Natural Bridges National Monument, UT
DatesApr 22nd - Apr 28th 2012 Service ProjectInvasive tamarisk removal Free DaysDay hikes to explore natural bridges, ancient ruins & rock art, photography AccommodationsCar and tent camping in administrative campground Trip RatingStrenuous : Long, 4-8 mile, off-trail day hikes to remote canyons LeadersCarter Bland Equipment |
Natural Bridges sits high on Cedar Mesa, 6,500 feet above sea level. Intermittent streams have cut two deep canyons and three massive bridges in sandstone formed from what was once the shore of an ancient sea. In honor of the Native Americans that made this area their home, the bridges are named "Kachina," "Owachomo" and "Sipapu." At each of the bridges, trails descend into the canyons. A longer trail meanders along the canyon bottoms through oak and cottonwood groves, connecting the three bridges in one spectacular loop hike. Natural Bridges preserves habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Visitors may see mule deer browsing, hear the falling notes of a canyon wren, or smell the sweet aroma of spring wildflowers. The greater Cedar Mesa region comprises a gently sloping mesa top of pinyon-juniper forest criss-crossed by serpentine canyons including the well-known Grand Gulch. The area is famous for its Ancestral Puebloan cliff ruins and rock art. Our service project will be to help the park service eradicate invasive tamarisk shrubs in small, remote canyons that feed into the main White Canyon system that forms the monument. These plants soak up large quantities of scarce water that wildlife depend upon, and out-compete native plants. We'll camp in tents near our vehicles in an administrative campground and make daily forays into the backcountry to identify and eradicate tamarisk. Hikes to and from the worksite may be 2-4 miles each way, so you must be in good hiking shape.
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