Natural Bridges National Monument

 

7,636 acres (3,093 hectares), SE Utah; est. 1908. Located in an area of colored cliffs and box canyons, the monument contains three huge natural sandstone bridges: Owachomo (also called Rock Mound), 106 ft (32 m) high with a span of 180 ft (55 m); Kachina, 210 ft (64 m) high with a span of 206 ft (63 m); and Sipapu, 220 ft (67 m) high with a span of 268 ft (82 m). See National Parks and Monuments, table.

Natural Bridges National Monument
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Owachomo Natural Bridge
Coordinates	37°35′00″N 110°00′00″W / 37.583333, -110
Area	7,637 acres (31 km²)
Established	April 16, 1908
Total visitation	97,999 (in 2002)
Governing body	U.S. National Park Service

Natural Bridges National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in southeast Utah, in the western United States. It features the second and third largest natural bridges in the world.

The elevation ranges from 1,700 to 2,000 m (5,500 feet to 6,500 feet). At higher elevations pinyon-juniper forests grow, giving way to shrubs and grasses at lower elevations. In the canyons, where there is more water, there are willow and cottonwood trees.

Natural bridges are formed through erosion by moving water. The remaining rock spans the canyon like a bridge, hence the name. The three bridges in the park are named Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu, which are all Hopi names.

Attractions

The main attractions are Bridge View Drive which winds along the park and goes by all three bridges, and hiking down to the base of the bridges. There is also a campground and picnic areas within the park. Electricity in the park comes entirely from a large solar array near the visitors center. According to Backpacker magazine, Natural Bridges National Monument has the least light pollution in the continental United States.

Bridge	Height	Span	Width	Thickness
	m (ft)	m (ft)	m (ft)	m (ft)
Owachomo	32 (106)	55 (108)	8 (27)	3 (9)
Sipapu	67 (220)	82 (268)	9 (31)	16 (53)
Kachina	64 (210)	62 (204)	13 (44)	28 (93)

Biology

• Animals include: birds, rabbits, lizards, bobcats, coyotes, bears, mule dear, mountain lions.
• Plants include: willow, cottonwood, douglas fir, ponderosa pine, pinyon pine, juniper, grasses, shrubs.

History

In 1904 the National Geographic Magazine publicized the bridges and the area was designated a National Monument April 16, 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt. It is Utah's first National Monument.

See also

• Arches National Park
• Dark Canyon Wilderness
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Manti-La Sal National Forest
• Muley Point

External links

• National Park Service: Natural Bridges National Monument
• Park Information

Protected Areas of Utah
National Park Service	National Parks:  Arches • Bryce Canyon • Canyonlands • Capitol Reef • Zion National Monuments:  Cedar Breaks • Dinosaur • Grand Staircase-Escalante • Hovenweep • Natural Bridges • Rainbow Bridge • Timpanogos Cave Other:  Golden Spike National Historic Site • Glen Canyon National Recreation Area • Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
National Forests	Ashley • Dixie • Fishlake • Manti-La Sal • Uinta • Wasatch-Cache
State Parks Northern Region	Antelope Island • Bear Lake • Camp Floyd • Deer Creek • East Canyon • Great Salt Lake • Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail • Jordanelle • Hyrum Lake • Red Fleet • Rockport • Starvation • Steinaker • Utah Lake • Wasatch Mountain • Willard Bay
State Parks Central Region	Fremont Indian • Goblin Valley • Green River • Huntington • Millsite • Palisade • Scofield • Territorial Statehouse • Yuba Lake
State Parks Southern Region	Anasazi Indian • Coral Pink Sand Dunes • Dead Horse Point • Edge Of The Cedars • Escalante • Goosenecks • Gunlock • Iron Mission • Kodachrome Basin • Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument • Otter Creek • Piute • Quail Creek • Sand Hollow • Snow Canyon
Municipal parks	Fort Buenaventura • Lost Creek Reservoir • Jordan River Parkway • Minersville Reservoir • Veterans Memorial Park • This Is The Place Heritage Park
Others	Strawberry Reservoir
Utah State Parks and Recreation

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