Tuesday, July 17 was a beautiful day and we headed off to take Utah Highway 261 up the Moki Dugway to Head to Natural Bridges National Monument.
Moki Dugway is a series of sharp switchbacks up a steep gravel road over less than three miles.
No, I did not take the top photo, but this was the best photo that I could fine to show the steep and narrow road.
I did take the second and third photos. In the second photo UT 261 seems to just disappear into the side of the mountain!!! Have to admit that I kept my eyes shut for most of the ride up the hill!!! As you may know, I do not like heights and drop-offs along the road.At Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center, there is a brief description of the Moki Dugway:
The Moki Dugway is located on Utah Route 261 just north of Mexican Hat, UT. It was constructed in 1958 by Texas Zinc, a mining company, to transport ore from the "Happy Jack" mine in Fry Canyon, UT. to the processing mill in Mexican Hat. The three miles of unpaved, but well graded, switchbacks descend 1100 feet from the top of Cedar Mesa (which is where Natural Bridges National Monument is located). The State of Utah recommends that only vehicles less than 28 feet in length and 10,000 pounds in weight attempt to negotiate this steep (10% grade), narrow and winding road.
The term "moki" is derived from the Spanish word
moqui, which was a general term used by the 18th century Spanish explorers and settlers in this region to describe the Pueblo Indians they encountered and the vanished culture which had left behind the numerous ruins they discovered during their travels. This term continued to be used by the Anglo pioneers, who moved into southern Utah during the 1800's, and their descendants.
Today the standard term used to describe these prehistoric Native Americans, who lived in this region more than 1000 years ago, is "ancestral Puebloans". It is based on present day Puebloan tribes' and archaeologist's beliefs that these people were the ancestors of the today's Hopi, Zuni, Acoma and Rio Grande region cultures. You may also see then commonly referred to as the "Anasazi", a Navajo word meaning "enemy ancestors".
Have to admit that it was a road that really should be experienced
at least once!!! We did not take the Moki Dugway back to our campground.Natural Bridges was discovered in 1883 when 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 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.
(You may have noticed that some places are called National Parks and some are called National Monuments; the difference is that National Monuments are proclaimed by the President and to become a National Park takes an act of Congress)
Several names have been applies to the bridges. First named President, Senator, and Congressman in order of height, the bridges were renamed Augusta, Caroline, and Edwin by later explorer groups. As the park was expanded to protect nearby Puebloan structures, the General Land Office assigned the Hopi names Sipapu, Kachina and Owachomo in 1909.
Sipapu means "the place of emergence", an entryway by which the Hopi believe their ancestors came into this world. Sipapu Bridge is the second largest natural bridge in the world (only Rainbow Bridge in Glan Canyon is bigger). The height is 220 feet, span is 268 feet, width is 31 feet and thickness is 53 feet.
Kachina is named for rock art symbols on the bridge that resemble symbols commonly
used on kachina dolls. Kachina is a massive bridge and is considered the "youngest" of the three because of the thickness of its span. The relatively small size of its opening make it difficult to see from the overlook. The height is 210 feet, span is 204 feet, width is 44 feet and thickness is 93 feet.Owachomo means "rock mound," a feature atop the bridge's east abutment. Owachomo is the thinnest of the three natural bridges and commonly thought to be the oldest. It may never be known for certain, as each of the bridges have eroded at different rates. Regardless of its relative age, it is certainly the most fragile and elegant of the three spans, and an awe inspiring feature of erosion. The height of the opening is 106 feet and the span is 180 feet its width is 27 feet and thickness is 9 feet.
We have visited places that have "arches" and places that have "natural bridges". The difference between the two: Natural bridges are formed by the erosive action of moving water. Arches are formed by other erosional forces, mainly frost action and seeping moisture. Those same forces also work to enlarge natural bridges once stream erosion forms them. Owachomo Bridge now looks more like an arch than a bridge because it no longer straddles the streams which carved it.
There is a trail that led down under the Owachomo bridge, if you closely on the last two photo's you can see John standing below the bridge.
Another wonderful place to visit!!!!
More on the journey back to our campground later.
Until then, love to all,
Candy and Johnny
