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[Illustration: Cover: _Owachomo Bridge._]
[Illustration: Natural Bridges National Monument]
[Illustration: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR · NATIONAL PARK SERVICE]
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, _Secretary_ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Conrad L. Wirth, _Director_
_Three gigantic natural bridges carved out of sandstone and located in a region of superb scenery_
San Juan County, in the southeastern corner of Utah, is a land of brilliantly colored cliffs, tortuous box canyons, pinnacles, and arches. Near the center of this scenic and geologic potpourri is Natural Bridges National Monument.
Within the monument are three huge natural bridges. While they are exceeded in size by the great Rainbow Bridge, which lies about 60 miles to the southwest in Rainbow Bridge National Monument, they rank with the largest known natural bridges.
One of these bridges--Owachomo--is directly across the 600-foot-deep Armstrong Canyon and spans the mouth of a short tributary canyon. The road from Blanding, Utah, ends at the rim of the Armstrong Canyon. To visit the other bridges in the monument, one must walk. The trail is unimproved, and sometimes rough, but the 6-mile hike is rewarded by views of the magnificent canyons, the bridges, and ancient Indian ruins.
The headquarters area of the monument overlooks the Owachomo Bridge, and a 300-yard trail drops to the bottom of Armstrong Canyon to a point where one can walk under the bridge. Continuing on this trail, Sipapu Bridge may be reached by a 3-mile walk; however, if you wish to see all three bridges with the least walking, drive your car from headquarters, 4½ miles, to the Kachina Bridge parking area and from there it is three-quarters of a mile by a ladder trail to Kachina Bridge and 2 miles from Kachina to Sipapu Bridge, up White Canyon. No trail is maintained between Kachina Bridge and Owachomo Bridge.
The bridges were first seen by white man in 1883 when Cass Hite, a prospector, visited the region. National publicity was given to the area in 1904 when an illustrated article appeared in the National Geographic Magazine. In 1908 the area was proclaimed Natural Bridges National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt. This action was the result of pleas of Utah citizens and of a Government surveyor that the bridges be protected by the Federal Government.