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Natural Bridges National Monument
There are still a few places left where solitude reigns supreme. And one of the best is tucked away in Utah's own back yard.
Solitude is a way of life at Natural Bridges National Monument, located 42 miles west of Blanding off U-95.
Natural Bridges looks and feels much the same way it did when Anasazi Indians built cliff dwellings in the rugged canyons. The stunning natural bridges were discovered in modern times by Cass Hite, a gold miner who happened onto them in 1883. He named the bridges Edwin, Augusta and Caroline.
In 1904, the National Geographic magazine publicized the bridges, and four years later President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed it a national monument. A year after that the bridges were renamed Owachomo (106 feet high, spanning 180 feet), Sipapu (220 feet high, spanning 268 feet) and Kachina (210 feet high, spanning 204 feet).
Next to Rainbow Bridge on Lake Powell, they are the largest structures of their kind.
In those days, not a lot of people ever saw the bridges. There were no roads into the canyons and access was usually by horseback. Today, even though paved highways lead to and from the national monument, most travelers find Natural Bridges a bit too far off the beaten path.
A bit more than 100,000 people per year visit Natural Bridges, compared to the 1 million that visit Arches and Bryce Canyon.
Only about 8,000 acres in size, Natural Bridges is small enough that visitors can see the entire park in a short amount of time. Yet the layout of the park requires you to get out of your car to get any kind of understanding of what the park has to offer.
The typical visitor drives the 8-mile loop and takes a few photos from the designated overlooks. The fact that not a lot of people get down into the canyons at Bridges has kept the canyons in pristine condition.
Natural Bridges comprises White Canyon, Deer Canyon and Tuwa Canyon, all of which drain out of the Bears Ears, the most prominent geological feature in southeastern Utah.
Of course the bridges themselves are the foremost attraction at Natural Bridges. As opposed to "arches," which are wind- or rain-blown holes in the sandstone, the "bridges" are holes cut by stream action.
And bridges don't come any more majestic than those at Natural Bridges. The white sandstone is laced with streaks of black and red, all highlighted against a backdrop of lush green vegetation.
These canyons have captivated visitors for more than a thousand years. In fact, one of the canyon's real treasures — one that can't be experienced by those who "drive the loop" — is the wealth of cliff ruins tucked away in canyon walls and alcoves. National Park Service officials estimate there are more than 200 ruins of the Anasazi culture in the park itself.
There is no gasoline, food or lodging at the park, though camping is available. The nearest services are at Fry Canyon 26 miles to the west, Mexican Hat 42 miles to the south and Blanding 42 miles to the east.
More information is available by visiting www.nps.gov/nabr/.
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