THE GREAT NATURAL BRIDGES OF UTAH 



15& 



bridge. It is a graceful structure, as will 

 be seen from the accompanying illustra- 

 tion, having a span of 194 feet and an 

 elevation of 108 feet. The top of the 

 bridge is 35 feet wide, while the arch in 

 the center is only 10 feet thick. Thus 

 these proportions give an impression of 

 lightness that is very pleasing to the eye. 

 Round about are domes and turrets fash- 

 ioned by the same forces that produced 

 the graceful lines and curves of the 

 bridge, and nestling in a cave worn in 

 the sunny side of the cliff near one end 

 is a deserted cliff-dwellers' village. 



Passing on down Armstrong Canyon 

 about 3 miles, you find your way almost 

 blocked by a projecting cliff" that towers 

 above you in amazing proportions. On 

 the right and on the left similar cliffs 

 seem to be elbowing you out of the way. 

 At the right, however, you notice that 

 the barrier has been worn away ; but this 

 is many feet above where you now stand 

 and plainly marks the course of a mighty 

 stream that once forced its way among 

 these cliff's. 



Continuing on down the bed of the 

 present-day stream, now nearly dry, you 

 find a few rods farther on that you have 

 reached the end of Armstrong Canyon 

 and stand in the shadow of a vast arch- 

 way which the waters of White Canyon 

 have cut through this barrier that just 

 now seemed to block the course of the 

 Armstrong. This is the Carolyn bridge, 

 a massive archway carved out of the 

 same red sandstone formation and still 

 showing the unfinished work of the arti- 

 san in the sharp corners and broken lines 

 of the arch and buttresses. Nature has 

 not yet given the finishing touches to her 

 work, but wind and storm and driving 

 sand will continue to chisel and polish 

 until the lines are all graceful curves, 

 adding greater beauty to this the most 

 massive of the bridges. 



The span is 186 feet wide and from 

 the top of the bridge to the bottom of 

 the gorge is 205 feet. The roadway is 

 49 feet wide and the arch 107 feet thick 

 in the narrowest part, giving such an im- 

 pression of massive strength and solidity 

 that one marvels at the mighty power 

 of nature's work. 



THE AUGUSTA BRIDGE 



Turning to the right Underneath this 

 arch and passing up White Canyon, wind- 

 ing in and out between lofty cliffs that 

 send out their towers and battlements, 

 and in the hollows of whose seamed 

 and scarred sides are seen the abandoned 

 homes, fortifications, and granaries of an 

 ancient population, after a walk of 2^2 

 miles you stand under the arch of an- 

 other of nature's wonders, known as the 

 Augusta bridge. It rises before you in 

 graceful proportions 222 feet high and 

 261 feet between the abutments. The 

 majestic arch is exceedingly regular, en- 

 tirely spans the canyon, and you can 

 hardly realize that it has not been de- 

 signedly placed there as a bridge. The 

 thickness of the stone arch is 65 feet and 

 the roadway is 28 feet wide. 



The Augusta, therefore, is the queen 

 of the \\"hite Canyon bridges. It com- 

 bines massiveness with gracefulness of 

 proportions to an extent that gives an 

 altogether pleasing and satisfying effect. 

 Sitting within its shadow and gazing up 

 at the mighty arch curving above, you 

 wonder how many ages it has taken to 

 fashion such a magnificent piece of work. 

 You climb to the cliff above and watch 

 the play of sunshine and shades upon the 

 rich reds and light browns of the sand- 

 stone that forms its arch and buttresses 

 and comprehend the gracefulness of its 

 outlines and proportions as a whole, and 

 you seem unable to tear yourself away 

 from the spell of its might and beauty. 

 You feel you would like to take up your 

 abode in one of the ancient cliff' dwell- 

 ings near by and become a child of nature 

 again. 



To reach this interesting region people 

 from the north and west should leave the 

 Denver and Rio Grande Railroad at 

 Thompsons and take the stage to Moab, 

 a ride of 35 miles. From Moab one must 

 travel by private conveyance to Monti - 

 cello. 60 miles farther. .At Monticello 

 saddle horses and pack animals can be 

 secured for the trip of 50 miles over 

 Elk Ridge to the bridges. Parties com- 

 ing from the east or south should leave 

 the railroad at Mancos, Colorado, taking 



