Explore Natural Bridge in Southwest Oregon
Southwest Oregon has a lot of beautiful landscapes. Crater Lake National Park is a very popular spot. The road between Crater Lake and Medford, Oregon, has several stops worth making – like the three majestic waterfalls near the town of Prospect. But there’s one spot you don’t want to miss. Natural Bridge is a two-mile roundtrip hike on a paved trail along the Rogue River. It’s perfect for families and people of all ages.
Here are a few details to help you know what to expect, and I encourage you to include this in your Oregon trip itinerary.
Getting to The Natural Bridge Trailhead
Twenty six miles west of the Crater Lake National Park‘s south entrance (along Highway 62) is the turn-off to the Natural Bridge trailhead. If you’re based out of Medford, Oregon, (like we were), it’s roughly 60 miles north from the city. The paved road turnoff is clearly marked, so you shouldn’t miss it.
Follow the road for about a half mile. You’ll find a parking lot with several spots, including some for RVs or vehicles pulling trailers. Grab a designated spot (don’t park in non-designated areas – you risk getting a ticket and gumming up the works of the parking lot). There are some restrooms in the parking area, so make a pit stop if you need it.
The trailhead is on the northwest corner of the parking lot. There’s a sign that explains how Natural Bridge was formed and a little more about the geology of the area. I recommend checking it out so when you get there, you’ll have a better sense of what you’re seeing.
What to Expect on the Hike
From the trailhead, the hike is 2 miles roundtrip along a paved trail. About one-third of the way in, you’ll cross a bridge over the Rogue River. It’s a beautiful spot to stop and enjoy the lush green forest with the raging river winding its way through. From the bridge, continue along the trail until it ends at the overlook to Natural Bridge.
From the overlook, you can see where the water rushes into a cave. If you didn’t read the sign, you might just assume it’s an overhang. But it is in fact a tunnel the river rushes through. There are some signs along the overlook to help you know what you’re looking at and understanding how the natural bridge was formed.
Now that you see where the water enters the tunnel, you can keep an eye out on the river as you head back to the trailhead and see where the water emerges. Then you can continue your way across the bridge and back to the trailhead. It’s a simply, family friendly hike with great views of the Oregon forests.
I’ll point out that not all of the river water goes through the tunnel. We were there in July, but the river level may vary depending on the time of year you’re visiting.
Camping at Natural Bridge
If you don’t want to stay in a hotel in Medford, or you can’t get a reservation at Crater Lake Lodge in the national park, you can always try grabbing a campsite at Natural Bridge Campground. There are 17 campsites, each one with a picnic table and designated fire pit. The campground has seven vault toilets, so there should be one close enough to use should the need arise in the middle of the night. 😉
The campsites are first-come, first-served and they are open June through October. The cost is $15 per night, per campsite. There is a trail that travels along the Rogue River to the Natural Bridge Trailhead, so if you are staying the night in the campground, you don’t have to drive to the parking lot to enjoy the short trail.
The Details
Parking: Parking is available at the trailhead. There’s a restroom, several designated parking spots and larger spots available for RVs or vehicles pulling trailers.
Cost: There is no cost to park or hike to Natural Bridge. Campsites are $15 per night.
Hours: The trail is accessible 24 hours a day. You can camp nearby at the Natural Bridge Campground nearby, June through October.
Website: Campground website is https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/rogue-siskiyou/recarea/?recid=69828
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