South Ravine Park

A fun way to spend an hour with my kiddo… getting a little fresh air and exercise plus exploring a bit of history in our area. I was glad to have read online reviews that said to take a right each time we had a choice on the trail in order to reach the First Bride’s Grave. It took us 22 minutes of mostly uphill walking to get to it. There was a bench about halfway where we stopped and used google images to learn about a flowering plant that was growing everywhere and leaning well into the path. Others had said the bench was graffiti covered but we found it in nice condition and a nice place to rest and enjoy nature with plenty of shade.

Really neat area with some great trails. Most of the trails are a bit steep, so if you want a very easy walk, skip this area or take your time. The First Bride Gravesite - easy to find. Go over the bridge to the right up the stairs and keep going right. Basically- up stairs, go right, down a hill, up a hill, and it's right there. Nice view.

This is an unmarked trail to get to the First Bride’s Grave via South Ravine Park. Expect the hike to have a grade greater than 15%. This is unpaved as well, so expect to find a trail, washed out and eroded heavily on some spots exposing tree roots. When on the trail it still remains unmarked. Stay on the main trail and always go right whenever you’re able to.

Needs to be cleaned up a lot of overgrowth on the trails and bridge and nothing is marked so you have no idea what your looking at or where to go.

I wonder how Rosalie Menard Leonais would have felt about being called the First Bride? Her mother was Native, and certainly was a bride long before Rosalie was, making Rosalie the first bride only from a somewhat racist point-of-view. Still, there must have been some sense of honor for her at the time, burying her in such a distinct and prominent location. She was 15 when her parents married her off, she had 4 children, and died at the age of 27, shortly after the birth of her 4th. When I was a kid, it was nearly impossible to get up there, and a notable accomplishment for anyone who did. Now there are rough steep steps, and a steep dirt path weaving up and over the bluff, and for someone my age it is still a notable accomplishment to get there. We used to believe that it was haunted. One does have to wonder why they chose to bury her in a nearly inaccessible location so far from anyone else. It is not a fancy park. There is an old rusty grill and a couple of old rusty picnic tables.