Natural Bridges Nov 22

From Page we drove on through the Navajo Nation, past Hopi Buttes and Monument Valley, over the Green River, up the engineering feat that is the Moki Dugway, and across Cedar Mesa to a new stop for me, Natural Bridges National Monument. It is a small national monument covering a part of the canyon network ultimately draining into the Black Hole of White Canyon. It's name and designation come from an unusual density of natural bridges (i.e. three) but as I found out is also notable for its ruins. 

Agathla Peak

After getting the lay of the land and finding a choice spot at the campground, Heather drove the start of the park loop to drop me off at the Sipapu Bridge trailhead for my hike past three natural bridges through the canyon network. The view from the trailhead across the White Canyon headwaters was fairly spectacular. I said my goodbyes at 2pm and set a 4:30p pickup at the other end of the park.

Trailhead view looking into White Canyon

The trail down through the Cedar Mesa Sandstone was more interesting than I would have guessed with cut steps into slick rock and two bolted ladders to climb down. In only about ten minutes I was on the canyon floor starring up at Sipapu Bridge (frontispiece) overhead. All three natural bridges are the result of canyon meanders being breached. After a few photos I continued downcanyon. I did not know what to expect for a trail (it could have been miles of obnoxious basketball-sized boulder hopping), but soon recognized that most sediment benches had an excellent and not too sandy trail to follow back and forth across and down the drainage. I brought plenty of extra layers just in case but with the constant movement found it pleasant enough to hike in just a shirt. I knew there was a ruin of some description on canyon right after the Deer Canyon confluence and climbed up to see the cluster of structures known as Horse Collar Ruins. These were pretty interesting with several multi-room structures including sleeping rooms and a particularly unique adobe double granary structure with a deep "tub" between the two, also apparently for storage.

Horse Collar Ruins (and below)

I continued on. Unsurprisingly with the ruins and rocks the hike reminded me a lot of a long multi-day hike along the length of Grand Gulch from a Thanksgiving years before. Patches of sun ensured that the hike was not completely freezing like that incredibly cold hike. The canyon was also not quite as sinuous, which meant more forward progress. At one spot a particularly nice canyon wall loomed on the left. Soon after I turned the corner to see the tell-tale window of Kachina Bridge. Kachina Bridge was certainly the chunkiest of the three bridges, and also clearly younger than Sipapu with its limited downcutting since abandoning its meander. This bridge occurs right at a major confluence leading to some extra confusion and head scratching on my part.

Kachina Bridge (and below)

Past Kachina Bridge trail signs pointed upward onto a cliff bench but I was thinking this was the trail heading up to the loop road and so I stubbornly followed the streambed. I very soon came to the base of a dryfall with a slot canyon partially cut into it and a deep pool at the base. I would have to turn back to regain the trail but was confused at this feature I thought was a downstream opposing dryfall. It took me several minutes of total confusion but I eventually recognized I was now heading upstream up a tributary, rather than downstream as I naively thought. That confusion out of the way, I continued hiking. 

A few canyon bends further I checked my map to realize I passed a "ruin view" placemark. I was curious enough to drop my backpack and backtrack along the canyon. Sure enough in the vicinity of the placemark I could see a very well preserved ruin high up on a ledge on canyon left. Looking around the way up was not obvious at all but I decided to invest about a half hour trying to see if there was a reasonable approach. After a few deadends, I ultimately figured out the obscure approach zigzagging upward and around from one ledge to the next until I was finally at the right elevation. I traversed back around the corner and followed the narrow ledge to a rather stately alcove and the ruin that an ammo can register would tell me was known as Perfect Granary. It indeed was a remarkably well-preserved granary with not a rock or stick out of place. I was rather thrilled to stumble upon this unlisted ruin; the gambled effort paid off.

Perfect Granary (interior below)

Back down to my backpack I now had to speed up to get to the trailhead pickup on time. Right as the trail exits the canyon floor to traverse a ledge I ran into Heather and the kids, great timing. Heather and David wanted to walk a bit more so Claire and I moseyed onward, with snack stops, mud stops, and ice play stops. We soon came to Owachomo Bridge, arguably the thinnest and most picturesque. A few quick photos and we continued up to the trailhead with Heather and David not far behind. I was happy to be able to get in my 6.5 mile/2.5 hour jaunt but could tell there was much more to see in the area. I also enjoyed the solitude of not seeing anyone else until the end of the hike.

Owachomo Bridge

We had a nice evening in the campground with a warm fire and aluminum foil wrapped Thanksgiving dinner cooking on the fire. It would be another cold night but thankfully no wind.