Natural Bridges National Monument

Natural Bridges National Monument encompasses a total area of 7,636 acres of land that is located approximately fifty miles northwest of the Four Corners boundary of southeast Utah, in the western part of the country. The national monument is also located close to the junction of White Canyon and Armstrong Canyon, which are a part of the Colorado River drainage. 

Visitors can find access to the main entrance of the Natural Bridges National Monument by driving to the end of UT 275 which is in turn 35 miles west of Blanding on UT 95. The national monument was declared on April 16, 1908, and is managed by the National Park Service.

The main central attractions to this national monument are the three natural bridges that are carved from the white Permian sandstone of the Cedar Mesa Formation. These bridges Owachomo, Kachina, and Sipapu are all Hopi names (a Native American tribe that lived in northeastern Arizona) and are the thirteenth largest natural bridge in the world. 

The protected area also includes several other attractions of historical and cultural significance including Ancestral Puebloan rock art and ruins. Besides these attractions, visitors to Natural Bridges National Monument can also get to participate in other recreational activities like auto touring, hiking, camping, interpretive talks, and bicycling. 

Some of the conveniences in the park to facilitate these activities include a visitor center, picnic area, museum, campground, self-guided trail, and restrooms. Although dogs are welcome into Natural Bridges National Monument, some restrictions may prevent dog owners from thoroughly enjoying their experience in the park. 

For example, areas like the visitor center are entirely out-of-bounds to dogs and other pets, and so are other park buildings at the park. Furthermore, dog owners are always expected to keep their dog on a leash in any other area that they are allowed to visit.