Natural Bridges National Monument
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| Natural Bridges National Monument | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location | San Juan County, Utah, USA |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 7,637 acres (31 km²) |
| Established | April 16, 1908 |
| Visitors | 97,999 (in 2002) |
| Governing body | U.S. National Park Service |
Natural Bridges National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in about 20 miles west of 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.
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[edit] 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.
[edit] Attractions
The main attractions are the natural bridges, accessible from the Bridge View Drive, which winds along the park and goes by all three bridges, and by hiking trails leading down to the bases 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. In 2007, Natural Bridges was named the first International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association. It is a designation which recognizes not only that the park has some of the darkest and clearest skies in all of the United States, but also that the park has made a every effort to conserve the natural dark as a resource worthy of protection.[1]
Horsecollar Ruin is an ancestral Puebloan ruin visible from an overlook a short hike from Bridge View Drive. The site was abandoned more than 700 years ago but is in a remarkable state of preservation, including an undisturbed rectangular kiva with the original roof and interior, and two granaries with unusual oval-shaped doors.
| 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) |
[edit] Biology
Animals species found in the National Monument include birds, rabbits, lizards, bobcats, coyotes, bears, mule deer, and mountain lions. Plant species include willow, cottonwood, douglas fir, ponderosa pine, pinyon pine, juniper, grasses, and various shrubs.
[edit] See also
- Arches National Park
- Dark Canyon Wilderness
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Manti-La Sal National Forest
- Muley Point
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- National Park Service: Natural Bridges National Monument
- Park Information
- USGS GNIS: Natural Bridges National Monument
