike out is definitely taxing. On our way down we had passed several people who were struggling with the climb. We took our time, taking a few breaks and had no problem with it.
We next headed north on the Parkway and worked our way around to Cave Mountain Lake Campground. The campground is close to the top of the mountain and absolutely beautiful. The campsites are spacious and they have modern bathhouses. After we set up camp we headed to the lake for some relaxation. It was late in the day, so we had the swimming area pretty much to ourselves except for two friendly little girls. Surrounded by tiny fish and newts, we enjoyed the cool water as we listened to the steady croaking of the frogs in the distance.
As we ate dinner it started to sprinkle. We called it a night and retired to the tent to sleep to the ting of the gentle rain hitting the tent. The rain brought with it a lovely coolness in the air.
The next morning we went to The Pink Cadillac Diner where we had a wonderful breakfast before heading to Natural Bridge. I have seen pictures of Natural Bridge, but they didn’t prepare me for the awe that I felt as I came around the bend to see my first glimpse. The trail through the bridge followed a stream full of fish. Chris spotted two snakes along the way basking on the rocks. He also found a small skeleton in a crevice along the path. As you pass under the bridge, you can see a spot on the wall with the letters GW carved into it. Legend has it that this is where George Washington carved his initials while surveying the area.
The mile-long path passes by an Indian village and a saltpeter cave. Apparently, as they worked in the cave, workers heard running water. Seeking to find the source, the workers blasted through the rock to discover a hidden stream running through the mountain. To this day, it is unknown where the stream comes out.
As we made our way to the end of the trail we spotted a blue heron. As we watched he took flight, landing at the waterfall just ahead. It was fun to watch him frolic in the water. While we took in the beauty of Lace Falls a butterfly landed on me. It was like an enchanting scene from a fairy tale.
Next, we headed over to Natural Bridge Caverns. (Purchasing a combo ticket saves $7.) The caverns are not as large or as old as Luray, but they are beautiful and our tour guide Ryan was amazing. Not only did he have a vast knowledge of the caverns, but he shared entertaining anecdotes along the way.
As we headed home, we found a great spot for Mexican food at Baja Bean Staunton.
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Your journey sounded so full of wonderful things!