Natural Bridges Hiking Trail

First time coming here. The hike was a little under a mile. Not too bad, but it was a little challenging with random rocks on the trail and sun beating down on you. The payoff was quite wonderful though. The cave was a nice size and very shallow water for anyone of all ages.
My sisters and I brought a blow up raft to float down the other side. The cave was cool and only deep within the middle.
The only downside was that it was pretty crowded, but the hike to the cave was worth it.

Fine for littles if they’re cautious. We just did this trail on Memorial Day. Not crazy crowded and everyone was courteous, even on a holiday. Hot day with four kids under 9. About a mile to the lower cave and back. We talked to them about poison oak (had a heads up from another site and saw a LOT of it along the trail) and tics and they kept religiously to the trail. 8 and 6 year old did great with no help. 5 year old was very cautious and slow, which worked for this out of shape Momma on the way back. Lol! Toddler walked a little, but we ended up carrying her most of the way. She couldn’t handle the rocky parts herself on the way down and was exhausted by the time we headed back. Water shoes are a must. We didn’t have them and were sorry. We just splashed in the pool at the front of the cave and were satisfied. Take water and pee before you start down. No facilities at the bottom. Even as hot as it was, none of the kids complained about the hike, so I wouldn’t say it’s terribly difficult for them. Because of a stretch that is narrow and runs along a cliff, as well as the poison oak and tics, I wouldn’t take a young child prone to running ahead or venturing off-​path. P. S. We headed toward the central valley at 5pm and didn’t run into any traffic, which was a miracle considering the crazy lines we saw along the 4 on the way up around noon.

Fun, short hike with just enough difficulty for it to be interesting. Good for kids. It would be perfect for a day of picnicking and swimming in the heat of summer, but in spring, the water is just too cold for anything more than a quick foot drip. Beautiful and very green. Lots of poison oak so wear long pants or be careful with every step you take. Just remember, «leaves of 3, let it be!»

The trail entrance is a bit of a crack in the wall so keep an eye out when you’re near. It’s a breeze going down the trail and the views you will see are beautiful. I don’t recommend if you have younger children because of the abundance of poison oak and some cliffside trail paths. The water was a little too cold for spring time but I anticipate will be refreshing come summer.

Haven’t been in 20 years, I’ll be bringing my 12 year old son soon can’t wait for him to see it the picture s don’t do it justice

Enjoyed the hike down to the cave, beautiful place overall with a lot of great views and scenery. Went in late February and there was a lot of water, not too much people, and the weather was amazing. Perfect day. My boyfriend and I loved it, definitely coming back. Totally recommend this awesome place!

This hike, while short, might be considered rather steep on the return. Do not wear flip flops on for the hike as the trail is rocky and you cannot explore with just flip flops. While the hike itself is not especially beautiful the ending packs quite a punch! Just make sure you brave the cold waters and swim through the cave, totally worth it!

Short downhill hike to a beautiful natural cave! No dogs are allowed but I took mine with me. It’s a small area. so you’re lucky if you are alone. I was alone and because I had my dog I couldn’t use a floating device to cross to the other side through the cave.
It’s a great spot to take the kids. Please don’t leave trash behind. It was very pristine and clean and I hope the next time I visit it’s just as clean.
The hike back up to the trail head is very steep but not very long.
Take some water shoes and explore!

This place was a rocky heaven oasis! The cave is such a wonder to visit with a short hike to start you up. The cave waters are very chilly and the floor is very rocky, WATER SHOES are def. advised. If you are a swimmer who isn’t afraid of the dark, swimming through the cave sure looks fun (from a distance for me). The cave actually has an opening on the other side which looks just as magnificent.
The rocks surrounding the opening of the cave had small ponds and streams, with the banks lined with small trees. We even found a walnut tree, with two walnut bulbs.
The hike to and from the cave is a great sight as well, with views of the surrounding mountains. The trail is also nicely littered with huge rocks that make the trip even more interesting.
I love this place for it being so calming and magical (if you’re lucky to be there without anyone else). I plan to visit again with a bigger group of people.

Date: Saturday, June 6, 2015
Our hiking group lured us to Calaveras County to enjoy some caves and a chance to cool off in a pool of fresh water; like an old watering hole that you enjoyed as a kid growing up in the country. The drive from San Francisco is approximately 3 hours long, so you better leave early so you can get a decent parking location. Also, it can get a bit tricky getting here as you can easily miss the road. Technically, there is no official parking spot, but you can park on the side of a narrow road named Airola Road.
From San Francisco, cross the Bay Bridge and take 580 East to 4 East. Once on 4E, turn right on Parrots Ferry Road and once you pass the entrance to Moaning Caverns, it’s about 3 miles to Airola Road. I suggest you slow down so you won’t miss the road unlike yours truly here. The road is a dead-​end road and parking is on the right side of the road. However, you will need to turn around and park facing out and I also suggest parking underneath the shade of trees as it could get scorching hot here. Even parking under a shade leaves your car like an oven so imagine parking without a shade.
To get to the watering hole, follow the trail and it’s an easy 2 mile trek and downhill. I happened to double the trail because I realized I forgot my water shoes once we got to the water. Plus the weather was above 90 degrees and I was melting by the time I got back down again after going back to the car as I was drenched in sweat. But the hike is worth it because soaking in the cool water is definitely a reward in and of itself.
The Natural Bridge is basically a cave that runs over Coyote Creek. I suggest you take flotation devices to explore the cave from one opening to the next and it’s a quick trip from end to end. If you don’t want to go by way of the water, you can hike over the top and come around the other end. But try to enjoy the water as it gushes over your body and thank goodness this wasn’t affected by the drought. I could only imagine what the place looks like if we haven’t been in a drought.
Natural Bridges gives you a natural high.

The hike to the water isn’t too hard. Mostly downhill on the way there but not too steep and fairly shaded. The hike back is obviously a little harder, but mostly because it gets so hot on the trails. I would recommend going when it is cooler out because it gets very hot on the trails. When you actually get to the water the opening to the natural bridge is right where the trail ends. The water was cold but after the hot hike it is very refreshing. We floated through on inner tubes as did a lot of the other people we saw there. I would definitely come back, it is beautiful and close to Big Trees State Park and the Moaning Caverns so there is a lot of other things to visit at the same time.

Beautiful, free and secluded.
Be sure to bring a «floaty» (an inflatable inner tube works great) as well as some water socks (any kind of footwear you feel comfortable getting wet) and enjoy floating through a cave full of water (typically ice cold due to snow melt) or just relaxing on your flotation device in natures gorgeous backdrop.
This location is easy to get to but requires a slight hike uphill to return to your car. (no more than 1 mile)
There are no bathrooms at the bottom or trash cans so pack out what you bring in.

What an awesome place. It’s about a mile hike down hill (so yes, you’ll have to hike back up hill). Wear good shoes instead of flip flops but make sure you bring your flip flops or water shoes.
After a hike down, you’ll be welcomed by an amazing cave with with cold water where you can wade, sit, or swim (it does get deep so little kids beware).
There are a few tables located just above the water but you can find other food places to sit down and lay your personal items down.
I suggest bringing an inflatable raft (small enough to hike with), or an inner tube which you can use to traverse through cave to the other side (about 30 yards away). Make sure you bring life jackets for little ones for safety. The water is very cold but your body will adjust. When we went, it was 100 degrees so the hike was tough for some people in our group but the water was definitely refreshing!
Stop by and check it out if you have a few hours to burn.
PS
Bring drinking water and some snacks with you and please make sure you clean up after yourself by picking up your trash.

I was just there with my aunt and her family. We had blast. The trail was rocky both ways up and down. It should be paved. On the fun side, the water was cold and the cave was fun. Bring a spare change of shoes ad a lot of water and a floating device: ITS DEEP

This is a MUST SEE if you’re in the area. The hike is a moderate 0.7 miles from the road to the cave. Get there early and you might get a chance to enjoy it all to yourself before it starts to get busy. The opening of the cave is shallow, about 6″ deep and at the back is a tunnel through to larger caverns, the water gets deeper and colder but it’s a spectacular sight to see. Bring an inflatable boat or something similar if you don’t want to swim through the deeper sections.

The coolest place destination hike I’ve ever done that was super easy and very short. The hike itself was about 2.7 miles round trip. One trail in and out so you can’t really get lost. We carried in inflatable boats, oars and an air pump so that we could actually go into go into the cave without having to swim in the cold water. Very beautiful!!! Totally worth a day trip!!!

It’s a short hike to the cave. Went there on Memorial Day weekend, and water was freezing cold. Nice place to hangout for a couple of hours and relax.

Tried it!
I am not a seasoned hiker and did not expect to hike such a long trail. It was quite a ways to walk and it was all downhill and easy getting to the bridge. Plenty of greenery and brushes throughout the hike down and some nice vistas too. Some parts the trail could get narrow and may have to give way to other hikers going up/​down the trail and, of course, after heavy rains the trails could be muddy as I’ve seen imprinted shoe prints along the hike and some were deep imprints.
As you get closer you will hear the sound of the river and, also, you will pass an inscription on a stone about a little history of the Natural Bridge… before you go on further deep make sure you look for a stairway trail to your left because this will lead you to the natural bridge. As we headed down there were a couple of picnic tables next to the river. We did not explore inside the cave, the water was too cold in late January, plus it was getting late in the day. We had a little too much sightseeing activity earlier and we wanted to squeeze in this last activity. Next time we will be more prepared to explore the cave and bring water shoes and maybe reach the second natural bridge.
The hike back up was more challenging, of course, since it was all uphill! Even had to stop for a breather at the lone picnic table somewhere along the side of the trail. The hike was about a mile each way, but I am not in shape so it was a little challenging for me. It was a good experience, though. There is no fee or charge to enter this hiking trail.

Trail is quite a long distance walk, be prepared to do a lot of walking before you can get to the cave and water area. Bring a backback and water with you. Use the restroom available near the parking area ahead of time if you need to go, because theres no restroom available in the trail area.
Follow the trail and keep looking for some stairways on your left, it can be easy to miss out.
Go down stairs and just follow the sound of the water!
We went around 5pm where the sun was still out but people were headig back, it was perfect to snap some photos without people in the background, we had the cave and water area all for ourself!
Hidden gem!

The address will take you to the road it’s on but keep going about 2 to 3 miles until you see the natural bridge trail sign. No dogs allowed here. Walk back up hill is a bit steep. But the cave is super cool! Was too cold to swim in. Local said July it gets warner. Wish we had floaties!