Ayres Natural Bridge Park

Ayres Natural Bridge Park is located just five miles south of your present location. The Park is home to Ayres Natural Bridge — one of Wyoming’s earliest historic tourist destinations. Despite the difficulty of accessing the natural bridge, travel weary pioneers occasionally trekked into the area from nearby historic trails. The rock archway has been cut through the Madison limestone, a rock over 300 million years old.  Sometime after 5 million years ago, LaPrele Creek changed course and cut through the limestone to form the arch we see today. The arch measures about 100 ft long and is perched between 30 and 50 ft above the current level of LaPrele Creek. 

On 17 August, 1870, Dr. F. V. Hayden of the U.S. Geological Survey and pioneer photographer William H. Jackson visited the location. Ayres Natural Bridge Park was established in 1920 when Andrew Clement and Edna Ayres donated the land containing the natural bridge to Converse County. The Park grew to 15 acres in 1977 thanks to an additional donation from Glen and Ila Mae Edwards.  The park is a green oasis of evergreen and deciduous trees, flora and fauna, all located within an amphitheater of red sandstone walls.

Today’s park visitors are greeted with easy access and ample opportunity for outdoor recreation including hiking, fishing and wildlife viewing. Improved picnic shelters, sand volleyball courts, restrooms, and camping spots for units under 30 feet in length are offered.