Natural Bridges
This not so hidden gem has a beautiful cave with a slow flowing river going right through it. This spot gets extremely busy, so GO EARLY (7:00-8:00am). Also bring floaties for an extra special experience.
My Trip in a Nutshell:
Month. Early July
Time of day. ~10:00am
Permit Required. No
Trailhead Address. Natural Bridges Trailhead, Parrotts Ferry Rd, Vallecito, CA 95251
Parking. There is a little parking lot but you'll likely have to find street parking
Out-n-Back. 2.1 miles
Elevation gain. 350 ft
My Trip!
We arrived between 10:00-10:30am and it was essentially mid rush hour. We spoke with a couple that stated they arrived around 8:30am and it was already super busy! Therefore, I'd recommend arriving between 7-8:00am to avoid the crowds. The hike itself was fairly easy and straight forward (it would be very hard to get lost- unless you're Sarah who always manages to get lost).
The cave itself is about ~120 yards from start to finish. But it is SO COOL! The top of the cave has droplets of water that act as a sparse waterfall (careful bringing freshly straightened hair here). If the cave itself is too short of a float for you, then you can go further down stream to continue floating.Here's the entrance of the cave and Rami acting like it's his cave, while we both know damn well it's my cave:
