Natural Bridges: Owachomo Bridge Hike

Photo byFatmanlittletrail

Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument is a really cool area located in southern Utah. It pretty far off the beaten path, and a bit isolated but its beauty is right up there with Arches National Park. Just in a smaller version with less people! The third and final bridge on the loop is Owachomo Bridge. According to the National Park Services handouts, Owachomo Bridge is 106 feet tall and spans a length of 180 feet. Despite the length, it is relatively narrow at only 27 feet wide! Of the three bridges at National Bridges National Monument, Owachomo Bridge is the easiest to get to and only a half mile round trip!
Getting Started
Owachomo Bridge is the third bridge trail at Natioanl Bridges Natural Monument. It is located on the south-western side of the park loop. There is an overlook and a trail available from the parking lot. If you decide to take the trail, make sure that you have shoes with good grip and some protection from the sun and elements. The trail is short, only a half mile but it gets hot so I would recommend packing water as well!
The trail begins on the western side of the path to the overlook. It is made of dirt and rock and starts out pretty wide before narrowing a bit as you proceed. The views of the bridge stay pretty special throughout most of the hike. In fact, at about the halfway point, or a quarter mile down, are some of the best views.

Photo byFatmanlittletrail

Owachomo
It is only about a third of a mile to make it down to Owachomo Bridge’s base. The trail stays sandy and rocky but its pretty easy to handle. When you make it to the base, there is a large open area to the road side of the bridge and then a smaller section behind the arch.

Photo byFatmanlittletrail

The arch is spectacular up close. It is long and narrow. Owachomo towers overhead and on the day I went in September, it was framed against an amazing blue sky. The fact that you can walk under so much of the bridge and still see sky on either side was really enjoyable for me.

Photo byFatmanlittletrail

For me, this was the most relaxing and inspiring bridge of all. I’m not sure what it was about it. Something about the thinness that framed it. It stood both strong and fragile overhead. Like it was the last thing holding the sky from falling down. It was really pretty special as all the bridges were in their own ways!

Photo byFatmanlittletrail

Video of the hike to Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges
I have put this time-lapse video together of hiking to Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges National Monument so other hikers can get a feel of what the hike is like. If you enjoy this video make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest outdoor content.

Distance and Elevation
If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 0.6 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 151 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 6,097 feet. I was also moving for a total of 19 minutes.
Effort
Of the three bridges at Natural Bridges, Owachomo is definitely the easiest to get to. No ladders or steep slick rock. The trail is just over a half mile roundtrip and the sandy and rocky path is easy to follow. There is a bit of an incline with around 150 feet of difference from the base of the bridge to the parking lot. I think that most people will be able to handle this hike if they take their time. I would still suggest some shoes with good grip to help with the sandy trial.
Terrain
Like all of the trails at Natural Brides, the hike to Owachomo Bridge has plenty of sandy and rocky conditions. There is also little to no cover so you will be exposed to the elements throughout the hike. Otherwise it is a pretty easy hike terrain wise without large inclines and mostly rock steps and sand.
Access to Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument is a bit in the middle of nowhere but the drive is really stunning. It is located on Utah 275. If you are coming from the north there is a stretch of about 40 miles (80 roundtrip) with no services. There is an entry fee at the Monument. Twenty dollars per vehicle and fifteen dollars per night to camp. The fees are collected at the visitor center and there are restrooms and several of the stops along the park loop.
Wrapping up the Hike to Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges National Monument
After a couple of surprisingly challenging hikes to Sipapu and Kachina bridges, it was nice to have a bit of an easier hike down to Owachomo Bridge. Owachomo is really cool and gives that iconic shape of a thinner bridge. This was a perfect way to wrap up the trip to Natural Bridges. A nice leisurely hike that kept the bridge in view pretty much the entire time!
I also think this is a hike that is a bit easier so more people will be able to access the base level of the bridge. It really reminded me a lot of Arches National Park. I really enjoyed it and all of the moments at Natural Bridges National Monument.
I have added this hike and all of my hikes to the interactive map page you can find here. If you have any suggestions for hikes or comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!
Gallery of Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges National Monument