Utah has the four grandest natural bridges in the world. Three of
these are in the Natural Bridges National Monument, and the fourth in
the Rainbow Bridge National Monument. There are natural bridges
elsewhere in Utah, and in the Yellowstone and the Mesa Verde National
Parks; also in Virginia and various other places. But so far as known,
the four in these two National Monuments excel all others in size, in
impressiveness, and in wildness of setting.
These National Monuments embrace desert regions in southeastern Utah
which are made up mostly of rock-formations. Standing out on the
strange desert, the fantastic forms and weird sandstone figures
exhibited give the whole region a peculiar impressiveness. There are
countless statuesque forms and groups that are surprisingly faithful
in their resemblance to figures of birds, animals, humans, and
temples; and all are of heroic size.
The bridges in the Natural Bridges Monument are known as the Sipapu or
Augusta Bridge, the Kachima or Caroline Bridge, and the Owachomo or
Little Bridge. The former of each of these names is of Indian origin
and is the official one.
These three bridges are all within a small area. The Sipapu is 260
feet long on the bottom; the span is 157 feet high and 22 feet above
the creek-bed. Its road-bed width is 28 feet. The Kachima Bridge has a
span of 156 feet, a total height of 205 feet, and a width across the
top of 49 feet. The Owachomo Bridge has a light, graceful structure.
Its span is 194 feet and its surface 108 feet above the bottom. The
arching part has a thickness of only 10 feet.
The Rainbow Bridge, whose official name is Nonnezoshie, is more of a
magnificent rainbow arch than a bridge. It has splendid and striking
proportions. Its great graceful arch is 308 feet high and 274 feet
long.
[Illustration: RAINBOW NATURAL BRIDGE
RAINBOW NATIONAL MONUMENT]
These bridges are of sandstone of reddish cast, stained in many places
with blackish or greenish lichens and rust. Like any other rock-forms,
they are the product of various erosive forces--illustrating the
survival of the fittest. Their material, being slightly more durable
than that of the now vanished rocks, or possibly less severely tested,
has endured while the other material has been dissolved and worn away.
In the fashioning of the surface of the earth Nature sometimes makes
beautiful and imposing statuary. She has done so here. In the
surrounding country are turrets, cisterns, wells, conelike and
dome-like caves and caverns, and nearly complete arches. In fact,
arches and bridges showing every degree of completion and past prime
condition may be seen. Near by are numerous deserted cliff dwellings.
These unusual structures leave a lasting impression on every visitor.
Plans are already under way to make these wonders easily accessible to
the public.