Dick's Outdoors Site

Welcome to my site about the Outdoors.

Here are some things that should be in your backpack.

FISH NET
A small fish net is a great thing to have in the bottom of your pack in case things don't go as planned and you run out of food.

STEEL WIRE
You can do a lot of repairs with some steel wire.

DUCT TAPE
You can do pretty much anything without duct tape but a lot of things are much easier and less frustrating with duct tape.

MULTI PURPOSE TOOL
Once you get used to always carrying a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman tool you feel totally handicapped without one.

RUBBING ALCOHOL
Absolutely necessary to disinfect open wounds. Also comes in handy to start a hard to start fire.

TARP
If you don't bring a tarp you'll regret it.

STOVE
If you bring a propane stove you will have to bring a huge amount of propane with you, and you may still run out, not an option. You have to get a backpacking wood stove. These are very very hard to find in stores, if you can find one you're lucky but if not you can order one from this website: www.trailstove.com they are pretty reasonably priced. There are some wood stoves out there that use battery powered fans, these are not reliable enough for use in an emergency, you do not want any moving parts or batteries at all.

HOW TO MAKE EMERGENCY SNOWSHOES

1. FIND BRANCHES. Cut down two thickly vegetative branches 2-3 ft long (60-90 cm) from a fir or similar tree.

2. TIE STRING. Tie a string about 2 ft long (60 cm) around the base of the branch at a branching near the cut off end, in the branch.

3. TIE STRING AGAIN. Tie string again around the base but on the opposite side of the branching. This ensures that the string is fixed in any direction.

4. ATTACH TO SHOE. Tie string to the front of your shoe. Make sure it goes through the front shoe lace threading holes. Make sure all ends and sides of the branch are pointing up away from the ground.

5. ANGLE. Your shoe should be able to flip up to an angle of around 30 degrees. This is very important, the snowshoes must pivot around your toes and drag in the back. If the snow shoes don't pivot the front ends will go into the snow and you can't move forwards.

6. WALK. If you have done everything right you will be able to walk on the snow with your emergency snowshoes.

Natural Bridges National Monument

Lake Powell, UT

Natural Bridges protects some of the finest examples of ancient stone architecture in the southwest. The monument is located in southeast Utah on a pinyon-juniper covered mesa bisected by deep canyons of Permian age Cedar Mesa Sandstone. Where meandering streams cut through the canyon walls, three natural bridges formed: Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu.

At an elevation of 6,500 feet above sea level, the Monument is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Plants range from the fragile cryptobiotic soil crusts to remnant stands of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. Natural Bridges was established in 1908, making it the oldest National Park Service site in Utah.

CONTACTS

Email - nabrinfo@nps.gov

Fax- (435)692-1111

Write to
HC 60 Box 1
Lake Powell, UT 84533-0101

Phone
Visitor Information - (435)692-1234
Headquarters - (435)719-2100

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Natural Bridges is open year-round. The scenic drive is open every day from early morning until about 30 minutes past sunset.

Getting There
PLANE - Commercial airlines serve Cortez, CO, Grand Junction, CO, Salt Lake City, UT as well as other cities in the southwest.

CAR - The entrance to Natural Bridges is at the end of Highway 275, which is roughly 35 miles west of Blanding on Highway 95. Driving time is roughly 45 minutes.

BUS - Commerical bus and van shuttles service nearby towns. There is no bus service to the monument itself.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - There is no public transportation to Natural Bridges.

Weather & Climate
Summer highs may exceed 100 Degrees Fahrenheit, with lows in the 60's. Fall and Spring temperatures are milder, with highs in the 70's and 80's. Winter temperatures range from highs in the 40's and 50's to lows well below freezing. Snow is usually light to moderate.

Accessibility
The visitor center and restrooms are accessible to all persons. The campground has no designated site for disabled persons but has several sites and one rest room accessible. The three bridge overlook trails are accessible via a concrete sidewalk, however the sidewalk to the Kachina Bridge viewpoint may not be accessible with a standard wheelchair due to its slope.

Getting Around
Visitors usually tour the scenic drive by car or bicycle.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
INDIVIDUAL
$3 for 7 Days

VEHICLE
$6 for 7 Days

WAIVERS

Entrance fee waivers are available to groups when the purpose of their visit is educational rather than recreational.

Local Passport
SOUTHEAST UTAH GROUP
$25 for Annual
Good for entrance to Arches, Canyonlands, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges.

CAMPING

Natural Bridges
Open All Year
13 sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Fee is $10 per night. Sites have fire grates (no wood gathering in the Monument) and picnic tables. Maximum vehicle length is 26 feet. Campground typically fills by early afternoon from early March through late October. Campground is not cleared of snow in the winter.

LODGING

Sorry.
There is no lodging at Natural Bridges. Lodging is available in nearby towns. See the "LINKS" section for travel-related information.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
NATURAL BRIDGES
Open All Year 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone - (435)692-1234
Location - The turnoff to Natural Bridges is on Highway 95, 35 miles west of Blanding or 93 miles east of Hanksville. Highway 275 ends at the monument boundary.
Closures - Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25th, and January 1st.
Special Programs - Orientation video is shown on request. Interpretive talks are given spring through fall.
Exhibits - Exhibits highlight natural and cultural history of the area. Small sales area has books, maps and other publications.
Available Facilities - Restrooms, drinking water.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

FISH NET		A small fish net is a great thing to have in the bottom of your pack in case things don't go as planned and you run out of food.
STEEL WIRE		You can do a lot of repairs with some steel wire.
DUCT TAPE		You can do pretty much anything without duct tape but a lot of things are much easier and less frustrating with duct tape.
MULTI PURPOSE TOOL		Once you get used to always carrying a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman tool you feel totally handicapped without one.
RUBBING ALCOHOL		Absolutely necessary to disinfect open wounds. Also comes in handy to start a hard to start fire.
TARP		If you don't bring a tarp you'll regret it.
STOVE		If you bring a propane stove you will have to bring a huge amount of propane with you, and you may still run out, not an option. You have to get a backpacking wood stove. These are very very hard to find in stores, if you can find one you're lucky but if not you can order one from this website: www.trailstove.com they are pretty reasonably priced. There are some wood stoves out there that use battery powered fans, these are not reliable enough for use in an emergency, you do not want any moving parts or batteries at all.