natural bridges national monument

Natural Bridges has to be on your list of "must" visits. A short drive of 8 miles, round trip, and at least three short hikes to the three bridges and you'll be hooked on the geology of this out of the way gem. There is a small, dry campground available, however, we opted for a RV park with full hookups in nearby Bluff. As you enter the park, you'll need to stop at the Visitor's Center to pay the associated fees, but it's well worth it. Be sure and have your camera with you and water for hydration. You can opt for the full 8 mile hike to all three bridges or do as we did, drive to each trail head and walk the short .5 mile trail to a good view of each. Oh... the ravens... as noted by Barry W in a previous review, they ARE attacking vehicles. Although they didn't touch my rig, they DID attack the windshield wipers on a white Jeep Cherokee who was ahead of us! They ripped the rear wiper and one of the front wipers off the Jeep!

Awesome park, but we came too close to sun set, so not much time left for hiking and exploring. A very welcoming and knowledgeable ranger gave us good information about the area and it's ancient inhabitants. We were followed through the whole park by a couple of ravens who would attack the car wherever we stopped. On the parking lots we found (rubber) car parts scattered around from other cars they had disassembled (mostly the windshield wipers and mirrors).

Natural Bridges is one of Utah's hidden gems. The park is not huge, but well worth the stop. When we were there we saw three other humans in the park, plus the park staff. Take your time and soak in the serenity of this jewel.

If you are just looking for a NM with good views of natural bridges, a short walk from your vehicle this is the best place to go. But what if you like to live on the wild side and want to hike down into a canyon on narrow ledges and stand under a natural bridge... This is still the best place to go.

Was outside of peak. No one else there so we could easily stop any where any time. Camp grounds looked nice. Visitor center manned by volunteers very informative and courteous. Would not go there during peak one way narrow road with limited parking. Would hike during peak only!

We were on our way from Moab to Monument Valley, so we decided to stop off at Natural Bridges because it was on the way and because it was covered by our annual pass. It is a small monument, so we only spent about 1 hr there. There are 3 bridges and it is really quite fascinating the way they really blend into the landscape. While we did not have time to hike down to one because there was a storm blowing in, i would encourage you to hike to at least one of them. I think it would allow you to really appreciate their size if you stood below one. However, even if you do not have the time, this is definitely a great stop. The bridges were just so different from everything we had seen before. My advice: a perfect stop if its on your way and if you have a pass.

NATURAL BRIDGES NATIONAL MONUMENT (UTAH’S HIDDEN BYWAYS X) NATURAL BRIDGES NATIONAL MONUMENT, tucked away into the corner of Southeastern Utah, is a relatively small federal area containing three gems. These are Sipapu, Owachomo, and Kachina Natural Bridges, with the names coming from the Hopi. Sipapu bridge is the largest of the three bridges, and one of the largest in the world. Natural Bridges National Monument is an extraordinary area of Permian Sandstone of the Cedar Mesa formation, eroded by water, ice, and wind over geologic times. These fanciful bridges with unique names of exceptional shapes and colors give the traveler a short trip through geologic time. The colors and shadows emanating from these eroding structures produce visual images that make this area highly photogenic. Furthermore, this area is not that difficult to drive to, and on, as long as simple precautions are observed. A brief geologic note; A natural bridge is caused by water, usually a stream, that will undercut a rock wall at a weak point. This hole, which will now allow a free flow of water, will be enlarged by the stream, and other forces, enlarging the opening and form a bridge. On the other hand, an arch is caused by wind, water, and ice gradually ablating a weak point in a fin-like rock, gradually forming an opening. This opening gradually enlarges due to the same forces, forming Arches similar to those found in Arches National Park farther north. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS TRIP IF IT HAS RAINED WITHIN THE LAST 24 HOURS WITHOUT CHECKING AT THE RANGER STATION. THE CIRCUIT ROAD TO THE VIEWPOINTS (BRIDGES), AND THE TRAILS, CAN GET VERY MUDDY AND QUITE SLICK. IN ADDITION, USING A VEHICLE WITH SOME HIGH CLEARANCE, SUCH AS AN SUV, IS PREFERABLE, BUT NOT MANDETORY. A GOOD AREA MAP IS ESSENTIAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS MINOR EXPEDITION FOR GEOGRAPHIC FORMATION IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES. We usually start in Blanding, Utah, and proceed SOUTH on Utah SR191S until the junction of Utah SR95W. A quick RIGHT will put you on SR95W, which is a beautifully maintained road. You will soon traverse a fantastic rock-cut and drop in altitude. A few miles further along, you will pass, on your right, a parking area for the Mule Canyon Ruins. Take a few minutes and explore this ruin, but do not remove any stones or artifacts found. Resuming our journey on Utah SR95W, you will pass the junction for route SR261S on your left, which you will pass. Driving an additional 3-5 miles will get you to the junction with Utah SR275 on your RIGHT. Make a RIGHT onto this road and enter the national monument (fee area). Upon entering the monument, I would suggest that you stop at the Visitors Center/Ranger Station on you right. This is a good spot to get a map and any needed advice pertaining to the park. If you are planning to hike down to the bridges, or any other trail in the monument, take some time to discuss your plans with the rangers. They are a fountain of knowledge pertaining to the area and can give sound advice. In addition, you may have to register foe certain hikes and all campgrounds. Finally, there are restrooms for those in need, or those who will shortly have the urge. USE THEM. It may be a few hours before you return here! You will now enter a loop of the canyon. All of the main viewpoints and most of the trailheads are located on this circuit road. The road proceeds in a counterclockwise direction, with the first bridge viewpoint encountered is Sipapu Bridge overlook ( see image). This is the largest of the natural bridges in the monument. Note the way the water has eroded the surrounding rock into smooth, striated bands, and the presence of desert varnish on the sides of the bridge. The presence of vegetation around the bridge speaks of water, and the erosion patterns on the rocks remind us that that water can get high, and fast moving. Stop at all overlooks, get off the road, look and listen to the wonders of this natural phenomenon. Your next bridge will be Kachina Bridge, which has many of the geologic characteristics of Sipapu bridge, but smaller. There are trails down to these bridges, but they can be arduous, requiring proper footgear and stamina. Please note that their may be snakes and other reptiles near the bridges, drawn by the presence of water. Be aware of this as you proceed. Owachomo Bridge is my favorite (see tmage), with its wide opening and moderate foot approach. There are even wooden handrails to aid in your decent/ascent. This overlook also has an excellent viewpoint of the bridge and the area. Take this trail down, but be advised that it is on rock, which, when wet, can get slick. There is also a ruin in the area called Horse Collar ruin, which is located in the Deer Canyon, White Canyon confluence. Also, examine the rock walls in the red Cedar Mesa formation for caves and pseudo-arches (see image). DO NOT DEFACE THE BRIDGES OR THEIR SURROUNDINGS. YOU ARE ON FEDERAL PROPERTY, AND IT IS AGAINST THE LAW. LEAVE IT THE WAY NATURE INTENDED IT TO BE LEFT! If you exit the Natural Bridges National Monument and make a left onto Utah SR95E and drive a couple of miles, you will encounter Utah SR261S on your right., If you take this turn, you will soon encounter the perilous track known as the Moki Dugway and Muley Point. Muley Point has some excellent views down the mesa into Monument Valley and the Goosenecks of the San Juan River. The Moki Dugway is difficult to drive, even with 4-wheel drive, and is not recommended for the faint of heart. Alternatively, when you leave The Natural Bridges National Monument after driving the circuit road, you can make a LEFT onto Utah SR95E (paved) and proceed for a few miles until you reach the junction with Utah SR261S (i.e. same as above). If you make a right onto SR261S and proceed for a few miles to the junction of SR316S, passing the Moki Dugway, you will make another right. In a couple of miles, you will reach GOOSENECKS STATE PARK. Take a few minutes, go to the overlooks, and explore the entrenched San Juan River, These are really entrenched ox-bows. The San Juan River has cut through the softer rock layers over geologic time to form these meandering trenches. Note the layer cake appearance of the rocks (see image), which were formed by cyclic deposits of sand and rock in a once shallow sea. You can backtrack on SR316, make a right onto SR261, and rejoin Utah SR163N/SR191N (main road) for your trip back to Blanding, Utah (MAKE A LEFT). If you go south (A Right) on SR163S toward Monument Valley, you will pass through the town of Mexican Hat, Utah. As you pass through town, a side road on your Left will take you to the rock formation called Mexican Hat (see images). There is something in Blanding, Utah, that bears some time and investigation. This is the Edge of the Cedars State Park and Museum, located a few blocks from the center of town. This is a delightful way to finish off a day in one of the many attractions in the area. The museum contains many unique, original Native American artifacts (see image) away, including a wonderful pottery collection. There is a Native American ruin located outside of the main building. We love this museum and have visited it many times.Enjoy the trip and be safe. ALASKASEEKER (B.I.N.)

Arriving at about 10:00 AM the rangers were the only people through the park ahead of us that day. They advised us that there were really only a couple of turn-outs where there was only a short icy walk to the viewing locations. The bridges are almost invisible in single digit weather with double digit winds but my eyes eventually quit watering and adjusted to the low contrast between the gray sky and the snowy scenery.The views were awe inspiring, if it weren't for the frigid conditions I would have stood there longer and taken more pictures. We really did enjoy our visit despite the conditions and will definitely try it again in the Spring or Fall.

We spent the night at the campground and drove around to see the bridges. My husband and friend also did one of the hike. The weather was perfect - especially first thing in the morning. At night we saw the most beautiful sunset!Their were just vault toilets and on showers out here - so definitly a rustic outback campground and experience. The stars are suppose to be amazing here, but he were foiled by clouds - which was a shame because this was why we were out there. However, the Bridges definitly made up for it!!The drive around the loop is only 1 way. Which I realized after I drove a "little" way down the road to photograph a sunset, that ended up taking 30 minutes to get back. But there was barely anyone in the park, so it was nice to have such peace and quiet. There are only 10 sites in the campground - so just get there early to guarantee a spot. Clouds helped for cooler weather - so we didn't roast in the sun like we expected. Can't imagine how it would be with the heat.We did encounter a scorpion under out tent when packing up - glad we found him under the tent opposed to in the tent!!

It was near the end of the day and the light was fading fast. We only hiked to the Owachomo Bridge. We viewed the other two bridges from the overlooks. In order to get great views of the other bridges you would have to hike to them. Unfortunately we didn’t have the time to hike.We drove up from the Valley of the Gods and highway 276 was extremely interesting with a 3 mile section of dirt road switchbacks and cliffs. Crazy.

We hiked down to below the Sipapu bridge... very neat hike as we had stairs, ladders, crossing rock outcroppings, etc.

My husband and I visited Natural bridges on November 21. The weather was around forty degrees. It was perfect for hiking to see the bridges from the bottom trails. The park ranger was very helpful. It was a short scenic drive of about eight miles. We stopped at all viewing areas and as recommended by another visitor walked to the bottom of the canyon on the Owachomo bridge. It was absolutely beautiful with a clear sky. And, there was no one else during our entire walk and visit. We saw only one other car during the entire visit. If we had more time we would have walked the entire canyon. There was no snow or ice. If so, it would have been difficult. If there was summer heat the walk would require stops and water. But as mentioned November turned out to be perfect. We had no fee because we had the senior pass.

Stopped by on way to Moab. Was very hot and we did only minimal hiking. View from the scenic road viewpoints is not impressive as the bridges are distant. Think the best way to do this park would be by hiking. Trails have major elevation gains and the heat can be oppressive, so you would have to be pretty hard core to do this. On the day we visited met two sets of near heat stroked hikers. Not on my list to revisit.

If you are just going to do the scenic drive I think you will probably be disappointed. The scenic drive is an 8.5 mile loop. There are 3 bridges that you can see from the overlooks. What you can see from the top of the canyon is not very impressive.We did two of the hikes. The Owachomo Bridge trail is listed as .4 miles with 180 feet of elevation change in the visitor guide. The time estimate is 30 minutes. With the pictures we took it was probably closer to an hour. The other hike was to the Horse Collar Ruin Overlook. The hike is .6 miles with little elevation change after the 1st 200 yards. If you do not have binoculars or a camera with a zoom lense the hike is probably not worth the effort. It was over uneven rocks so it is not for anyone who has trouble walking.The other hikes you can do are• Sipapu Bridge-1.2 mi with 500 ft elevation change. It takes about 1 hr• Kachina-1.4 mi with 400 ft elevation change. It takes about 1 hr• Loop Trail- 8.6 mi with 500 ft elevation change. It takes 4 to 6 hrWe enjoyed our visit. I think you will have to do some of the hikes to get the most out of your visit.

The natural bridges that are located in this monument are another of Earth's wonders to behold. As the area is more remote than some other monuments, it is not heavily visited, making accessibility to the trails that lead down to the bridges uncrowded. The trails vary in difficulty, but there are a couple that I say would be accessible to most fairly fit people. If you are an unhurried (and unharried) traveler, this destination is worth the time to visit. The loop road is easily navigable, but don't try to rush this attraction in. Camping is available in season, and the Ranger there told me the night skies are fabulous.