A camping and hiking trip into the monument. We hiked down to 2 of the 3 natural bridges; and also up to some ruins and petroglyphs near the top layers.
1Pathways of time Over time, water from both sides of the rock wore through and created the Katchina Natural Bridge.
2Narrow path The lightly used trail leads around the rock shelves above the dry river basin.
3Atlatl Panel Atlatl Panel of petroglyphs high above the canyon floor.
4Pantries of the Past Storage rooms built among the layers of time. 900-1300 AD
5Atlatl Panel Atlatl Panel of petroglyphs high above the canyon floor.
6Cloud Pools Pools of cloud reflections on the rock shelves just below the sky.
7Living Rock Layers of life events are shaped and changed by timelines of wind, sand, sun and water. And the rock lives on.
8Yucca in the Ruins In the rubble from a past dwelling, a yucca flourishes.
9Atlatl Panel Atlatl Panel of petroglyphs looks over the canyon floor.
10Monolithic Faces The life of monolithic stone slowly changes as the elements paint its many faces.
11Masons of Time The Human Mason, and the Nature Mason intersect for a brief, cosmic moment.
12Shadows in the Sun The red layers of solid rock overhang shades the white layers from long ago.
13Under Katchina Katchina Natural Bridge
14Life Change A fall from above fractures the sandstone rock.
15View Under Katchina Bridge Katchina Natural Bridge
16Cryptobiotic soil crust Cryptobiotic soil crust is a living groundcover that forms the foundation of high desert plant life throughout canyon country. This knobby, black crust is dominated by cyanobacteria, but also includes lichens, mosses, green algae, microfungi and bacteria.
17Canyon Shelf Up from the Katchina Natural Bridge, a rock shelf extend over the canyon floor
18Afternoon Sun Katchina Natural Bridge frames the view downstream.
19Flash at Knickpoint With blue sky overhead, a flash flood from another place, roars and echos through the crack in the earth.
20Flash at Knickpoint Knickpoint With blue sky overhead, a flash flood from another place, roars and echos through the crack in the earth.
21Over the Bridge Looking over the Katchina Natural Bridge.
22Knickpoint after the Flash Flood After the flash flood, the next day, the Knickpoint still runs.
23Time Falling Away The oldest natural bridge in the monument, Owachomo Natural Bridge, ages with each falling stone from underneath the bridge.
24Bridge of Stone Owachomo Natural Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument
25Gateway to Rocks Owachomo Natural Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument
26Blue gems on the ground Natural Bridges, desert plant doing its part to build the soil.
