Natural Bridges State Beach

Santa Cruz Ca.

In the years before its purchase in 1933 by the state of California, the land that Natural Bridges occupies was home to a dairy, a Brussels sprouts farm, a failed hotel and housing development and even a south seas film set. The beach gets its name from the mudstone natural bridge. Originally there were three bridges, but today only the middle arch remains. This wonder was created by erosion of the rock caused by constant wind and waves. The furthermost bridge fell in the early 20th century and the closest bridge in 1980. Originally open to the public, the remaining bridge is no longer available for public touching and climbing in an effort to preserve the structure for as long as possible. It should be noted that these arches were created millions of years ago and reclamation by the ocean is a natural act.

In the late 1980’s, when I first started in photography in college, Natural Bridges was an inspirational place to shoot. Today, this beautiful park still holds so much interest for me. I have ventured over every inch of the park and created some of my favorite images while exploring there. Sunsets from October to January can be absolutely breathtaking.