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Description of Cave Entrance Pictures


    These pictures document one of the worst acts of vandalism ever inflicted upon Natural Bridge State Resort Park.  It was not done by inebriated or irresponsible park visitors, but was done at the behest of our government - behind the backs and without consent of the taxpayer.

 

    The Front Barrier was built across the largest of Natural Bridge Cave's entrances, which is located on Balanced Rock Trail.  The horizontal bars are fabricated from 4-inch angle-iron which is 0.4 inch thick; each of which is reinforced with two smaller angle-irons welded to the underside.  Few prisons in the world are built to be so impregnable!!!

 

    A close-up of the Front Barrier shows the only remaining access port into the cave (outlined in red).  Blocking this opening is a single angle-iron "gate" which is secured by a padlock.  This opening effectively keeps the elderly, the handicapped, and the obese from entering the cave.  The proof: The opening is only 14.4 inches high!!!

 

    When it is deemed necessary to protect tourist caves from harm, full-height gates are installed so that anyone able to get to the cave will be able to easily enter.  The designers of these abominations at Natural Bridge Cave obviously wanted to discourage all Park visitors from entering - especially those encumbered with physical or mental challenges. 

 

    The Rear Barrier has no gate of any kind.  It is located across the small cave entrance on the Original Trail.  To keep Park visitors from seeing this ugly construction, a rail fence was erected across the short path leading to the entrance.

 

    The Brand and Date picture shows that the American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) is proud of its role in keeping “undesirables” out of this cave.

 

    These pictures constitute absolute proof that there was never any intention to allow significant public entry into this cave once the barriers went up.  It is obvious now that their purpose was exactly what Park management initially stated: to keep people out so that a big-eared bat colony might be established.  If preventing vandalism was the primary reason, as the Park is now claiming, simple wrought iron bars and gates would have been sufficient protection.

 

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