North Adams' Natural Bridge
The Natural Bridge (to the left) and the White Marble Dam. All Photos/C. Danko © 2001-2009
Standing near the top of the Natural Bridge and peering down, a cave cut deep into the bedrock marble seems cold, wild, and somehow lonely. Nathaniel Hawthorne had once written that it "makes a fresh impression on me every time I visit it … so deep, so irregular, so gloomy, so stern." Running water rushes by far below, along a narrow gorge that passes through the rocks.
The Natural Bridge is just a short drive from the art galleries and downtown community of North Adams, in Western Massachusetts. It is protected within a state park, where visitors can see the natural wonder up close up and learn about the geology and the history of an abandoned marble quarry. This naturally formed rock bridge was created by melting glaciers more 13,000 years ago, according to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Also at the park is a man-made white marble dam – a scenic setting surrounded by a landscaped area.
The Natural Bridge State Park is located just off Route 8, which connects to Route 2 in North Adams. A small parking fee is charged ($2 at the time this article was written).
