In 1883, prospector Cass Hite wandered up White Canyon from his base camp along the Colorado River. In search of gold, he found, instead, three magnificent bridges that water had sculpted from stone. In 1904 the National Geographic Magazine publicized the bridges, and in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt established Natural Bridges National Monument, creating Utah's first National Park System area.
Natural Bridges sits high on Cedar Mesa. Intermittent streams have cut two deep canyons and three massive bridges in sandstone formed from what was once the shore of an ancient sea.
See Monument News for current information. |
| Fees: |
The entrance fee is $3.00 per individual for walk-ins, bicycle, and motorcycle visitors, and $6.00 per vehicle. See Monument Fees and Reservations for more details. |
| Hours: |
Open year-round. See Monument Operating Hours and Seasons for more details. |
| Visitor Center: |
The Visitor Center has exhibits and an audiovisual program portraying the geology, history, and wildlife and plants within the Monument. Fill your water bottles here. Once you leave the Visitor Center area there is no water. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours during the summer. |
| Facilities: |
Bridge View Drive leads to overlooks and trailheads for all three natural bridges and Horse Collar Ruin archaeological site. This paved one-way loop road is nine miles long. Each overlook and trailhead has limited parking. |
| Directions: |
- The Visitor Center is 38.5 miles west of Blanding via Utah 95 and Highway 275; 44 miles north of Mexican Hat via Route 261; and 50 miles east of Hite Marina on Lake Powell via Utah 95.
- Get directions from Google Maps.
- Get directions from MapQuest.
- NPS Directions.
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| Coordinates: |
Map Coordinates (NAD83): 37 36.520N; 109 58.649W. |
| Weather: |
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| Regulations: |
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| Precautions: |
- Gasoline, groceries, and lodging can be found 20 miles to the west at Fry Canyon, or 40 miles to the east in Blanding, or south in Mexican Hat.
- If towing a trailer or other vehicle, unhook and leave it in the Visitor Center parking lot.
- Be cautious. The Monument has sheer drop-offs and unfenced trails. Be careful near cliff edges, especially when the rock is wet or icy.
- Watch for lightning and flash floods during thunderstorms.
- See Backcountry Considerations.
- See Backcountry Emergencies.
- NPS News Updates.
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