NATURAL BRIDGES OF UTAH 
213 
I 
NATURAL BRIDGING IN THE HIGH PLATEAUS 
By Pro^'. Frederick J. Pack 
University of Utah 
The Natural Bridge of Virginia has been so long regarded as 
one of the famous relief features of this continent and of the 
earth that it has come to be considered as the seventh wonder of 
the world. Utah has many such natural bridges. By side of 
Virginia’s pride Utah’s bridges are simply colossal. Some of them 
are the longest natural spans in existence. Despite the fact that 
so many of these bridges are already under observation in this 
most inaccessible Plateau country others doubtless remain yet 
to be revealed. Further exploration may not possibly result in 
the discovery of structures equal in stately magnitude and im¬ 
posing grandeur to those now known but it is sure to disclose 
many more of close secondary importance. 
The country in which the great bridges are situated is so in¬ 
accessible and irregular that the explorer easily passes within 
a few rods of them without suspecting their existence. Cattlemen 
ranged their stock in the vicinity of the bridges of San Juan County 
for nearly twenty-five years before they discovered them. None 
of their spans were probably seen by white man until 1883; and 
even then Indian guides led the way. The incomparable Nonnezo- 
shie arch is said to have been first visited by an Indian so late 
as 1909. Then again, both of the bridges situated within less 
than fifteen miles of Cedar City, were first seen only about five 
years ago. 
All of the natural bridges here considered are situated in south¬ 
ern and southeastern Utah. Two of them are in Iron County, 
and the others are in San Juan County. The accompanying 
outline map (Fig. 15.) indicates the locations and the routes 
of travel. The mammoth Nonnezoshie arch, because of its pe¬ 
culiar structure and size, is in a class by itself. 
