Four hundred acres (161.87 hectares) of the park's total area are wooded. Only 5-1/2 acres (2.23 hectares) are developed. Developed acreage involves park areas that are modified to accommodate visitors.
Modifications include public restrooms, signage, and transportation routes. Paths may be made of crushed rocks or packed earth. Pavement occurs in the entrance and parking lot. Wooden staircases take visitors over challenging terrain. Signage will be found along the trails.
The park has two trails. One is the Indian Moccasin Nature Trail of interpretive signage around the arch, bridge, and Rockshelter. The other is the Whitetail Walking Trail into the park's southern half, for hikers and hunters of such autumnal game animals as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
Interpretive signage highlights park vegetation. The vegetation is interesting because of its drought and shade tolerances. It also is interesting because of traditional cultural roles, medicinal values, and multiple uses.
Basswood (Tilia americana) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) are associated strongly with woodland Native American society. Strong cultural associations arise when vegetation assures pivotal societal needs. Basswood inner bark is stripped, soaked, separated, seeped, dyed and banded into string for fish and wildlife traps and into textiles for:
- Blankets;
- Clothes;
- Hangings.
Paper birch helpfully lends the following:
- Branches and trunk to firewood and kitchen utensils;
- Inner bark to kitchen utensils and red dye;
- Outer bark to candles, canoes, containers, and wigwam covers.
Veritable medicine chests can be opened with prickly ash (Aralia spinosa) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). Prickly ash deals with:
- Breathing problems, through berry-and-bark syrup;
- Chest/throat sores, through hot water-soaked berry salves;
- Toothaches, through chewing powder from inner bark.
- Quaking aspen heals:
- Colds and coughs, through drinkable buds boiled in fat;
- Cuts and wounds, through sapling bark poultices;
- Fever and pain, through salves of animal fat and ashes from burned bark and leaves.
Other medicinal plants include:
- Common juniper (Juniperuscommunis), against urinary blockage;
- Goldenrod (Solidago spp) flowers against fever, and stem galls against insomnia and kidney problems;
- Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), against fever and syphilis;
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), against lung problems;
- Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), against muscle-ache.
Multi-purpose vegetation includes edibles:
- Blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis): Canes against sore eyes, and roots against cholera and diarrhea;
- Black cherry (Prunus serotina): Inner bark against colds and coughs;
- Frost grapes (Vitis riparia): Roots against insanity, sap against irregularity, and twigs for afterbirth;
- Hickory (Carya ovata) wood for bows;
- Lichen against blood/intestinal irregularity;
- New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus): Roots against mucous membrane inflammation and snakebite;
- Oak (Quercus spp): Bark for dye, and wood for awls and wigwams;
- Prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati), against sore eyes and uterine problems.
Other multi-purpose plants range from red maple (Acer rubrum), as sources of eye washes and wildlife trap scent-removers, to slippery elm (Ulnus rubra), with:
- Basket-, rope-making outer bark;
- Boil- and inflamation-breaking poultices;
- Thirst-quenching, wigwam-making inner bark.
The most welcome multi-purpose plant undoubtedly remains wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), with:
- Leaves and roots against diarrhea;
- Roots against intestinal/stomach irregularity;
- Seeds crushed into amorous perfumes and aphrodisiacs.
Comments
MikeRobbers, Natural Bridge is both a natural beauty and natural fun since everything is at the viewer's pace and since the viewing is really gorgeous. Thank you visiting and commenting.
A very good article my friend and beautiful imagery. Can see exactly why it is a natural wonder!
JohnnyKnox, Natural Bridge indeed is a natural wonder, so I'm happy that you find that wonder honored in my presentation. Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Seems as a wonderful place and you did a great presentation!