For a unique, striking, natural Tennessee landmark, check out the Natural Bridge, just outside of Sewanee, Tennessee.

Exit I-24 on top of Monteagle Mountain and the Natural Bridge is only 10 minutes away.

After heading through downtown Sewanee, motorists take a pleasant drive through a thickly forested area for a few minutes, hearing the sounds of leaves rustling and the animals chirping and calling. Arrive at a very small parking area and the Natural Bridge feature is only a brief walk.

A formed staircase leads downhill to the unique archway. Halfway down the stairs a visitor can see both the bridge and their car at the same time, the walk is so short.

The archway makes an impressive scene in the Tennessee woods.

The trail coming from up top leads to the top of the bridge, so upon arriving at the feature the next portion of the journey is walking across the top.

The bridge is a couple of feet wide, it’s not exactly walking a tightrope, but don’t be goofing off up here or lose your orientation while taking a picture—it’s about a 25-foot drop from the top of the bridge to the rocky ground below! Losing one’s balance and falling would be severely uncomfortable (probably worse).

Once on the other side of the bridge, a visitor can descend down a gradual slope to explore the area underneath.

Near the base of the natural bridge, the cliff wall opens revealing a small cave, just large enough for a couple of people to take shelter. A fire pit inside the cave contains a date of 1914.

Even those traveling along I-24 without a whole lot of time to spare can still swing off the interstate and take a few minutes to check out this beautiful rock feature carved into the forest.

For those looking to spend longer hiking—even an entire day—the nearby University of the South, an Episcopal school with a beautiful campus, maintains 65 miles of hiking trails, many quite difficult.

“Sewanee’s Domain offers student recreational experiences unparalleled on any other campus in the country,” according to University of the South literature.

“Whether you are interested in hiking, biking, camping, climbing, fishing, or all of the above, the Domain has an experience for you.”

Definitely check out Morgan’s Steep, an overlook near the campus with a breathtakingly expansive view of Tim’s Ford Lake and surrounding valley and hillsides.

The Sewanee Trails definitely contain all the hiking one can handle in a day—lots of room to burn some calories—and don’t seem to have a whole lot of foot traffic. The university advises visitors to park at Lake Cheston while using the trails.

And while residences sit just atop many of the ridges surrounding the area, it feels like a very secluded place to be, taking in the stillness of the Tennessee forest.

Look for more on the Sewanee Domain Trails in a future edition of the Murfreesboro Pulse.

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Natural Bridge State Natural Area
591 Natural Bridge Rd., Sewanee, Tennessee
(From Sewanee, turn south onto Highway 56 and look for Natural Bridge Road in about two miles)
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For more on the University of the South’s trail system, visit sewanee.edu.
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