Overview

Hype:

The Natural Bridges National Monument visitor center has an information desk, gift shop, museum displays, bathrooms, and small theater.

Time:

Fees: Entrance

Recommended Ages:

0-3
4-11
12-19
20-49
50-69
70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Features:
  • Artifacts
  • Potable Water
  • Museums
  • Visitor Centers
  • Restrooms - Flush
  • Road Access is Paved
  • Access Road is 2WD Accessible
  • Interpretive Signs

Links: https://www.nps.gov/nabr/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Getting There

Navigate to 37.609345, -109.977052.

Location

Closest City or Region: Natural Bridges National Monument

Coordinates: 37.609345, -109.977052

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June 29, 2019 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye, Arianne Dye, Miller Dye, Killian Wagner,

Story

Arianne and I took the kids to Natural Bridges National Monument while the other adults did Cheesebox Canyon. We stopped at the visitor center and picked up Junior Ranger booklets, then we proceeded around the loop.

Our first stop was the Sipapu Bridge overlook. We walked the short distance out to the overlook, then we stopped and helped the kids with their Junior Ranger activities for about 15 minutes. We had plenty of time to spend because we didn't want to get back to camp while all the biting gnats were still awake, so we took it nice and slow.

After the overlook, we took the trail down to Sipapu Bridge. The trail was very nice and was especially fun because of the wooden ladders. We were also amused with the steps chisseled into the stone in places. Once we made it down to the arch, we stopped and ate lunch. We explored the trail along the stream looking for the indian ruins, but the coordinates we had must have been wrong because we found some ruins but not where we were expecting. The kids loved the tadpoles in the stream puddles, and Madi was very concerned that some of the tadpoles were going to die because their puddle was drying up and there was almost no water left. We worked on the Junior Ranger books, then we hiked back to the car. The hike back was in the afternoon sun, and it was quite hot. Madi had an especially hard time with the heat and did a lot of complaining. For the steepest part of the trail, I put Killian on one shoulder and Cooper on the other shoulder and carried them both up the trail. 

We made it back to the car around 12:45 then we headed over to the Horsecollar Ruin Overlook Trail. By this point, the kids were pretty hot and tired and were not very interested in hiking at all. You'd have thought that a third of a mile was longer than a marathon for all the complaining we heard. Madi only made it there because I bribed her that I would carry her back if she hiked the whole way there on her own. At the overlook, the kids found a small rock alcove and played inside. The ruins were quite impressive, but I think Ari and I were the only ones who appreciated them.

The next stop was the Kachina Bridge Overlook. Ari stayed in the car with the kids while I went and scoped it out. It was cool, but we decided it wasn't worth the effort to get the kids to walk the 600 ft to the overlook.

Our last stop was the Owachomo Bridge Overlook. Once again, Ari stayed in the car with the kids while I went and scoped it out. The overlook was very impressive, so I went back and got my 3 kids. Ari was still pretty pooped from all the hiking earlier, so she stayed with Miller and Killian. When we got back to the car, we convinced Ari it was worth it, so we all walked back out to the overlook. Like I said, we had lots of time to kill, so we weren't in any hurry.

Once we were all done with the hikes and overlooks, we finished the loop and headed back to the visitor center. We had planned it so we could do the visitor center stuff during the hottest hours of the day. We watched the park film then we sat on the floor of the visitor center right next to the air conditioning vents, and we did all the rest of the activities in their Junior Ranger books. The kids got their badges, we bought our souvenir magnet and walked through the museum, and then we headed back to camp around 3:30.

Pictures

More Trip Reports from Four Corners Road Trip 2019

Friday, June 28, 2019

County Road 227A Primitive Camping

Saturday, June 29, 2019

Cheesebox Canyon

Natural Bridges National Monument

Sipapu Bridge Overlook

Sipapu Bridge Trail

Horsecollar Ruin Overlook Trail

Kachina Bridge Overlook

Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center

Owachomo Bridge Overlook

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Gravel Canyon

House on Fire Ruins

Cave Towers

Sipapu Bridge Overlook

Kachina Bridge Overlook

Owachomo Bridge Overlook

Owachomo Bridge Trail

Natural Bridges National Monument

Monday, July 01, 2019

Lower Mule Canyon Ruins

Edge of the Cedars State Park

Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum

Edge of the Cedars State Park Interpretive Trail

The Dinosaur Museum

Blanding Visitor Center

Tuesday, July 02, 2019

Bluff Fort Historic Site

Sand Island Petroglyphs

San Juan River from Sand Island to Mexican Hat

Wednesday, July 03, 2019

Bartons Trading Post

San Juan Hill

River House Ruin

Goosenecks State Park

Recapture Pocket Primitive Camping

Thursday, July 04, 2019

Recapture Pocket

Four Corners Monument

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center

Mesa Top Loop Drive

Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum

Cliff Palace Tour

Far View Sites

Friday, July 05, 2019

Lowry Pueblo

Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep National Monument Visitor Center

Hovenweep Square Tower Group

Paved Path to Canyon Overlook

Square Tower Loop Trail

Saturday, July 06, 2019

McElmo Falls (CLOSED)

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument Visitor Center and Museum

Escalante Pueblo Trail

Canyon Country Discovery Center

Sunday, July 07, 2019

Medieval Chamber

Grandstaff Canyon to Morning Glory Arch