I went here on a weekday, and when I arrived in the parking lot, I was shocked by how much was going on. It definitely did not feel like a safe place to leave a car or to walk alone. There appeared to be drug activity, and there were people living in their cars. It felt more like a place for people to hang out and purchase drugs than a normal parking lot. I observed this as I drove through, which was very concerning. This was a bummer, especially since the trail itself looked beautiful. I'm surprised that law enforcement hasn't been called by the neighborhood, but then again, I understand that people can sometimes become used to these conditions. read more

We always love hiking here. It's easy to hike with kids, even though it can get a little rocky and a little muddy. The cave is always beautiful, especially when the water is flowing. Today, there are still descent of people hiking, and we came around 12:30 Easy Hike!Gonna come back again soon. P. S please leave no trace read more

See all

"stalagmites or stalactites???? " Who knows, but this place is cool. Location and parking: kind of out in the middle of nowhere and parking SUCK. Get there earlier or wake up at noon, have brunch, then make your way here and post up for a parking spot. LOL Trail: easy going and plenty of shade along the way. There was people of all ages, sizes, and shape; " Very Do-able". - Secret swim hole: a true gem. Natural, dripping cave filtering the run off from snows above. Water was super cold, but where else can you swim through a natural cave. "Gotta JUMP IN." Very refreshing. Short swim to opposite end of cave. "Safety 1st" - bring a life jacket or floaty. Read sign and follow rules, leave ROVER at home and pick up your TRASH. Adjudication: definitely worth a day trip to check out. "IT's COOL." read more

See all

Loved this place so much! I love how the entrance posts tell you to not bring dogs due to their waste contaminating the water yet every one brings their dogs anyways. No rangers or workers seen during my 2 hours there. You can legit walk in a CIRCLE and do not need to walk back and see the same scenery. There's a trial entrance but I accidentally with my walk partner went the other direction and it was a fabulous mistake because we were able to see EVERYTHING--the back and the front of the cave! Since Murphys is known for their caves, this is such a fantastic and free option to see a cave! No idea what people are talking about regarding parking fees. We just parked (you turn in and it's parallel parking/side parking). There was no notice of having to pay a fee. We went later in the day so no issues with parking. Parking equates to the Golden Gate Park in SF. Lots of parallel parking until the very end. There's a restroom in the middle of this parallel parking. For those fearful, you can park on the hill before turning in. What was really dope is; you can walk into the cave. It's knee or hip level dependent on how tall you are and of course it goes much higher for kiddos. Except the water is super cold. Ice cold. Frozen cold. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if it is super crowded during the hot weather. I'm surprised no one has placed a wooden panel/plank or something to be able to walk into the cave without touching the water. The trial has spurts of miniature puddles that will probably never dry due to the constant running water. From start to finish it took me about 1.5 hours to 2 hours but I took my sweet sweet sweet time and I came here directly after landing in SFO. It is definitely moderate level difficulty with multiple rocks and elevations along the way. Bring some snacks, water, and rubber boots! (I wish I brought waterproof boots to explore the cave!) There's another trial head down the road but it's mainly the huge lake with folks fishing. In comparison to that, THIS IS A MUST SEE DESTINATION! read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - Entrance. Love how they tell you nearby hospitals. - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

See all

What a great experience. A friend and I took our daughters (both 8) and everyone had a blast. The water was cool and refreshing on a hot day. Swimming through the cave was a thrilling adventure for the girls. Definitely something everyone should experience!! read more

See all

This place is amazing, pictures and videos cannot capture the level of amazing that is offered here. The natural bridges hike is 1 miles slightly downhill towards a cave that you can swim through. There are bathrooms in the parking area. And it's hot. Not an area to picnic or lounge around because it's very rocky. I would recommend wearing water shoes. A lot of people brought inflatable floaters but I would definitely say swimming is nicer :) Parking is limited so keep that in mind. The park ranger did inform me that if you do park alongside the highway and in front of the fire lane then there's a possibility of being cited and blocked in case of emergency when fire truck is present. It's better to park in the lot. Also, bring plenty of water, small snacks plus a towel. You need to stay well hydrated because the hike down and up could be tiresome, especially in the heat. Grab your swim suits and check this place out!!! read more

Wow!! I'm so glad I found this hidden gem close by! The trail isn't too long it's about 1 mile to and back, I recommend coming on a weekday there was some people there on a Wednesday so I could imagine a weekend, I also recommend bug spray and water shoes if you plan on swimming or going in the water!! I will be coming back soon read more

See all

This is a homerun of a hike with one of the coolest payoffs ever, a FREAKING CAVE YOU CAN SWIM THROUGH! If you don't do this you will be sad, so pack a float, water shoes, and a change of clothes! My family of four (2.5 and 5.5 year old) really enjoyed ourselves here. The trail is mostly flat red clay with some rocky sections and mostly shaded in trees. There are a few exposed sections so hats, sunglasses and sunscreen are all recommended. The trail descends gradually into a small canyon and the walk isn't very technical. It's also easy to see where to go where not to as well. When you get to the bottom you'll find the cave! You'll also probably be hot and sweaty, and the cool waters coming from the cave will almost call to you. I personally couldn't wait to jump in, so that's exactly what I did. Swimming through the cave was a surreal experience. The water is cold and dark and a little scary because it's also deep! There are some very cool rock formations almost hovering over the water adding to the eerie atmosphere. From the mouth of the cave you can barely see that there's another side you'll eventually reach, so the first time I felt like I was jus swimming into the abyss! It does open up though, and there's some great sunny area to warm up in before heading back through. Most reviews recommend floats to get through because of the water temps and I'd generally agree. Having swam in mountain streams, lakes and rivers, I didn't think it was that cold, especially as I was pushing my kiddo through on a float and the adrenaline was pumping. If you don't want to swim through, the stream that comes out of the cave has several smaller pools and areas you can cool off in too. These are perfect for smaller kids! Lastly, depending on the time of year it does get very hot on the trail, even in the shade, so plan your visit accordingly if you want to avoid that experience. read more

Fairly easy hike, has some steep parts. Recommend you bring water shoes because the rocks hurt to walk on. Has a beautiful cave that you can swim through, the caves opening also has a slight waterfall. I've seen snakes, squirrels, various birds and butterfly's, crawfish, etc. bring bug spray, there are mosquitos. Overall a fun hike, better to go in the winter or early spring, it gets super crowded in the summer. read more

See all

Nice easy hike even for the little ones. It's about 3 miles to and back. No pets allowed. Parking was a little full by the mid afternoon. Suggest to go earlier. Enjoyed the hike and the cave. read more

See all

Swimming and floating down this cave is a very cooling experience on a hot day. There is about a 30 minute hike down the hill after parking in the no parking zone which everyone else does. Ha ha. read more

Beautiful location! The hike down is about 0.8 miles, with a lot of small rocks along the way that make the path interesting and a tad challenging, particularly on the way back up. There are some grafittied picnic tables along the way, but not so bad as to ruin the trip. There is a glorified portapotty at the top, at the time well-stocked, but no water. You'll need to pay a small parking fee, via envelopes at the entrance. The hike itself is gorgeous, with several nice views overlooking the small valley, and the caves. The water-filled caves at the bottom are well worth the hike! The water is gorgeous and the rock formations are stunning. Not sure how the weekend is, but my Thursday noon visit didn't have too many people, so it was easy to enjoy the water and scenery. read more

See all

7/2/2021 We had a couple hours to spare today and decided to go on a small hike. We found Natural Bridges to be a good 1.5 mile hike to explore with our kids before heading into Angels Camp for our afternoon adventure. It's slightly off the beaten path and a fairly sharp turn. There is a single bathroom (not flushable) avail to use and has toilet paper but no sanitary covers and it smellllls of course. There is parking on the side of the road. We arrived at 10am and it was HOT out! Bring cold water and wear comfy shoes and/or bring water shoes as it's a very rocky trail leading to the cave. We got to the cavern and the chilly water was very much the welcome we needed after hiking the hot trail. Wasn't over crowded and it was pretty chill when we arrived. We saw a few nice people bring tubes and rafts out to ride into the cave which we heard can go 250ft distance. They were nice enough to offer us to use them but we had somewhere else to be. You can swim in it if you're up for it but it appeared ppl enjoyed looking up at the cave. There are table/benches to have - picnic or lunch along the trail. We had to leave at noon to make our appt and it was much harder going back up the hiking trail in the heat vs walking down towards the cave. There was definitely more people heading in when we were heading out at noon. We would come back and bring tubes in the future. It's a hidden gem that seems to be trending so might not be hidden very long. read more

See all

Hike down to the cave & loads of fun exploring the cave. Bring a floaty. It's a short distance to the other cave entrance.

Great hike! Not very challenging - carry lots of water. Gets quite crowded during later parts of the noon. You can carry beach blankets because there is plenty of area in the shade of the cave that you can sit and chill at. Would be fun to carry tubes to enjoy the river that flows inside a cave. It is a little deep when going further inside the cave so you have to swim or be on a tube. We swam but it was kinda scary and also tough since you can't look at the beautiful ceiling of the cave while swimming very easily. Water is pretty cold but you get used to it. Fun helpful people - we were able to request someone to borrow their tube to experience the cave. Such an incredible experience! read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - Entry to the cave - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

It was so cool. It is definitely some downhill walking so be prepared. It was so pretty and I recommend this trail if youre in the area and can walk about a mile and some change. read more

See all

About an hour from sacramento. have to do a short hike to get to the cave but it's a super nice spot! Bring a floatie and get there early for parking! read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

See all

Perfect day outing with the family! Parking is $8, cash or check only. Envelopes are at the front gate entrance & you need a pen/pencil to fill out your car info. Arriving early is best as parking is limited. A short hike (less than a mile) and a quick dip in the water! We brought a couple of floaties and a battery pump to inflate/deflate. It was fun to float through the cave - crowded but enjoyable. There are smaller bodies of water if you do not want to float. We all forgot our water shoes so having some would've made it slightly more enjoyable as walking barefoot on all the rocks was uncomfortable (but doable). On our way back home we stopped at a deli in Angels camp - loved it! read more

Such a cute find Trail looks magical and so does the entrance of the cave It's a short cave but worth while to go explore Bring floaties to relax through it read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - Entrance of cave - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

This was a very cool cave at the end of a hot, dusty trail lined with California Bay trees and manzanita. The cave had water, cool calcium deposits, stalactites, and other cave formations. When we went, it was a bit too crowded, and there was sadly litter around the creek and along the hiking path. Tips: avoid weekends. Bring bathing suits or fast drying shorts, water shoes, a tube or a noodle for fullest cave exploration enjoyment. Pack in, pack out--there are no trash cans, but that shouldn't keep you from carrying it back. The hill is pretty steep and not very shaded, so trudging back up the hill is something to factor. This would be 5 stars, but the litter and overcrowding made me feel bad for being there and part of the problem (at least the overcrowding part). The signage is limited. This location would benefit from having a ranger or "full lot" sign. read more

We arrived to natural bridge close to 9:30am and there was already about 10 cars in the parking lot. The hike down to the cave is actually really nice and short. The water was very cold but refreshing. I suggest you wear water shoes. It can get painful walking on those rocks lol trust me . This location is actually beautiful but ppl are destroying it by leaving their garbage behind. There was broken glass, empty Hennessy bottles, beer cans, water bottles, empty wrappers etc. I picked up what I could and brought back up with me to dispose. In the parking lot you'll find 2 garbage cans next to a restroom. I suggest you bring a bag or 2 to pack your trash when you leave read more

See all

This is such a beautiful hike! The trailhead is super easy to find with parking and restrooms right at the top. The hike is very simple and wide, about a mile or so each way. You hike down to the most amazing little swimming hole, which is basically a cave cut through the mountain from likely thousands of years of water flow. On the way back your all uphill. There's even a nice picnic bench at the bottom! Great place to enjoy a snack or light lunch! This trail is super kid and/or pet friendly. Make sure to bring plenty of water, and stay to the middle of the trail. Rattlesnakes are not at all uncommon in this area and the sides of the trail are heavily infested with poison oak. It can be hard to spot year round by the untrained eye, but I promise you it's there. Be careful! read more

See all

My husband loved this gem of Angels Camp. Our group decided to head down the trail from the car with water shoes since the hike didn't look very rigorous - this way we didn't have shoes to worry about once in the water. The kids and adults did fine with water shoes, and hiked down with inflated tubes and just the basics of water, car keys, phones and a water proof bag for the stuff. The kids basically sat on their floaties while the dads helped navigate and push them around. You float through the beautiful cave, and at the end you basically turn back and kick or paddle your way back to the entrance. read more

See all

My family and I planned a quick two-day stay in California Gold Rush/winery country and wanted to do at least one hike. This one came up high in recommendations, but honestly, I misinterpreted the name. When I think of natural bridges, I immediately recall arched land forms such as those in AZ. When we got here I realized that this region's terrain and landscape is nothing like AZ and that I had just made a quick choice based on an assumption. It turned out to be a delightful surprise. The out-and-back hike is not long and not particularly difficult for those who hike regularly. The fun part was discovering that the "natural bridge" is actually a water cave. Two of us waded inside barefoot (carefully because the stones are slippery) and saw the stalagtites and a "tunnel" at the back wall with daylight at the other end. I'm guessing the ground above us was, in effect, a natural bridge. There were a few others who also went inside, but a most people were enjoying the lounging rocks and stream outside for swimming and sunbathing. It was a good "mistake" to make. read more

This "natural bridge" is essentially an open ended limestone cavern that was carved out by the Coyote River. It is a sight to see! I wish I had made it out to this fabulous watering hole during that stretch of 100+ degree weather we had this summer. But the Saturday we did go, it was still in the 90's, so it was a perfect way to cool off, be one with nature, snap some cool photos, and get some exercise. It is definitely worth the 1 1/2 hr drive from Sacramento and the short (2 mile, out and back) hike to this natural wonder. It's beautiful, it's fun, it's relaxing. It's also popular and crowded, so if at all possible, go during the weekday, or at least early morning on the weekends and holidays if you want to enjoy it with less people. Here are some PRO TIPS, just to re-iterate what's already been said from previous visitors: *Bring a floatie/tube/raft (cheap ones work fine, whatever you want to lug down and up the hill). The water is freezing-ass cold and deep in some parts, so a floatie just makes things more relaxing if you don't want to swim through. *Bathroom and trash cans are at the top. Don't be a douche and pack your trash with you! *No dogs. No bikes. *Enjoy a picnic at the bottom or at one of the 4 tables along the way (Again...pack your trash, please!) *Waterproof camera for those amazing videos and Insta-worthy photos through the tunnel. *If you go around the cavern to get to the other side (instead of going through the water), watch your footing, it's a little rocky. Trail is back up and to the right of the cavern entrance where the 2nd picnic table is, I believe. If you've never been, I highly recommend for summer hiking! read more

See all

Gorgeous as always, don't forget to leave no trace! Other than seeing a lot of trash, which I picked up as I went (it's not the hard people), it was absolutely beautiful and so much fun! The stairs are great going down, but on the harder side going up so please keep that in mind :) read more

See all

This hike ain't easy! (Not when it comes to it's "rating"- should be moderate) Mostly a trail covered with rocks and boulders and some stairs the entire way. That doesn't make things easy. It's just under a mile I think 1 way but expect to be watching the ground the entire way and climbing back up. Once at the cave- its cool! We were lucky and picked a weekday to check it out but as soon as another couple groups of 2-4 show up its crowded. Small space to hang out on the edges. I'm glad I saw it- its a neat tunnel of water through a cave. If I'm out this was again next summer I'd maybe come down for a quick swim Through it to experience it. read more

See all

We decided to take a hike to the natural Bridge/cavern based on online reviews. Our kids are 5, 8, and 9. The five year old had a difficult time on some sections of the trail. there are a lot of rocks exposed by erosion on the trail. There is a fairly large elevation change hiking from the parking lot down into the canyon. I would consider and to be moderate difficulty. The hike was nice but the cavern was beautiful. The water was cold but tolerable after you got used to it and we swam all the way through to the other side which was probably 25 to 35 yards. This destination will be a future favorite for our family. Check out our pictures for examples of the scenery. read more

See all

I came here during the summer of 2021 for a birthday trip, and after the long hike down in almost 100° weather, the cold water at the end was definitely worth it. My friends and I all had such a fun time swimming through the cave and we took such cool pictures! Make sure to bring floaties and some way to blow them up, I ended up having to blow all of them up and was super light headed at the end haha. Pictures attached are from the hike. read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

See all

My real rating is 3.5 except we can't choose half a star but hear me out.. 1st timer as I'm 7 months new to the Sacramento area. Looking for new adventures and honestly my expectations were really high so it's quite possibly a slightly disadvantaged rating. It was a hot summer day on a heatwave weekend. Projected peak temperature was 108, so we showed up at 7am because we are smart ‍ "beat the heat, beat the crowd." It was actually already in the 80's at that time. Some reviews say it's a 2 mile hike down.. not sure where they started because by no means was it a 2 mile hike down from the trail head (entrance parking). It was actually only a mile or so. The downhill trek is easy, mostly shaded, aLOT of poison oak and you have to watch your step because no part of the trail is level. At 7am there was no one there.. but by 8 it starts to fill up. The Caverns Facts: It's gorgeous. The cave walls are insanely fascinating and were seemingly not affected by the 6.0 earthquake from the day before. The entrance leads you to believe it is a long cave passage but is actually quite short all the way through. The water is really cold but cave-fresh cold, not freezing cold. Swimming through it took me back to Cancun (you'll get it if you've been). Easy to tell that it's likely hypothermic in winter time. As you move into the water there are a lot of boulders to navigate but it gets deep quick. Awesome swim though no where to really go. A half an hour was enough time for me to soak it all in and feel like it's time to move on. I wish there was more. I just wanted more!! It was that cool a little cave. I tried hiking through the creek but the granite rocks were extremely slippery. Be very careful. I have River hiking shoes so I couldn't feel all of the smaller rocks and pebbles but my husband was wearing regular water shoes.. they did not cut it. The larger stones were an upright threat. Then again my balance sucks ha ha. The hike back up was not as easy in 100 degree weather. Although short, the hill grade feels higher. Make sure you take plenty of water either way and know the weather ahead of time while acknowledging your fitness level... I was a trainer and i remember the first time I realized how difficult the simplest task was for a person with a sedentary lifestyle. I didn't encounter any rattle snakes but it's the season so a stick trekking pole are a good idea. Ultimately, I probably didn't give this place enough of a chance. The Yelp reviews painted a much larger picture in my mind but I appreciated exploring a cool new little spot only an hour and 20 minutes from home. Breakfast at Mandy's Breakfast Cafe sealed the quick morning adventure for me. read more

See all

First off, if you come here, please have the humanity to clean up after yourself and the people you came here with. Pick up your bottles of beer and dirty diapers and Doritos bags. And if you see trash others left please pick it up. Together, let's help keep beautiful places beautiful. Thank you. In a single sentence. I love this place. 5 stars for it being such a unique type trail and destination. It's actually like nothing I ever been to. Basically it's a 30 minute hike to a tunnel filled with ice cold water as big as 2 houses high, that appears to be the cave of wonders in the movie Alladin. The cave-tunnel itself was formed by... I have no idea. Just imagine one of those caves you go to, and you see stalagmites made of calcium coming out of the ceiling and it looks like the walls are melting and that's pretty much what you see. Hard to explain, best seen in person and experienced at least once. Since I found this place, we come here annually. The funniest part is seeing who is brave enough to actually go in. I have seen the most toughest-trash- talkin girls & trash-talkin-tough-shelled men refuse to go in and swim through this dark abyss type cave-tunnel. Its the sweet, demure and subdued ladies who I see trudge head first in. They are the real deals I want by my side come hell or highwater. The little pools of water right in front of the cave are nice for the littles to wade in..but watch out for warm pools of water. If its warm, its pee. This is snow water, so there's no reason water should be warm here. Tips: bring swim shoes. Rocks are slippery, walls are slippery, its just a slippery experience. Bring something to sit in like a raft or a doughnut if you decide to brave the dark mysterious watery cave of wonders.You will be the one everyone wants to go through the cave with. The water is like freezing cold, so the raft/doughnut works wonders. I would also bring a life jacket cuz in that freezing cold, its easy for your muscles to lock up and that makes it harder to swim. Also, come early, like before 10am cuz parking gets tight and this is a busy favorite for many. Also! Calaveras Big Trees is like 20 minutes away from here. This is a great trip combo to do. Last year we came here first and went to Big Trees after. Great trip to do yearly!! Great spot to visit in late summer-July or August- when its hot as hexx, balances the freezing cold water. Its okay for littles [my 4 year old was carried most of the way], my 6 year old trooped the whole way through. For everyone else, the hike is a do-able 30 minutes hike. Wear hike boots, not chinellas though. Did I mention its free? read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - The entrance - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

This Place is what you call a Hidden Gem and I say that because there is not a lot of parking, there is actually just a little side of the road where people can park there cars. It has 2 entry ways that we seen of, we went through the adult trail as it was more challenging...(who doesn't like a challenge;) it was so much fun, it takes 30 minutes to get to the caves and it's honestly worth taking a look, the scenery is breath taking ! I would give this review 10 stars if I could ! Oh the only thing I would say to be honestly aware of is....to be really careful when walking through the rocks and in the water because some areas are very slippery. we seen a lot of people fall including ourselves lol but you'll have a good time, just take it easy when walking by, have fun & as always...live in the moment ! read more

See all

A positive about this COVID era is people are getting outdoors and exploring nature. Worried about crowds? Get out there at 6am. Our group was the first ones on the trail. No crowd, pleasant weather, and before the burning sun (weather reached 108 degrees that day so going early was absolutely necessary) This is definitely a worth while short hike thats great for all ages. The hike is about a mile down a rocky dirt road hillside, half the trail shady from trees. Make sure to have good shoes. Some of us had water shoes, the rest of us used good old sneakers and swam with them on. Once we got to the cave, all of us were excited to get in and see what this dark cave and water held before us. Standing at the cave front, You can't see where it leads to due to the cave walls and eerie darkness. Luckily, we had a flashlight and a few floaties. We were all excited but a little nervous, unsure if there was anything lurking around in this cave. The water is freezing. Its like a cold plunge, but sooooo refreshing with 100 degree weather. It felt rejuvenating. Mid cave, you can't touch the ground. Most of us are swimmers, but even then we hung on to each other with the lil fear and excitement of getting to swim in a cave! Yay for adventures. On the other side is rocky area where you can get out and relax. We found what looked like a bath tub formation from the stones and gleefully took pics in it. Everyone in our group enjoyed the cave, definitely the highlight of this hike. We had packed sandwiches to munch on after the swim and before trekking up the hill. An exciting hike it sure was. Getting back to our cars and leaving with crowds of people getting there was great. Its worth getting up early! Seems this was a nice lil taste of what cave exploring feels like. I'm sure there will be more to come. read more

See all

Date: Saturday, June 6, 2015 Our hiking group lured us to Calaveras County to enjoy some caves and a chance to cool off in a pool of fresh water; like an old watering hole that you enjoyed as a kid growing up in the country. The drive from San Francisco is approximately 3 hours long, so you better leave early so you can get a decent parking location. Also, it can get a bit tricky getting here as you can easily miss the road. Technically, there is no official parking spot, but you can park on the side of a narrow road named Airola Road. From San Francisco, cross the Bay Bridge and take 580 East to 4 East. Once on 4E, turn right on Parrots Ferry Road and once you pass the entrance to Moaning Caverns, it's about 3 miles to Airola Road. I suggest you slow down so you won't miss the road unlike yours truly here. The road is a dead-end road and parking is on the right side of the road. However, you will need to turn around and park facing out and I also suggest parking underneath the shade of trees as it could get scorching hot here. Even parking under a shade leaves your car like an oven so imagine parking without a shade. To get to the watering hole, follow the trail and it's an easy 2 mile trek and downhill. I happened to double the trail because I realized I forgot my water shoes once we got to the water. Plus the weather was above 90 degrees and I was melting by the time I got back down again after going back to the car as I was drenched in sweat. But the hike is worth it because soaking in the cool water is definitely a reward in and of itself. The Natural Bridge is basically a cave that runs over Coyote Creek. I suggest you take flotation devices to explore the cave from one opening to the next and it's a quick trip from end to end. If you don't want to go by way of the water, you can hike over the top and come around the other end. But try to enjoy the water as it gushes over your body and thank goodness this wasn't affected by the drought. I could only imagine what the place looks like if we haven't been in a drought. Natural Bridges gives you a natural high. read more

See all

I was so very excited to go here, but it is closed! I am so extremely disappointed. I will try again sometime, but for now this will be my review. I can't wait to update & see all the beautiful trails. read more

Close your eyes and imagine this: You're laying down on some rocks in the entrance to a majestic and mystifying cave. The purest and freshest form of water is slowly dripping down on you. It's an unbelievable escape from the scorching, arid weather outside. Open your eyes. This isn't a dream; the place you've envisioned is the Coyote Creek Cave - about an hour and a half east of San Francisco. After wanting to visit this hideaway for many years, I finally had the chance last Sunday with my girlfriend. Needless to say, it was sheer paradise. And it only took around a half hour to hike there! Coyote Creek Cave, otherwise known as Natural Bridges, is accessible via the Natural Bridges Hiking Trail. Contrary to what some may think, this isn't the same "Natural Bridges" as the one in Santa Cruz. Nah, this is a limestone karst - a geological phenomenon caused by erosion from Coyote Creek (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thrillist.com/amphtml/entertainment/los-angeles/most-beautiful-places-in-california-road-trip-ideas-alamere-falls-pfeiffer-beach). Getting to the trailhead was somewhat of a trek for my girlfriend and me. From San Jose/South Bay Area, it was around 2.5 hours of driving. It's not too bad, since we were pretty much going without traffic and 90 percent of the drive was on highways (e.g. 580). However, the road there was essentially the way to Yosemite/Stanislaus, so it was a lot of dryness and single-lane roads. Navigation-wise, it was fairly simple with GPS (just enter in the trail). But if y'all don't have the tech, you literally just head east on the 580, north on the 5 up to Stockton, and then dead east on Highway 4 until you see signs on the right for the Natural Bridges Hiking Trailhead. I recommended coming SUPER EARLY (like 10am), otherwise parking will be more of a hassle. We stopped by around 1130am and had to park up at the entrance - not too bad but it's more exposed to the heat. Once we hopped outa our car and took a quick bathroom break (yes there's a meh toilet vault there), we were off to the cave. It was a pretty smooth, 0.7 mile descent down to Natural Bridges. Although rocky, the trail was very easy to follow. The weather also burned our backs (100+ degrees in the summer man!), but thankfully there was shade during parts of the trail. A half hour later, and we were upon the most beautiful escape. Coyote Creek was flowing magically with cool water, the temperature near the cave felt almost 30 degrees cooler, and there were so many spots to just relax and have a picnic. Best part of course, was definitely the Natural Bridges Cave. Even though my girlfriend and I didn't venture too far in because we failed to bring floaties, we chilled near the entrance where the atmosphere was SO RELAXING! Being able to dip my toes into water and have droplets fall on me as I napped - it was pure nirvana. If you plan on coming to Natural Bridges (I hope I convinced you to), there are a few small things I recommend keeping in mind. As I mentioned earlier, you should COME EARLY (and stay late). It got extremely crowded around the early afternoon, and so you'd probably wanna be here when there are fewer kids/less noise. Also, bring lots of water. Especially with the climb back up, it can be very miserable even though the distance is short. Uphill + heat = bad idea. And lastly, note that you can indeed go all the way into the cave and back (only one way in and out). Just make sure you have swimming gear cause it's COLD! If there is one thing I regret about this place, it's that it took me TOO LONG to finally come here. Coyote Creek Cave was such a BEAUTIFUL adventure. In the next few months, I plan on coming back and exploring the entire cave. I give this gem an "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating. So stunning, it's a dream come true. Have fun and prosper, read more

See all

Tried it! I am not a seasoned hiker and did not expect to hike such a long trail. It was quite a ways to walk and it was all downhill and easy getting to the bridge. Plenty of greenery and brushes throughout the hike down and some nice vistas too. Some parts the trail could get narrow and may have to give way to other hikers going up/down the trail and, of course, after heavy rains the trails could be muddy as I've seen imprinted shoe prints along the hike and some were deep imprints. As you get closer you will hear the sound of the river and, also, you will pass an inscription on a stone about a little history of the Natural Bridge... before you go on further deep make sure you look for a stairway trail to your left because this will lead you to the natural bridge. As we headed down there were a couple of picnic tables next to the river. We did not explore inside the cave, the water was too cold in late January, plus it was getting late in the day. We had a little too much sightseeing activity earlier and we wanted to squeeze in this last activity. Next time we will be more prepared to explore the cave and bring water shoes and maybe reach the second natural bridge. The hike back up was more challenging, of course, since it was all uphill! Even had to stop for a breather at the lone picnic table somewhere along the side of the trail. The hike was about a mile each way, but I am not in shape so it was a little challenging for me. It was a good experience, though. There is no fee or charge to enter this hiking trail. Review #0258 read more

See all

the trail towards and back from the cave water is hard. limited parking lot. if you have extra time and no place to go, else there are other better options. the cave water is cold, clear, you can swim to the other size of the cave and that's all you see. doesn't seemed worth it compared to the hike and journey to go there. read more

See all

This hike down was ok 1 st cave was jam packed so we took the advice of a man and went left for about 2 miles. It's an extremely treacherous hike poison oak and throned berries. Someone pooped in the 2 Nd cave which was all in the water. It smelled horrid and was disgusting. The hike back to the car is insane. Take a ton of water and stick to the 1 st cave. read more

Natural Bridges Hiking Trail - 1 st cave - Hiking Near Me - Vallecito, California

Do you love to hike, this trail is great. Not terribly hard, but you might need to take a few breaks if you are hiking on day like we did when it was 100+ degrees. The walk has some mountain like stairs, rocks in the path and a steep step section when you get to the water. Once you are there it is amazing. Cool off under the bridge, then float through to the other side to see an amazing water pool. I suggest you bring a light floaty to float through. We did encounter some yellow jackets so beware of what you bring with you. They were all over our Gatorade. Just water the next time. read more

See all