Kachina Bridge Trail

Kachina Bridge is one of the three massive Natural Bridges at the less-than-famous Natural Bridges National Monument. This short-but-steep trail takes you down into a desert ravine with an awesome set of steps cut into the stone. The sheer cliffs next to the stairs makes for a fun but potentially scary hike down to the bridge if the weather is inclement. The phenomenal bridge is a thick piece of sandstone that was eroded away by water running underneath it, rather than by wind, as is the case with arches. There is still a creek running beneath it today, and it is this serpentine ravine that makes up the grander 10-mile loop that visits all three major bridges in the park as well as Horsecollar Ruins. Cottonwood trees line the waterways along with wildflowers in the spring and early summer.

While short, this hike is pretty sweet. There is a waterfall along the way that you can see in the distance in the spring as well as some petroglyphs on the inner walls of the bridge. There are some hand rails and a small wooden ladder along the way because of the steep pitch along some parts of the hike. Other than some sun exposure the hike is short enough to not require too much major planning, but remember to bring some water. There is a bathroom and a lookout at the trailhead.