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Natural Bridges National Monument, located in southeast Utah, was the state’s very first national monument.
Introduction to Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument protects three natural sandstone bridges formed by erosion. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, who abandoned it around 1270. The first person of European descent to visit was gold miner and explorer Cass Hite, who passed through in 1883.
National Geographic Magazine published a series on the bridges in 1904. Theodore Roosevelt established the national monument on April 16, 1908. During its early years, it was so remote that it took three days to get there on horseback from the town of Blanding, which is the nearest settlement. Very few visitors made the trek until the 1950s, when modern roads were built in the area thanks to the uranium boom. State Route 95 made it even easier to arrive when it opened in 1976.
In 2007, the International Dark Sky Association (now DarkSky International) named Natural Bridges National Monument the world’s very first International Dark Sky Park.
Planning Your Trip to Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument is a great place to visit whether you’re into hiking or just want to enjoy the scenery. The viewpoints for each bridge are easy to reach, making it the perfect destination for those with less time to spend.
Bridge View Drive, a one-way loop road, runs through the park. At each viewpoint, it’s possible to stop for a few minutes to admire the bridges from afar, or spend more time by hiking down to each one. There’s even a difficult 12-mile loop trail that passes by all 3. After lots of hiking in hot weather at Canyonlands the day before, we decided we were happy enough to see the bridges from the overlooks.
Before getting into some of the trails and highlights of the park, here’s some essential information to help you plan your trip. Check the official website for more details:
Entrance Fees to Natural Bridges National Monument
Entrance fees vary depending on your mode of transportation. Prices are current as of September 2025:
- For private vehicles, it’s $20.
- For motorcycles, it’s $15.
- For visitors entering on bicycle or on foot, it’s $10 for adults and free for kids under 16.
- Holders of any interagency pass are covered for one vehicle or four per-person fees.
Entrance fees are payable at the visitor center and are good for seven days.
Natural Bridges Visitor Center
At the visitor center, you can watch a short film about the park, see the exhibits, or shop in the bookstore. It’s typically open daily from April through September and Friday to Monday the rest of the year.
Camping at Natural Bridges National Monument
There’s a first-come, first-served campground near the visitor center. It has 13 sites and costs $16 (as of September 2025).
Sipapu Bridge
The first stop is Sipapu Bridge. At 220 feet (67 meters) high and 268 feet (82 meters) long, it’s the second longest natural bridge in the United States after nearby Rainbow Bridge, and the sixth longest in the world. The bridge is 31 feet (9.5 meters) wide and 53 feet (16 meters) thick.
Sipapu Bridge was originally named President Bridge in 1883 by Cass Hite (1845-1914). It was renamed Augusta Bridge in 1904 by Horace Long, in honor of his wife. The present name was given by William Boone Douglass (1864-1947), who led the government survey to map out the monument’s boundaries in 1908. It’s a Hopi word that means “opening between worlds”.
You can view the bridge after a short walk to the viewpoint, or take a difficult hike down to it. It’s 1.4 miles (2 kilometers) round-trip with 436 feet (133 meters) of elevation change. The trailhead for Sipapu Bridge and the loop trail to all three bridges is at a parking lot a bit further down the road.
Horse Collar Ruin
Next was a very short and easy hike to the Horse Collar Ruin Overlook. The trail travels ⅓ mile along the edge of a cliff, where you can get great views of the canyon below.
At the end of the trail there’s a viewpoint looking down to Horse Collar Ruin. The Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling was abandoned around the end of the 13th century but are in excellent condition. The site was probably rediscovered in the late 1880s and an archaeological expedition took place in 1907. It was named after two structures with doorways that resemble a horse collar.
Kachina Bridge
The second bridge along the road is Kachina Bridge. It’s 210 feet (64 meters) high and 204 feet (62 meters) long and is the thickest of the three bridges at 93 feet (28 meters).
Kachina Bridge was first named Senator Bridge by Cass Hite in 1883. Local cowboy later renamed it Jim Scorup renamed it Caroline Bridge in honor of his mother. William Douglas gave it its current name in 1908 after he found petroglyphs depicting dancing figures on the base of the bridge.
A steep 1.4-mile (2.25 kilometer) round-trip trail can get you closer to the bridge, which is 44 feet (13 meters) wide. The elevation change is 462 feet (140 meters). As with the other viewpoints, there are some great views of the canyon below.
Owachomo Bridge
The third and final bridge is Owachomo Bridge, which is possibly the oldest of the three. It’s 180 feet (55 meters) long but only 9 feet (3 meters) thick, which also means it’s the smallest and most fragile. The bridge is 106 feet (32 meters) high and 27 feet (8 meters) wide.
Owachomo Bridge was originally named Congressman Bridge by Cass Hite in 1883, followed by Edwin Bridge or Little Bridge. William Douglas gave it its current name in 1908, meaning “Rock Mound” in Hopi.
Owachomo Bridge is the most accessible and most photographed bridge in the park. You can see it after a short walk to the viewpoint or take a moderate ½-mile (840 meter) round-trip trail to see it up close. The elevation change is 188 feet (57.3 meters).
