Natural Bridges National Monument Guide
Utah is known for its iconic sandstone arches--look no further than the famous Arches National Park; but what about its natural bridges? At first glance, they look pretty similar, and actually are: natural bridges are a form of natural arches, though are primarily formed by flash flood erosion by the stream beneath them, while free standing arches like Delicate Arch are formed by a combination of wind, water, frost, and other weathering. So if you're looking for a place in Utah to catch some of these amazing bridges, and without the crowds of Arches National Park, look no further than Natural Bridges National Monument in the southeastern part of the state.
When to Visit
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Natural Bridges is open year-round, but is in a higher part of the Utah desert on Cedar Mesa and right next to Bears Ears National Monument. In short, summers will be very hot, winters can be cold with snow, while the fall and spring and generally mild and pleasant. Natural Bridges has some of the darkest skies in the world, with spring and summer being some of the best times to see the milky way in the night sky. On the other hand, snow on the bridges can be a rarer sight, and makes for unique pictures.
How to Get There
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Natural Bridges is within San Juan County, Utah, closest to the small towns of Blanding, Bluff and Mexican Hat, and is around five and a half hours from Salt Lake City. Utah State Route 95 runs directly through the region, eventually terminating at the entrance to the monument. Bridge View Drive is a paved, 9 mile, one-way loop road through the monument, with pull offs and trailheads for every major attraction.
Things to Do in Natural Bridges National Monument
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Sipapu Bridge
Time: 1 - 2 hours.
Distance: 1.4 miles roundtrip.
The largest of the natural bridges here, the hike down to Sipapu Bridge isn't long, but may be just a little more difficult for the unexperienced hiker. Taking you from the top of the canyon to the bottom, down wooden ladders and along several cliff sides, it's more challenging than many 1.4 mile long hikes; the reward in the end is well-worth it though. To get a sense of the hike, stop at the Sipapu Bridge Viewpoint just before the main trailhead.
Looking down on Sipapu Bridge from its viewpoint along Bridge View Drive.
To begin the hike, continue down Bridge View Drive from the viewpoint, where you'll come across a parking area on your right for the Sipapu Bridge trailhead. The trail is straight forward and well-marked, so begin your descent to the bottom, winding down from the canyon's edge until you eventually go down a metal staircase. Here is where some of the best scenery begins, with the walls of the canyon overhang a mix of pink and black stripes.
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Continue following the trail past a pueblo ruin, and down a set of switchbacks, until you eventually find yourself in a small bowl just before the bottom: here is where you'll need careful footing as you navigate smooth rock (railings are in place for extra support), and several wooden ladders, which finally takes you underneath the bridge.
Sipapu Bridge up close, and it's underside.
From here its simply returning to the top the same way you came in, which is generally a little tougher than going down. For this trail especially, I would not advise in wet or icy weather, as certain parts could be slippery and dangerous. For a more in depth guide to hiking Sipapu Bridge, click here.
Natural Bridges Video Guide
Explore Utah's first national monument, see all three bridges, and some of the darkest skies around in my complete video guide to Natural Bridges!
Horse Collar Ruin Overlook
Time: 15 minutes.
Distance: .6 miles roundtrip.
San Juan County and the Bears Ears area where Natural Bridges is located, is home to over 200 pueblo ruins, some you can walk right up to, and others that can really only be seen from a distance. Horse Collar Ruin is one of the latter, tucked into the canyon, visitors to the monument can hike this short trail to spy it below. Around 700 years old, the ruin is one of the better preserved sites found in the area. Find the parking are for the overlook just past the Sipapu Bridge trailhead. While there is no official trail down to it, it's possible to get a closer look by taking the primitive Full Loop Trail through the canyon.
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Horse Collar Ruin. Image credit: NaturalBridgesNPS.
Kachina Bridge
Time: 1 - 2 hours.
Distance: 1.4 miles.
The widest of the natural bridges, and second on the Bridge View Drive loop, Kachina Bridge is also the youngest of the three. While the other two bridges in the monument have little to no water running beneath them anymore, those who make it to the bottom of Kachina will notice the stream responsible for carving this bridge out. The trailhead and overlook for Kachina Bridge are located about halfway through the park's road.
Kachina Bridge from its viewpoint.
The trail to the bottom of Kachina Bridge is very similar to Sipapu Bridge, in that it's short, but can be strenuous. Expect downhill most of the way to get there, with some narrow ledges, switchbacks, and wooden ladders. Once at the bottom, keep your eyes peeled for petroglyphs on the side of the bridge.
The youngest bridge in the monument, the stream still erodes Kachina.
Owachomo Bridge
Time: 30 minutes - 1 hour.
Distance: .7 miles roundtrip.
The oldest and thinnest of the bridges, Owachomo is also the one likeliest to collapse first--but hopefully not for some time. It's also the easiest of the three to access, and the last found along Bridge View Drive. From the parking lot, the trail is gradually downhill, and far easier than Sipapu and Kachina, eventually going under the bridge itself.
Owachomo Bridge.
Full Loop Trail
Time: 6 hours.
Distance: 9.8 miles.
For the full Natural Bridges experience, there's one trail that takes you into the canyon and under all three bridges. The Full Loop Trail begins with the Sipapu Bridge Trail, and continues through the canyon once you'ved reached the bottom, taking you past Horse Collar Ruin, Kachina Bridge, and Owachomo. After finishing Owachomo, take the Mesa Trail, which bisects the monument and brings you back to your starting point at the Sipapu Bridge trail. The Full Loop isn't as well maintained or marked on the canyon floor, so hikers will need to keep their eyes peeled. Portions can be quite sandy as well, or full of brush, so longer pants are recommended. Lastly, this is likely an all-day affairs, so bring plenty of food and water.
The Full Loop Trail takes you into the canyon and under all three bridges.
Stargazing
Time: N/A.
Distance: N/A.
The first ever International Dark Sky Park, it's not an exaggeration that Natural Bridges has some of the clearest and darkest skies on the planet--this part of the country is fairly remote and free of light pollution. Whether you're staying in the monument's campground or somewhere nearby, stop by after dark to see the stars like never before. Visitors in the spring and summer can enjoy the core of the Milky Way as well during nights with little to no moonlight.
Owachomo Bridge with the Milky Way behind it.
Where to Stay in Natural Bridges
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Camping
Natural Bridges National Monument has one campground, just past the visitors center at its entrance. There are 13 sites, and all are first come first served and cost $15.00 per night. Despite its remote location, the campground fills pretty quickly during the spring and summer, so arrive early if you're looking to claim a spot. Otherwise, there are plenty of options for dispersed camping just outside the monument in Bears Ears, but these are going to be primitive sites at best.
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Hotels/AirBnb
If a roof over you head and a proper bed are more your thing, you're looking at around 40 miles of travel time to either the towns of Mexican Hat or Blanding. Mexican Hat is quite small, features a handful of independent motels, and boasts quite a few hidden gems to see in the area. Blanding is larger and has chain motels, in addition to several Airbnb options, and puts you closer to the city of Moab, which is another adventure in itself!
Mexican Hat, Utah: maybe the best place you've never heard, just down the road.