Kachina Bridge is a large natural arch located in Natural Bridges National Monument near Blanding, Utah.
Background
The bridge has a width of 44 feet and a span of 210 feet, making it the widest girth in the park and one of the longest natural arches in the United States.[1] It can be reached via a 1.4 mile round trip hike.
History
The area was first settled by early Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) cliff dwellers as early as early as 7500 BCE.[3] The current name of the arch was given by government surveyor William Douglas. He based the name off the petroglyphs and pictographs depicted on the base of the bridge, believing that the carved figures represented Kachina dancers.[4][5] In July 1992, Approximately 4,000 tons of sandstone fell from the inside of the Kachina bridge, enlarging the opening considerably.[6]
References
- ^ a b "Kachina Bridge". National Park Service.
- ^ "Kachina Bridge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Natural Bridges National Monument". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Kachina Bridge Trail At Natural Bridges National Monument". Poppin Up USA. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ "Kachina Bridge Overlook". Hikearizona.com.
- ^ "Natural Bridges National Monument, Horsecollar Ruin Site". DesertUSA.