Ayres Natural Bridge Park is a county park in Converse County,

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

in the

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. It occupies 150 acres (0.6 km²) between the towns Glenrock and

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about 6 kilometers south of

Interstate 25 Interstate 25 (I-25) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 stretches from I-10 at Las Cruces, New Mexic ...

exit 151. The park's name is derived from the rock formation of the same name. Ayres is the surname of the family who donated the land which had been part of their ranch. Over the course of millions of years, a bend in LaPrele Creek (originally known as Bridge Creek) wore away at a wall of solid rock, creating a natural opening. The creek eventually shifted course through the opening, forming a 30-foot (10 m) high and 50-foot (15 m) wide

arch An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it. Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...

, today known as Ayres Natural Bridge, from sandstones of the

Casper Formation The Casper Formation is a geologic formation in Wyoming, USA. It preserves fossils dating back to the Pennsylvanian period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Wyoming * Paleontology in Wyoming Paleontology in Wyoming inc ...

. Located about a mile (2 km) south of the

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what ...

, the Natural Bridge was often visited by emigrants traveling west. It is considered one of Wyoming's first tourist attractions. In 1843, a pioneer described it as "a natural bridge of solid rock, over a rapid torrent, the arch being regular as tho' shaped by art." The park is free to visit. There is a small campground in the park, as well as open picnic areas and covered tables. It is opened from April 15 through October 15, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with registered campers allowed to stay overnight. No pets are allowed in the park. Ayres Natural Bridge power house

At the park entrance, the old power house, a gray concrete building from the early 1900s build by ''North Platte Irrigation Company'' to supply power to pump water from

North Platte River The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long, counting its many curves.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 21, 2011 In a ...

for irrigation is still preserved. The company went bankrupt before the project was completed.

External links

* * {{Protected Areas of Wyoming Parks in Wyoming Natural arches of Wyoming Oregon Trail Protected areas of Converse County, Wyoming Landforms of Converse County, Wyoming