Massacre Natural Bridge

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

(map link)

I encountered the Natural Bridge, AKA Massacre Natural Bridge, while improving the area mapping and decided I had to go see it, whatever it is. It is the third and last hike included in the Forest Service's Hayfork Area Trails handout that I happened to find while researching the location. Here, the map will get you somewhere that works (but not the picnic area) while the description claims the picnic area is directly off the county road, leaving the traveler over a mile from their destination. I wasn't too sure about the road up to the picnic area anyway. It was mapped as improved gravel in 2014, but is now marked as unimproved in their digital data. There is a usable dirt turnout just north of the junction of Bridge Gulch Road (FR 31N19) and Wildwood Road (CR 302) for any who are concerned, but I ended up giving the road a try and parking at a turnout partway up. This widening in the road was sufficiently long to allow a pair of oncoming vehicles to pass even with my car there, so I felt comfortable using it. Once parked and outfitted, I took off toward the picnic area indicated on the map in the handout.

Bridge Gulch Road still looks like an improved road to me.

The gulch beside the road has pools and dry stretches.

The road starts upward and gets rougher just before the indicated access to the picnic area breaks off. This road was smooth at first, but as it neared and crossed the gulch, it was a bit rougher than I would have wanted to experiment with my little car's abilities. At the end is a turnout and no other amenities. It clearly gets some use. Trail heads off the end, going through a significant dip as it crosses a tributary gulch. This also clearly gets some use.

A rough start on a well established trail.

Soon, a bit of limestone seems to loom ahead.

Looming rocks, but at this point they could just be a far wall.

Rocks looming from one side of the canyon to the other for certain.

The "Natural Bridge" is really a cave, a tunnel, cutting through a thick fin of limestone, from this perspective. At least, the rock left feels a little too bulky to go calling it a bridge. It does have water running through it, so it does meet the definition of bridge rather than arch.

The tunnel under the bridge. Not to worry, there is no ducking required here.

Standing inside the lower mouth of the tunnel/bridge.

The water made a lovely tinkling noise echoed in the cavern and I had to follow it to a pool where the most musical notes seemed to be originating.

A pool at the edge of the cavern.

And the passage through to the other side. From here it looks a little more roomy.

Quickly out the other end from the interior cool.

There's an even nicer trail on the far side and it leads to a real picnic area with actual amenities including a table and toilet! I scared a group of deer from a watering hole on the way.

The trail on the south side, beside the stream.

Just one picnic table, but that's one more than on the other side.

This area was the site of great tragedy. A band of about 150 Wintu Native Americans were brutally slaughtered one morning in 1952 leaving only a couple children alive. It was in retaliation for a murder committed by none of them, not that the action would be justified even if the murderer(s) were among them. (A bit more here.) A wooden memorial for the massacre hangs on a tree. A granite rock bears evidence that there was once a brass plaque too.

The wooden marker and shelf with offerings. (I guess. Do spirits want bottled water in a place with good water running past? Hover over the image for marker words.)

I walked up the access road, which has always been labeled as "unimproved", and found it quite suitable to my little car. I could drive up and enjoy the picnic area a little more fully. (And collect some water from the stream since I was getting low again.) First, to head back. But not directly. I'd seen a trail crossing the stream next to a marker 3 (the only evidence of the interpretive trail that was here once) that I wanted to check out.

The trail crossing the stream next to marker 3.

The crossing is just below the watering hole the deer ran from on the first pass.

The trail had just looked like well used deer trail as I crossed it. It quickly takes on a character of a human built thing as it climbs to go over the top of the bridge.

A lovely trail bench as it climbs to more limestone above.

A spur broke off to the right and I followed it. Not far. It went a short way to a spot that looked like it might be a cave entrance in the limestone wall but is not.

A look across the top of Massacre Natural Bridge which isn't as flat as it looks through the trees.

A look along the wall of sandstone from the short spur trail.

Back on the trail, I followed it through a low spot across the bridge. Limestone rises up on both sides leaving accessing the bridge as a challenge for rock climbers.

Still finding it hard to get a look at the bridge because of the trees.

Cliffing on the hill side of the trail over the bridge.

The face of the bridge and cliffs on its side of the trail.

More of the cliffing on the bridge side of the trail.

Trail is a little rougher down the other side. One part has been ignored for a slight up and down that looks to promise a nice climb. There are more small holes in the rock, but I didn't notice anything to fit through besides the one with the stream.

Perhaps someone can fit in there if they can get up to it.

Looking back along the walls and rougher trail to the bridge.

A game trail spurs off from this trail. It looked at first like something people use, but probably because people like me explore down it. It looked more like game path with every step and got steep. I turned back and followed the way down to the lower trail, then back and along the road.

Another block of limestone that happens to live above the road on the way down.

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Back at the car, I did indeed drive back to the picnic area. That's the one at the end of the second, southerly access road. After a while, I decided to hike up to the spot along the road where it overlooks Massacre Natural Bridge.

Smooth but narrow road across the top of the bridge.

A clear view of some of the south face of the bridge.

The view across the top of Massacre Natural Bridge.

A panorama of the bridge from the very edge before scrambling is required. You can really see the low spot where the high trail passes through. The tunnel is slightly closer.

A cute little red-breasted nuthatch posing nuthatch style with its nut, just before jamming it into some bark.

Eventually I headed back. Rather than using the road, I walked down a long, grassy hill that wasn't too steep and joined the trail below.

It's an easy way down on foot.

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After filtering water, I decided to have another go on the loop, this time clockwise. I figured maybe I would notice different things going the other direction. Or the change of light might make something interesting (but I really waited a little too long to start again for that). Or maybe I just really should get a little more exercise because it's quite a short loop.

Past the monument sans plaque to the trail beyond.

As I passed, I scared off a group of deer from the watering hole again.

Arriving once more at the Natural Bridge.

And looking out the other end.

This time I remembered to at least try to photograph the cave formations within the cavern formed by the water.

Not so large, but there are some curtains forming in this limestone cavity.

Looking up past the edge of the bridge.

Climbing up the high trail, I looked down into the gully to see a very solid grill, thus solving the mystery of why the Forest Service thinks the picnic area is on the north side of the bridge. It was once. This time I took the animal trail a little further. It got even steeper to the point of feeling unsafe. It was leveling out by the time I turned around. It just seemed to be going a long way away from where I might want to be.

Looking back along the wall of the limestone.

It still feels like a long way to go up.

I went back down, chatted with a pair of hunters, followed the trail back over the top, and scared off another bunch of deer at the watering hole. They kept running off toward the road, so weren't in danger of wandering past the hunters who were exploring the other way up the unnamed gulch.

*photo album*




©2024 Valerie Norton
Written 15 Nov 2024