Ayres Natural Bridge Park ~ Wyoming

​There are some places in the west that are overshadowed by the world famous outdoor destinations and when a lesser known attraction is off the beaten path it may draw even less attention from vacationers planning a trip. Overlooking the little places is what most mainstream travelers tend to do, simply because time is limited and the driving distances are so great. This is especially true in Wyoming, where it can take a few hours of driving in the high plains just to see some signs of life. Driver fatigue in the wide open expanses also has a way of limiting the focus to the next major destination with no extra stops along the way. As can be gathered, the little side road western destinations sure do face insurmountable odds, yet once they are discovered the pleasant appeal keeps people coming back for more! 

Ayres Natural Bridge Park is located a few miles off of Interstate Highway 25 near the town of Douglas east of Casper. There are several small town exits along the highway in this area that offer a chance to tour the scenic Wyoming rural back roads on the way to this destination. The main access road to look for is County Road 13, which goes to the park entrance gate. The day use area fee is a thrifty price, which adds even more appeal to this family oriented park. 

Not every great destination out west is managed by a state or federal agency and in the case of Ayres Natural Bridge, this scenic area is operated as a local county park. In fact, this is actually the main attraction, because Ayres Natural Bridge certainly does have a unique character that exhibits the municipal park tradition of creating a comfortable old fashioned atmosphere that is perfect for temporarily leaving the rest of the world far behind. This cozy little county park is very well maintained, the paint is fresh and the lush green areas are well kept. The walking paths meander through the shade trees along the banks of La Prele Creek and everything is so picture perfect that it is easy to assume this must be a dream. When the natural bridge finally comes into view, all that can be done is to stop and stare. The with the creek flowing under the solid rock bridge, the setting is so peaceful that the good feelings will naturally bring a tear to the eye!

Ayres Natural Bridge Park certainly is a very special place that simply must be experienced when touring southeastern Wyoming! This park has old fashioned traditional city park structures from an age long gone by, yet they have been modernized. There are group event shelters, picnic areas with chargrills, picnic tables under shade trees by the creek and there is even a wifi hut where visitors can catch up on communications. The shade trees and the peaceful creekside atmosphere definitely are most alluring, while the Ayres Natural Bridge landmark is guaranteed to fascinate the entire family for endless hours. This is one county park that is well worth planning a lazy summer picnic event around, so be sure to keep this natural wonder in mind when passing through!