Samantha (Corrections Officer)

Technically, hiking this trail at night isn't allowed, but I've never really cared about closing times for the outdoors. When we used this main trail to hike to the top, we would park in the lot designated for the pool and hoedown island. You walk across the road leading to the pool, and you're at the first trail marker.

Technically, hiking this trail at night isn't allowed, but I've never really cared about closing times for the outdoors. When we used this main trail to hike to the top, we would park in the lot designated for the pool and hoedown island. You walk across the road leading to the pool, and you're at the first trail marker.

You go up gravel for a while, past the Natural Bridge State Park Lodge, and there's a waterfall and some lights, so it's best to walk quickly and watch out for rangers who might tell you to leave. Then you cross another road, and there's a small shelter or a rock wall to rest on. That's where the trail to the top really begins. The night started off strange.

You go up gravel for a while, past the Natural Bridge State Park Lodge, and there's a waterfall and some lights, so it's best to walk quickly and watch out for rangers who might tell you to leave. Then you cross another road, and there's a small shelter or a rock wall to rest on. That's where the trail to the top really begins. The night started off strange.

As soon as we began hiking, the clouds rolled in, and it looked like stargazing might be a bust. We went anyway, hoping it would clear by the time we got to the top.

As soon as we began hiking, the clouds rolled in, and it looked like stargazing might be a bust. We went anyway, hoping it would clear by the time we got to the top.

at first we were just dealing with the usual paranoia that comes with night hiking it kept us stressed and quiet you know you've reached the bottom of the bridge when you see a giant wall of limestone at that time there was a gazebo to the right of this wall and the trail continued alongside it We had just come up a fairly steep part of the trail, so the gazebo was a welcome spot to rest.

at first we were just dealing with the usual paranoia that comes with night hiking it kept us stressed and quiet you know you've reached the bottom of the bridge when you see a giant wall of limestone at that time there was a gazebo to the right of this wall and the trail continued alongside it We had just come up a fairly steep part of the trail, so the gazebo was a welcome spot to rest.

My husband, my best friend at the time, and I all sat on the gazebo steps. The bench under the roof was even darker, so we stayed on the steps, facing down the trail that runs along the limestone wall. Each of us had a bright LED headlamp and a handheld flashlight.

My husband, my best friend at the time, and I all sat on the gazebo steps. The bench under the roof was even darker, so we stayed on the steps, facing down the trail that runs along the limestone wall. Each of us had a bright LED headlamp and a handheld flashlight.

we didn't look at each other much because the lights were so bright we sat in a line like the last supper and would walk in a line or staggered to avoid blinding each other it was after hours by then no ski lift rides had gone on for hours and the rangers had already done their final sweep and left right before we got out of the car the ski lift takes you to the top

we didn't look at each other much because the lights were so bright we sat in a line like the last supper and would walk in a line or staggered to avoid blinding each other it was after hours by then no ski lift rides had gone on for hours and the rangers had already done their final sweep and left right before we got out of the car the ski lift takes you to the top

but the workers there do a head count and only leave after everything is clear. I'm mentioning this because that's what I was thinking about when, out of nowhere, a girl with a headlamp started walking down the trail in front of us. She was wearing a sundress and flip-flops. This hike is uphill and might be considered easy, but not in flip-flops, with no water, and at night.

but the workers there do a head count and only leave after everything is clear. I'm mentioning this because that's what I was thinking about when, out of nowhere, a girl with a headlamp started walking down the trail in front of us. She was wearing a sundress and flip-flops. This hike is uphill and might be considered easy, but not in flip-flops, with no water, and at night.

She would have had to hike up and then back down alone without being seen by any ranger. her light was bright and when she reached the spot where the trail curves from in front of the gazebo down to where we came from she stopped she stood there straight like an anatomical drawing facing us we had six led lights aimed at her face but she didn't turn away or seem bothered at all I said, Hello.

She would have had to hike up and then back down alone without being seen by any ranger. her light was bright and when she reached the spot where the trail curves from in front of the gazebo down to where we came from she stopped she stood there straight like an anatomical drawing facing us we had six led lights aimed at her face but she didn't turn away or seem bothered at all I said, Hello.

She replied very slowly, pausing between words, something like, Hello, how are you? I said something like, Good, how are you? And she took even longer pauses before saying, Oh, I'm fine. Then she just stood there, hands at her sides, staring. Her light was so bright I had to shield my eyes. Then she turned and walked slowly down the trail we had just come up.

She replied very slowly, pausing between words, something like, Hello, how are you? I said something like, Good, how are you? And she took even longer pauses before saying, Oh, I'm fine. Then she just stood there, hands at her sides, staring. Her light was so bright I had to shield my eyes. Then she turned and walked slowly down the trail we had just come up.

She reached a bend, stayed there for a minute, and then the light vanished. We waited a while before continuing. I kept saying how weird that was, but everyone else brushed it off as me being jumpy. The fact remained, though, no one came after her. She'd done this alone, at night, and wasn't caught by any ranger. We got up and started again to the top.

She reached a bend, stayed there for a minute, and then the light vanished. We waited a while before continuing. I kept saying how weird that was, but everyone else brushed it off as me being jumpy. The fact remained, though, no one came after her. She'd done this alone, at night, and wasn't caught by any ranger. We got up and started again to the top.