Natural Bridges National Monument

Although not that far from other very popular National Parks in Utah, Natural Bridges National Monument feels pretty off the beaten path.

We spent the night prior to our visit to the monument in Bluff, at the pleasant Desert Rose Inn and ate a tasty burger at pretty much the only restaurant we could find open. The location set us up well for our drive to Natural Bridges the next morning.

Natural bridges are formed by erosion from water and there are 3 natural bridges that are viewable from a 9 mile loop drive. Depending on your visit length, mood, and physical ability, there are a couple different ways to see the bridges.

Each bridge can be viewed via a short walk to a viewpoint on the loop road. If you have lots of time and energy, there’s a 12 mile loop trail that connects all the bridges, or two shorter loops that connect 2 of the bridges. And then each bridge can be viewed individually using an out and back trail from the rim to the canyon floor. These trails are not long, but they are strenuous and an adventure getting down into the canyon and a good cardio workout on the return.

The three bridges have been renamed several times and are currently known as Sipapu, Owachomo, and Kachina bridges.

We walked all the way underneath Kachina Bridge which is very large and dramatic. The bridge is named for the petroglyphs at the base.

There is also Horse Collar Ruin in the canyon, which can be seen via a short trail from the loop drive.

Natural Bridges is on highway 95, about an hour west of Blanding, UT. Highway 95 is very remote and very scenic and if you happen to be heading west or north, I would definitely recommend continuing on to Hanksville for the dramatic views.