Natural Bridges National Monument: Utah's Dark Sky Wonderland (2024)

Article Overview: A Guide to Natural Bridges National Monument

Situated in the southeastern corner of Utah, Natural Bridges National Monument is home to the three of the world’s most breathtaking natural bridges. The park’s three crown jewels are Owachoma, Kachina, and Sipapu. There’s evidence of bridges that have collapsed over the eons, a fate that will eventually befall all of the park’s bridges (don’t worry, odds are against this happening in our lifetime).

Beyond the bridges, the monument is home to a host of incredibly well-preserved ancient Native American sites including ruins, petroglyphs, structures, and more. Of these sites, Horse Collar Ruin is particularly well-preserved and one of the top attractions.

For many, the top attraction in Natural Bridges National Monument is not something in the park at all but rather something you can experience within it – incredibly dark skies. In fact, these dark skies are known the world over. Natural Bridges was the first ever International Dark Sky Park, a prestigious destination that really tells you everything you need to know about stargazing here. I’ve traveled more than my fair share and I can safely say I’ve never seen better.

Natural Bridges National Monument

In this piece I’ll be sharing my personal tips for visiting Natural Bridges National Monument including what to see, how to spend your time, what you need to know, some hidden gems, and interesting information on the park. Let’s get started!

Why Trust Us About Natural Bridges National Monument?

Hi there, I’m Will and along with my brother Jim we’re collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers – we love public lands. In fact, we’ve spent our entire adult lives exploring these places working with all the top land management agencies to ensure they’re respected and protected.

Natural Bridges has long been one of our favorite public lands destinations ever since we first visited back in 2011. This place is special. This past year we collaborated with Visit Utah to bring it to life in a new and exciting way via a short film that showcases exactly what makes this place special. To make it happen, Jim and I explored almost every square inch of the monument over the course of a couple of weeks documenting what we found along the way. Needless to say, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what’s on offer here.

4 Quick Things to Know Before Visiting Natural Bridges National Monument

1. Entrance Fees are $20 per vehicle OR if you plan to visit more National Parks within the next 12 months I suggest you go ahead and purchase the America the Beautiful Pass.
2. Food options are non-existent in the monument so be sure to pack plenty of food, snacks, and drinks.
3. The best time to visit Natural Bridges is in the fall when the water in the canyon is low, temperatures are down, and the foliage is on full display. I’d recommend mid-late October as the best. However if you’re dreaming of epic milky way photos then August is better but keep in mind the heat is no joke.
4. Lodging: Here’s our favorite hotel near Natural Bridges.
5. The Nos: No drones & no pets on trails. Pets are allowed anywhere a car is allowed and no further. This is important to preserve the fragile desert ecosystem and rangers will write you up for it.

Basic Information About Natural Bridges National Monument

Location: Southeastern Utah
Size: 7,636 acres
Established: April 16, 1908
Managed by: National Park Service
Rank: #22

History of Natural Bridges National Monument

Natural Bridges became a National Monument at the stroke of Theodore Roosevelt’s pen on April 16, 1908 as Utah’s first national monument. The area was preserved for both it’s cultural and geological significance being home to not only some of the world’s finest natural arches but also ancient Native American sites. It’s estimated that humans have inhabited the area for nearly 10,000 years (since around 7500 BCE) and evidence of their time remains well-preserved to this day.

Getting To/Around Natural Bridges National Monument

If you plan to visit Natural Bridges you’ll need a car as there’s no public transport here. To get a car you’ll have to either bring your own from home (which poses quite a logistical challenge for most) or rent a car. The closest major cities to Natural Bridges where rental cars are prevalent are quite the trek :

• Flagstaff (4 hours)
• Albuqeurque (5.5 hours)
• Salt Lake City (5.5 hours)
• Santa Fe (6.5 hours)
• Phoenix (6.5 hours)

Most folks who end up visiting Natural Bridges tag it onto a Utah national parks road trip as its only 2.5 hours from Moab (home of Arches & Canyonlands), less than 2 hours from Four Corners, and under 1.5 hours from Monument Valley. Once you’re in the monument itself you’ll find getting lost (on the road) is impossible. The park consists of a simple, one-way loop road (Bridge View Drive) that takes about 40 minutes to complete.

Natural Bridge vs Natural Arch

Here’s the differences between a natural bridge vs a natural arch in the most basic terms possible:
Natural Bridge: Formed by water cutting through rock.
Natural Arch: Formed by erosion (wind, water).

Now there are some nuances for those interested. For example, while all natural bridges are technically arches because of their shape, not all arches are bridges. The key difference lies in how they’re formed and, specifically, the role that water plays in the formation of natural bridges. Allow me to elaborate.

Natural Arch

So, a natural arch is formed through the process of erosion. This can happen in various ways, such as wind or water eroding the rock, or even frost action where the freeze-thaw cycle causes cracks to expand over time. The main thing about arches is that they’re formed primarily by these natural forces acting on the rock, and they can be found in a variety of settings, from deserts to coastlines. They stand out for their graceful curves and openings that create a window-like effect on the landscape. Pictured above, the famous Delicate Arch in Utah is the perfect example of a natural arch!

Natural Bridge

On the flip side, a natural bridge is a type of natural arch, but with a specific difference: it’s formed by running water. Essentially, a natural bridge is created when a stream or river carves its way through rock, eventually creating an arch-like structure. This means that natural bridges are almost always found in areas where water flow, like a river or stream, has played a significant role in the erosion process. They’re like the earth’s version of an overpass, with water flowing beneath. A great example is the Sipapu Bridge in Natural Bridges where water flowing through a canyon has created this bridge.

Top Things to See & Do in Natural Bridges National Monument

1. Sipapu Bridge

Ask three different people and they’ll give you three different answers as to which bridge is their favorite in Natural Bridges National Monument. For me, it’s Sipapu. Here’s why. For starters, Sipapu is the largest and most imposing bridge in Natural Bridges National Monument. At 220 feet tall and spanning 268 feet across Sipapu is both taller than the space shuttle and longer (nose to tail) than a Boeing 747. If there’s only one bridge you see at Natural Bridges National Monument, this is the one.

• Height: 220 feet (67 meters)
• Width: 31 feet (9.5 meters)
• Span: 268 feet (82 meters)
• Thickness: 53 feet (16 meters)

The current name “Sipapu” was given to the bridge from the early 1900s surveyor William Douglas (not to be confused with the Supreme Court Justice) who mistakenly believed the area was most closely associated with the Hopi (rather than the Paiute). Sipapu is a Hopi word roughly translating to “opening between worlds”.

Sipapu Bridge Hike

• Distance: 1.4 miles (round trip) / .7 miles each way
• Elevation: 430 feet (each way)
• Time: 1-2 hours (depending on speed)

If you’re not mobility limited, hiking to Sipapu Bridge is the top thing to do at Natural Bridges National Monument. The hike starts not from the Sipapu Viewpoint (which comes first on the loop road) but rather the picnic area .3 miles down the road. All along the hike you’re treated to wonderful views of the canyon and bridge down below. There are several staircases and ladders that must be climbed to reach the bottom.

Once there you can link up with the loop hikes that follow the canyon and take you to more bridges (more on that below). I recommend starting the hike around sunrise for the best light. If you’re feeling extra adventurous (and have headlamps) seeing the stars through the bridge at night is especially cool.

2. Owachom*o Bridge

Of the three bridges in Natural Bridges National Monument, Owachom*o is the most delicate and most likely to collapse. Depending on how active the Moab fault decides to be, this is the one that could go even in our lifetime. While there’s no imminent threat of this happening, you never know!

• Height: 106 feet (32 meters)
• Width: 27 feet (8 meters)
• Span: 180 feet (55 meters)
• Thickness: 9 feet (3 meters)

It’s “fragility” aside, Owachom*o is impressive albeit smaller than the other two bridges. Some folks prefer it to the others because it’s span is the thinnest of all the bridges at just nine feet and the most accessible. Also named by William Douglas (spoiler alert – they all were) for the Hopi word meaning “rock mound”.

Owachom*o Bridge Hike

• Distance: 1 mile (round trip) / .5 miles each way
• Elevation: 180 feet (each way)
• Time: 30-45 minutes (depending on speed)

For folks seeking the easiest bridge to access, Owachom*o is just your pace. A short half mile hike with minimal elevation gain leads you right to the bridge. While you’re not allowed to hike or stand on top of it, the view from below is enough to inspire.

3. Kachina Bridge

While not the largest or the smallest of the bridges, Kachina is the thickest by nearly double that of Sipapu. In terms of location, Kachina is situated about between Sipapu and Owachoma and thus is often referred to as the “middle bridge”. It is also the most recently altered bridge. In 1992 a massive 4,000 ton chunk of sandstone fell from the bridge enlarging the opening to its current state.

• Height: 210 feet (64 meters)
• Width: 44 feet (13 meters)
• Span: 204 feet (62 meters)
• Thickness: 93 feet (28 meters)

Named by William Douglas for the pictographs underneath the bridge that depict what he interpreted as Kachina dancers. The petroglyphs remain today and are really cool to see. Approaching the bridge from the Kachina Bridge Trail, the petroglyphs will appear on the right side just as you get underneath the bridge’s enormous span. Reflective pools often make for beautiful displays under Kachina.

Kachina Bridge Hike

• Distance: 1.4 miles (round trip) / .7 miles each way
• Elevation: 460 feet (each way)
• Time: 1-2 hours (depending on speed)

The Kachina Bridge Trail is similar to the Sipapu Bridge hike in almost every way. At 1.4 miles round trip the distance is nearly identical as is the elevation at 460 feet each way. Personally I think the Kachina Bridge trail is slightly more challenging as there’s fewer ladders and stairs. It is a steep descent and thus not a good choice for anyone with mobility issues.

4. World Class Stargazing

As the world’s first ever International Dark Sky Park, Natural Bridges National Monument is one of the best places on the planet to observe the celestial happenings of the night sky. On a clear night you can see thousands of stars along with the milky way without any special equipment (aka with your own eyes). On a personal note, I have traveled the world over and photograph dark skies for a living – I’ve never seen better.

If you plan to visit for the dark skies, check out a moon calendar to be sure you’re visiting on or near the dark of the moon. The light of the moon greatly diminishes the amount of stars one can observe so try to plan your viewing after the moon has set. For those seeking stunning shots of the milky way, I recommend July and August as prime months to see the core (largest) section of the band.

5. Explore (And Respect) Horse Collar Ruin

Situated between Sipapu and Kachina Bridges (much closer to Sipapu) lies one of the best preserved Puebloan sites in the world known as Horse Collar Ruin. The ruin has been “lost” and “found” several times, most recently having been “found” in 1937 by the then superintendent of Natural Bridges National Monument, Zeke Johnson. Its current state of preservation is a testament to the area’s remoteness as well as park management.

The site is especially remarkable because of it’s almost fully intact kiva with original roof which gives visitors a glimpse into how these were constructed. Visitors are not allowed to touch or go into any of the structures but those willing to trek down to the ruin are afforded the exceedingly rare opportunity to get up close and personal with such a site.

Those interested in viewing the ruin have two options:

• Easy Option: .6 mile round trip hike with minimal elevation gain to the Horse Collar Ruin Overlook
• More Difficult Option: Roughly 3 mile round trip hike with about 500 feet of elevation (down then up) to Horse Collar Ruin itself.

To see it well from above really requires binoculars but better than nothing if you or someone in your party has mobility issues. If you plan on hiking down to Sipapu Bridge then adding Horse Collar Ruin (an additional 1.5 miles of flat hiking round trip) is a no brainier in my opinion. From the Sipapu Trail, continue southwest toward Kachina. They’ll appear on the right side of the canyon wall fairly early on. An easy scramble takes you right up.

6. The “Hidden” Kachina Ruins

Probably the coolest part of my most recent trip to Natural Bridges National Monument was discovering the “hidden” Kachina Ruins. Prior to visiting I knew of their existence but did not know where exactly they were located, only an approximation. I must say I almost didn’t find them and reached several dead ends before finally arriving at the ruins. There is no signage and no official trails leading you here.

Upon arriving you’ll see an area that’s roped off where the ruins lie as well as a little wooden box perched on a boulder. Opening the wooden box the NPS has left a nice little note which adds to the fun:

“Greetings! You have discovered one of the lesser known and least visited archeological sites at Natural Bridges.” The message goes on to implore visitors to be good stewards of the site which sadly many folks are not as footprints are clearly visible beyond the roped off area. At the site you’ll find some neat ruins with petroglyphs and pictographs on the wall nearby.

I found the “discovery” of this site to be half the fun and in that spirit I’ll give you the clues I used to find it. For starters, it’s located very close to Kachina Bridge. Prior to visiting I had seen photos like the one below and used the prominent orange water marks on the canyon wall as a guide to get to the site. If you make it to Kachina Bridge and look for those marks, it shouldn’t be too hard to find! If you want the adventure taken out of the process drop a comment below with your contact info and I’ll be happy to email it to you.

7. See the Many Hands Alcove

It’s interesting that the NPS doesn’t really mark where any of the archeological sites in Natural Bridges are except for Horse Collar Ruin and then they only mark where the viewing area from above is. There are no official signs that direct you to any of them and “Many Hands Alcove” is no different.

I’m working to get more information on this site and will update once I have it. I’m not sure how old these pictographs are but seeing them was really cool. Personally I enjoyed this more than the Horsecollar site. Seeing human hand prints connects with me more than the human built structures. If you visit, obviously don’t touch the handprints as tempting as it may be to compare yours with theirs. This can be done without touching the wall.

Getting to the Many Hands Alcove is a bit tricky. Follow the Sipapu Trail toward Horsecollar Ruin. Hang to the right of the canyon and look for a sandy bank. Behind it is the alcove. If you reach Horsecollar Ruin then you’ve gone too far and can try again on the way back.

8. Check Out the Bridge Overlooks

So we’ve chatted about each of the bridges and how to reach them. But some days you’re just not feeling the hike and that’s OK. Luckily Natural Bridges National Monument’s got your back. Each natural bridge has a designated viewpoint that offers some really impressive views of the canyon with the bridge below.

Better yet, each overlook has really a nicely paved path to reach it making them fully ADA accessible. Talk about a win for everyone. The overlooks are great places to watch sunsets & sunrises with Owachom*o being the best for sunrise and Sipapu being the best for sunset.

9. Admire Bears Ears (From Afar)

A few years ago Jim and I created a short film on the Manti-La Sal National Forest in which lies Bears Ears National Monument with the US Forest Service and Visit Utah. The ears themselves are more impressive from afar than up close because with this region being relatively flat, the Bears Ears are visible for miles and miles away. This is no exception in Natural Bridges National Monument. Seeing them in person one realizes why they have been so important in native culture for so long.

The first image above is using a zoom lens while the next image below is more representative of how they appear from the monument. If you’re in the area I highly recommend checking out our Manti-La Sal article which has lots of great nearby and pretty under the radar spots to check out.

10. Hike the Loop Trails

If you’re up for some longer hikes the consider one of the parks three loop trails. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Sipapu to Kachina Loop: 5.7 miles with roughly 1000 feet of elevation change. If you there’s one loop you do, it should be this one. It’s the shortest and pretty much all of the best archeological sites lie within these two bridges. You can start at either bridge trailhead (I recommend starting with Sipapu) and then descend down into the canyon, back up again, and then use the Mesa Top Trail which takes you back to the overlook you didn’t start with.
• Kachina to Owachom*o Loop: 6.5 miles with roughly 750 feet of elevation change. This one I don’t really recommend unless you’re really just looking to check extra boxes. Same idea as above but less canyon scenery.
• Full Loop: 12 miles with roughly 1200 feet of elevation change. This trail is long and should only be attempted by experienced hikers who have packed plenty of water & snacks. This is a full day activity and should be treated as such. With that being said, would make for a fun hike if you’ve got the time.

My two cents is hike the Sipapu to Kachina loop and then drive to Owachom*o. Once you’re down into the canyon you’ve got to come back up anyway, might as well do it at the next bridge and see all the cool sites in between. The loop adds three miles but well worth it especially since the added miles are flat.

Camping at Natural Bridges

If you’re visiting Natural Bridges it’s kind of a sin not to stay for the dark skies and if you’re staying for the dark skies might as well snag a campground. Few things invoke best times vibes like a campfire under the stars. The good news here is that Natural Bridges has a developed campground! Nine of the thirteen sites are able to be reserved while three are held for first come first serve (at least a portion of a campground’s sites should always be FF in my opinion).

Natural Bridges Campground Info

• $16/night fee
• 12 campsites
• Vault toilets
• 1 ADA site
• Campground reservations

For a desert campground there’s actually a decent amount of privacy via junipers & piñon pines. In the summer this place is really hot with temps that can soar into the triple digits but nights pretty much always dip back down at least into the 60s (typically even cooler) making camping here enjoyable even during the hotter months.

Watch the Natural Bridges Video

To make this film we spent a couple of weeks here in late October to shoot the park during the autumn season (our favorite time to visit). It was so much fun. During the process we shot terabytes worth of footage and condensed that down into the 3 minutes that capture the essence of this very special place. We hiked every trail in the park and visited every one of the top attractions (and many more).

Shooting at night was especially fun. We hiked down to each of the bridges with headlamps to grab time lapses of them. Many of the time lapses in this film are 10+ hours of time condensed into a few seconds.

This film (along with so many others we’ve created over the years) was made possible by the good folks at Visit Utah.

FAQ – Natural Bridges National Monument

Map of Natural Bridges National Monument

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