Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California May 17, 2023

Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California

California brown pelicans, cormorants, and gulls enjoy jostling for position on top of this stunning rock formation in Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. It is the sole surviving natural "bridge" in this state park. Once three bridges stood side-by-side here, carved by waves into cliffs that jutted out into the Pacific. This one stood in the middle, but the outermost bridge collapsed in 1905 and the innermost one disappeared in 1980.

© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

May 17, 2018Celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day
May 17, 2019Work out on your way to work
May 17, 2020My my, it s Syttende Mai
May 17, 2021Happy Syttende Mai!
May 17, 2022Salt ponds of Maras, Peru
May 17, 2024Endangered Species Day
May 17, 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
May 17, 2026Hawksbill Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 2, 2019Tesla, the visionary
Feb 19, 2021Colorful cows of the reef
Nov 4, 2025Tower Bridge, London, England
May 2, 2022Pamukkale, Turkey
Nov 15, 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Apr 8, 2020Santorini through the clouds
Dec 2, 2024Moose, Denali National Park, Alaska
Aug 7, 2018Guiding ships to safety
Aug 10, 2020Kings of the Kalahari
Nov 30, 2018In the Highlands for Saint Andrew s Day
Apr 7, 2023International Beaver Day
Feb 2, 2019Groundhog Day arrives—beyond a shadow of a doubt
Feb 20, 2025Ansel Adams birthday
Feb 9, 2024Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Aug 28, 2024Paralympic Games begin in Paris
Jul 15, 2023Castelmezzano, Italy
Jan 11, 2026Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
Jun 16, 2022Seonam Temple, South Korea
Oct 10, 2020Birds of a feather
Jun 20, 2019In celebration of America’s national bird
May 15, 2022Lunar eclipse
Feb 4, 2020Rock of ages
May 9, 2018Longtailed widowbird at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa
May 17, 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
Mar 28, 2019Let us introduce you…
Feb 19, 2022Mount Logan in Yukon, Canada
Oct 16, 2024National Fossil Day
Aug 3, 2018Taking the scenic route to Sturgis
Aug 16, 2021Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
Feb 13, 2026Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connecting Laos and Thailand