National park
National monument · Southern Utah
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
One of the largest natural bridges in the world, a salmon-colored span 290 feet high, sacred to Navajo and other tribes. Reached by boat across Lake Powell or a long hike across the Navajo Nation.
Photo: Jason Hickey · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Rainbow Bridge rises about 290 feet above Bridge Creek and spans about 275 feet, a natural bridge of Navajo Sandstone shaped like a rainbow turned to stone. For the Navajo and other neighboring tribes it is a sacred place, and the park asks visitors to view it respectfully from the viewing area rather than walking beneath it.
Most visitors arrive by boat across Lake Powell, a round trip of roughly 100 miles from Wahweap or Antelope Point near Page, Arizona. Low lake levels in recent years have changed access: at times the courtesy dock is far from the bridge and visitors walk one to two miles or more each way, and commercial tours have sometimes been suspended. Check before you plan.
The other way in is on foot, on long, rugged trails that cross the Navajo Nation from the south side of Navajo Mountain. They require a permit from Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation and real backcountry experience.
Don't miss
- Rainbow BridgeOne of the world’s largest natural bridges, nearly as tall as the Statue of Liberty.
- Boat ride across Lake PowellHours of red-rock canyons and side channels on the way.
- Walk from the dockA trail up Bridge Canyon to the viewing area; length depends on the lake level.
- Navajo Mountain trailsMulti-day backpacking routes across the Navajo Nation, permit required.
Good to know
- Lake Powell levels change access every year. Check the park site and tour operators for current dock and trail conditions.
- Hiking routes require a permit from Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation, arranged in advance.
- Do not walk under the bridge. It is a sacred site, and the park asks visitors to stay at the viewing area.
- Bring water and sun protection; there is little shade between the dock and the bridge.