Natural Bridges National Monument

From the NPS brochure: "In 1883 prospector Cass Hite wandered up White Canyon from his base camp along the Colorado River.  In search of gold, he found instead three magnificent bridges water had sculpted from stone.  In 1904 The National Geographic Magazine publicized the bridges, and in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt established Natural Bridges National Monument, creating Utah's first National Park System area. 

Several names have been applied to the bridges. First named President, Senator and Congressman in order of height, the bridges were renamed Augusta, Caroline, and Edwin by later explorer groups.  As the park was expanded to protect nearby Puebloan structures, the General Land Office assigned the Hopi names Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo in 1909.



Sipapu means "the place of emergence," an entryway by which the Hopi believe their ancestors came into this world.




Millions of years ago these sandstones were deposited and then slowly uplifted as part of the Colorado plateau.  Erosional forces gradually created today's canyons and landscpae. 





Kachina is named for rock art sysmbols on the bridge that resemble sysmbols commonly used on kachina dolls.





Owachoma means "rock mound," a feature atop the bridge's east abutment."




Due to an injured knee, this is the only bridge we hiked to because it has the easiest hike.   It is the smallest in both height (106') and span (180') of the three bridges.




The hike to the bridge was pretty easy to moderate.





Nolan worked hard to make sure it didn't fall while we were there.



If you walk under the bridge and go either right or left, you will find green pools of water. 

Sitting in the shade under the bridge.



From the other side.



Nolan finally got a lizard to sit still long enough to take a picture.

The trail back to the trailhead at the top of the rise.



On the way out of the park we stopped to read this sign.




The Bear's Ears





As we drove east toward Blanding, we went through this huge cut in the bluff.  I bet it's 100' deep.