the wandering chick
...Natural Bridges Natl Monument
Utah

Natural Bridges National Monument is mostly known for its three natural bridges, bridges that were naturally formed by eons of gushing water gradually making the opening.

Natural Bridges is located in southeast Utah, close to the Four Corners area. It is Utah's first national monument and is also the first park to be designated an International Dark-Sky park due to the fact that it has the darkest and clearest skies in the nation.

Sipapu Bridge
The three main bridges in Natural Bridges NM were given Hopi Indian names. This one, Sipapu, is the second largest natural bridge in the world. (The largest is Rainbow Bridge in nearby Glen Canyon.) In Hopi mythology, a sipapu is a gateway through which the soul passes to the spirit world. Though it may appear smaller, Sipapu bridge has a span of 268 feet; its width is 31 feet, and it is 53 feet thick.
Sipapu Bridge
ladder to canyon floor
It takes three ladders to reach the canyon floor and Sipapu bridge from its trailhead. This is the third and shortest one. The first and second ones are shown on the right. Directly below is Sipapu Bridge.
sipapu bridge
ladder to sipapu
sipapu bridge
ladder to sipapu
Kachina bridge
Above and Below: Kachina Bridge is thought to be the youngest of the bridges. The thickness of its span at 93 feet is a giveaway. The bridge is named for the Kachina dancers that play a major role in the Hopi religion.
Kachina bridge
Owachomo Bridge
Owachomo Bridge is thought to be the oldest of the three bridges. The walk down to Owachomo from its parking lot is easier than the hike to the other two bridges. The thickness of Owachomo's span is 9 feet, though, because of the distance, it looks much thinner.
Owachomo bridge

Visit some of my other Utah locations by returning to the Utah home page.

Or, choose a destination below.

Please visit some of my other travel locations. Feel free to email me if you have questions or comments.

BY CITY: Boston | Coeur d'Alene, ID | Fort Benton, MT | Galveston, TX | Independence, MO | Juliette, GA | Leadville, CO | New York City | Savannah | Seattle | Sedona, AZ | Tombstone | Tucson | Washington, D.C.

BY STATE: Alaska | Arizona | California | Colorado | Georgia | Idaho | Maine| Michigan | Minnesota |Montana | Nevada | New Mexico | North Carolina | South Dakota | Texas | Utah | Washington | Wyoming

BY REGIONS, LANDMARKS AND NATL PARKS, FORESTS AND MONUMENTS: Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake | Arches NP | the Badlands | Bighorn Canyon | the Biltmore Estate | the Black Hills | Blue Ridge Parkway | Bridges of Madison County | Bryce Canyon | Canyon de Chelly | Canyonlands NP | Death Valley | Devils Tower| Glacier NP | the Grand Canyon | the Grand Tetons | Gulf Shores, AL | Hoover Dam | Hovenweep NM | Kure Beach | Little Bighorn Battlefield | Mackinac Island | Martha's Vineyard | Medicine Bow NF | Monument Valley | Mount Rainier | Mount Rushmore | Mount St. Helens | Natural Bridges NM | Niagara Falls | OK City (bombing) NM | the Olympic Peninsula |Organ Pipe Cactus NM | the Outer Banks | Pictured Rocks NL | Saguaro NP | Shenandoah Valley | Sleeping Bear Dunes NL | Sunset Crater NM | Texas Hill Country | Tybee Island | White Mountains NF | Yellowstone NP | Zion NP

OUTSIDE THE U.S.: Austria | Budapest, Hungary | Canada | East Africa | Europe, here and there | France | Germany | Greece | Italy | Morocco | the Netherlands | Portugal | Russia | Scotland | Spain | Switzerland | Tunisia | Turkey

OTHER: HOME | My Favorites | the Andreas family, Moab | Vilseck DoDDS teachers' reunions

 

 

 

All images within 'The Wandering Chick' Web site are copyright protected. They may not be downloaded or otherwise copied.