Pomona Natural Bridge

Afer a few ups and downs and arounds on the roads threading through the small towns just south of Carbondale, my girlfriend and I passed through Pomona and then onto a gravel road. We were heading to a spot I wanted to see. Though, passing a "No Trespassing" sign off to the right in a clearing made me think "I was on the right road; was I still?" A few minutes confirmed the destination, back in the Shawnee National Forest and the trailhead to the Pomona Natural Bridge.

It was low 40s and overcast, a bit cool, but we weren't heading on a long hike. After a short descent, we found a fork in the trail and headed right. The woods were quiet, the leaves from last fall, thick. Where is it? Then we were upon it. From a bluff, we could see a formation of rock jutting across a tiny creek below.



The Bridge


Natural bridges form from differential erosion. Hardier rock withstands the punishment from above and below and from the sides until an archway stretches. Without one finger of human craftsmanship or one thought of structural design in its creation, this bridge still held a firm utility as we headed down and examined more closely.



Crossing


Moss grew alongside the bluff and the bridge, adding a touch of green to the rock and offering contrast to the barren trees and fallen leaves. A few mushroom heads grew in places and even some flowers showed during the transition into Spring.




Early


We observed for a while, taking in what terrain had to offer, this little valley. I took photos and we walked across, feeling the solidness of rock under foot. We listened to the creek as it made its way down the elevation and cut under the bridge. It's something, maybe not the neon bright of raw thrill, but it was something to be there, viewing what millions of years bargained with a land, to be there with a love and sharing all that time steeped into an hour.




One More View


If you like to see enlarged views of the photos, click on the images. This will send you to the file location on my personal web space. When finished, hit the back arrow on your browser. Expect more photography from the trip over the next couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy.