Ayres Natural Bridge Park EarthCache
Ayres Natural Bridge Park
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Ayres Natural Bridge is a Converse County Park. The park is open April 1 through October 31. The park is presently free.
Aryres Natural Bridge is one of the first tourist attractions of Wyoming, as the Oregon Trail passed a few miles from here.
There are trout in the stream, campsites nearby, as well as picnic, volleyball, and other facilities. Just upstream from the bridge is an old powerplant that is interesting to see as well. This would be a great little park to camp at and spend a day or two.
The bridge was carved by LaPrele Creek into red sandstone. The creek originally carved out the eastern part of the amphitheatre, where the parking and picnic areas are now. This loop is called a meander. Eventually, the creek cut through the loop and undercut the stone creating the bridge. Ayres Natural Bridge is one of the few arches in the world that have water flowing through the opening. (Reference 1)
Although the bridge has been carved out, erosion is still eating away at the stone, and will one day cause it to collapse. (Reference 2)
The base of the west side of the bridge shows the underlying strata to the red sandstone layer. Layers of shale and conglomorate are shown in in a distinctly different horizons on the embankment.
Coordinates are for the parking area. You will have to find the information you need to log the cache nearby.
To log the cache:
1. Email me where & what sides of the bridge the erosion is currently happening. The signs at the site will help explain.
2. Climb up the short trail to the top of the bridge. Email me what the two signs at the top say.
3. Go to the west side of the bridge and estimate the size of the cobbles in the conglomorate. What direction do the layers slant?
4. (Optional) Take a picture of the bridge and include it in your post.
(1) Wyoming off the Beaten Path, by Mike McCoy
(2) Signs at site
Additional Hints
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Treasures
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