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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 14, 2025Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Sep 9, 2022Belize Barrier Reef
Mar 12, 2020Fiesta at Siesta
Jan 28, 2019Ancient groves in Australia
May 22, 2021Blue paradise on the Costa Brava
Jul 11, 2025World Population Day
Jul 25, 2020Going with the floe
Jan 11, 2022Porcupine
Mar 2, 2022Mount Rainier National Park
Feb 2, 2026Groundhog Day
Mar 2, 2021Fall for Chile
Aug 4, 2022Satla marshland in Bangladesh
Jan 21, 2020Observing a squirrelly day
Dec 10, 2018Feeling crabby?
Aug 16, 2025World Honey Bee Day
Aug 9, 2024International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
Mar 30, 2019Here’s why landmarks are going dark
May 18, 2021International Museum Day
Jul 14, 2025Shark Awareness Day
Jan 15, 2021It s truffle season here in the Dordogne Valley
Apr 8, 2025Paro Tsechu Festival in Bhutan
Sep 29, 2018Vietnam’s new bridge deserves a big hand
Nov 2, 2021Day of the Dead
Dec 19, 2022Northern cardinal in winterberry bush
Jan 9, 2022Rice processing in Bangladesh
Oct 1, 2024Yosemite National Park anniversary
Dec 26, 2020Happy Boxing Day!
Nov 23, 2024Fibonacci Day
Apr 1, 2025National Frog Month
Mar 17, 2025Happy St. Patricks Day!