This is Utah’s first national park and it is beautiful. The monument is approximately 45 min- 1 hour away from the nearest town (Blanding) so be sure you have adequate gas, packed a picnic meal and lots of water! Upon arrival you will pay your entry fee or use your national park pass – America the Beautiful. Next up is the Visitor Center where you can talk to park rangers about the geology, find out hiking conditions or get a schedule of ranger events. Souvenirs, snacks and water are found here- as well as bathrooms! Natural Bridges is situated around a one way 9 mile paved road- so once you start- it’s onwards you go! The road is great condition so you don’t need to worry about rocks, potholes or anything else. Each bridge has its own parking lot. The overlook for the bridges is generally a 10 min (0.3) mile rock on a paved surface from the parking lot making it accessible for seniors, wheelchairs, and strollers! Each bridge also has its own hiking trial. The easiest bridge to access is Owachomo (the last one) which is 0.5 miles round trip. This is not a paved trail- but one of gravel, rocks, etc. It is rated an easy trail- if you are a seasoned hiker- it will not pose much of a challenge, if not- go slow to avoid injury, but you should have little difficulty in doing the hike. So- after leaving the visitor center- you come into the area of the Sipapu Bridge- the hike to this bridge is rated moderate- strenuous. It involves descending into the canyon (remember- what goes down has to come up)- along with metal ladders, and railing hand holds. The final part of the trail is a steep descent on slickrock. If you are not used to slickrock- it is somewhat daunting and many people opted to call this section their stopping point. The bridge is gorgeous- whether you see it from the overlook, on the trail or at the base. It is in the top 15 of the world’s longest natural bridges- adding a bit of a thrill. The hike takes around 2 hours- again less for seasoned, agile folks. The second stop is the Horse Collar Ruin overlook- and you’ll need binoculars or a camera long lens to be able to see the ruins across the canyon. Yes you can hike to these ruins – check with the park ranger to decide which trail length is best for you in terms of ability, time and what you want to see. Most of these trails will fall into the moderate/strenuous category. The third stop brings you to Kachina Bridge. We did the overlook since we chose to hike Sipapu and Owachomo. The final stop is Owachomo. This hike is relatively easy and brings you down to the base- so you can admire the bridge from a variety of perspectives. It really is something to sit and ponder the processes of rain and wind against the sandstone over millions of years- carving out the bridge- if the walls could talk- the stories they could tell. Some day the forces of erosion might become too much for the bridge to withstand, and it, too, will collapse into the canyon below. That is the marvel and majesty of Natural Bridges.

The great debate- Monument Valley or Valley of the Gods caused several weeks of debate. Ultimately it came down to itinerary logistics. It was easier to go Mesa Verde- Chaco Canyon- San Juan River and Valley of the Gods- Natural Bridge National Monument. We tried several other versions but in the end it just required more time and the expense of a tour we decided could be better applied to another area. I can’t say that this was a wrong decision. True, we didn’t get to see some of the iconic rock formations, but we spent several pleasant hours enjoying gorgeous rock formations that were impressive. Best of all, we had the entire place (with the exception of a few remote campers) to ourselves. This left plenty of time for exploration, photography and enjoyment.

The park is extremely easy to access from either Bluff, Utah or Mexican Hat, Utah. The road is circular so you just need to enter at one of the entrances and follow the road to the exit. There are turn offs for exploration. The road is not one way so you may need to slide over to let fellow travelers pass you. The road is gravel, rocks and dirt. It is passable in a regular car- we did it in a minivan, but if there has been recent rain- I would advise checking in with local residents to check on its passability. While driving on the road, you will need to use a reduced speed to avoid flying rocks and damage to your suspension/undercarriage as the “road” has sharp dips, turns and protruding rocks. There are no street lights. Cell phone coverage is spotty. As always be certain you are carrying at least 2L/person of water and adequate gas.

One of the highlights of our evening was seeing the grazing cattle and their babies crossing the road. We were able to park and watch them graze along the side of the road. It was quite enjoyable. The cattle against the backdrops of huge rock formations rising in the distance was an unforgettable memory. Valley of the Gods was a great adventure.

We took the River and Ruins single day adventure from 9:00-3:30 pm. Initially I had been hesitant because of the price- especially when multiplied for a family of 5 adults; however, we had spent the past few days exploring ruins, and I felt it was time for something different. When I first registered I had wanted to do the raft but the booking link only came up for kayaks. We have some experiencing with kayaking on the Concord River, Concord, Massachusetts- so it seemed reasonable to do with 2 double kayaks and a single. The office is easy to locate on the main street in Bluff, Utah. There you will sign consent forms, get fitted for life jackets. Remember to leave all valuables – wallets and other stuff in your car. You will be given a small dry bag to put anything inside that you want to keep dry. The van drives you a short distance to the river entrance where you will meet your guides and get a brief introduction to kayaking. On the day we did the journey- the river was running higher with a stronger current than normal. These conditions were not ideal for beginners-so if you have little to no experience- make sure you understand the river conditions before going off. Because you are paddling downstream very little effort is needed and a swift current will push you ahead of the group as everyone launches. The guides are very good at being in front of you and behind you- so you don’t need to worry about where to go. One thing to know is that the river has rock and tree outcroppings in the center, and along the sides that you must avoid. Capsizing is always a possibility. Approximately half way (4 miles) down the river, you will stop and take a short climb to the Big Kachiinal Panel/ Lower Butler Wash to study the amazing and numerous petroglyphs which will be detailed for you by your Native American guide through story. Plenty of time is given to study the panel, and take photographs. Afterwards it is back on the river for another 4 miles. At this point you will disembark the river portion. Here you will have a nice lunch- with lawn chairs set up for comfort overlooking the river and hills. Lunch is buffet style with sandwiches, salad, chips, fruit and water. The crew will even set up a bucket bathroom for those needing relief. After lunch you board the jeeps for a ride to River House Ruins, remarkably preserved because of its isolation. Here you will learn about the structure, and daily life. You will be able to explore the rooms, kiva , petroglyphs and art- look for the white handprints! The ruin is not large- you will have plenty of time to explore and photograph. Please remember that the ruins are sacred to Native Americans- do not touch or disturb anything on site, do not litter, and keep hands away from petroglyphs and wall art as the oils on your hands can cause destruction. Respect is of utmost importance. Afterward you are back into the 4×4 jeep- we had one with a lower and upper level- for a roller coaster like ride near Comb’s Ridge where the pioneers crossed. Personally, I can’t imagine wagons crossing through all those dips. The jeep eventually arrives at the highway and it is a quick trip back to the store to collect your car. The day was worth every penny. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and the cultural experience was simply the best we had on our vacation. The shop provided detailed information on what to bring and to expect at several points before our vacation, returned inquiries either by phone or email promptly. 5 Stars for a great day!

These cabins are a wonderful find- not only is the price right, but they are spacious, and well kept. The front desk staff is very helpful. You can see photos of all the cabins along with a description on their website (https://thebluffgardens.com/). We chose Cabin 7. Each cabin has a parking area near its entrance. The kitchen comes with a full refrigerator, oven, and stove. The bathroom was large and the shower had plenty of hot water. The floors are tiled so it is easy to sweep out the Utah dust from hiking. Out back their are some lawn chairs for relaxing with scenic views and the night sky is fairly bright for stargazing. You are located on the main street- close to the gas stations and various attractions. This is a great gem!