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Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Insider's Guide to Hiking Rainbow Bridge National Monument
From choosing the best season and trail, to understanding logistics and history, here's what you need to know to hike Utah's Rainbow Bridge National Monument located off the south coast of Lake Powell.
What's Nearby
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Glen Canyon and Lake Powell
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers more than 1.2 million acres of unparalleled opportunities for land- and water-based recreation.
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Grand Staircase-Escalante
The allure of the Grand Staircase region — the bulk of which is contained in the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument — is phenomenal. Sun-drenched Utah backcountry spreads out well beyond the visible horizon from the road, whether you’re traveling along the The All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12, or on Highway 89.
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Kanab
Kanab, Utah is classic American West, surrounded by towering Navajo sandstone cliffs and vistas of sagebrush. Kanab's self-proclaimed title, "Little Hollywood," is fitting for its many abandoned film sets.
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Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Monument Valley, Utah, an iconic symbol of the American West, is the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation and the ideal setting for your next adventure in the warm, high desert climate of southeastern Utah.
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Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Considered sacred in Navajo culture, Rainbow Bridge is a symbol of deities responsible for creating rain, the essence of life in the desert.
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Basecamp Towns
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Bluff
Rich in human and natural history, Bluff is a central point along the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway. It is a gateway to Monument Valley, Bears Ears National Monument, Valley of the Gods and Hovenweep National Monument.
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Kanab
Kanab, Utah is classic American West, surrounded by towering Navajo sandstone cliffs and vistas of sagebrush. Kanab's self-proclaimed title, "Little Hollywood," is fitting for its many abandoned film sets.
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Mexican Hat
Mexican Hat sits along the San Juan River among impressive rock formations. The town gets its name from a rock formation that resembles an overturned sombrero. Get free travel guides and maps for planning your next Utah vacation.
Getting There
Rising up at the mouth of Bridge Canyon, in a cove on Lake Powell, you can reach the bridge by personal boats and watercraft, or boat cruises offered daily from Halls Crossing or Bullfrog Marinas north of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area or Wahweap Marina near the Arizona border. On your cruise, you'll navigate among miles of Lake Powell's curiously sculpted slickrock shores, high up in Glen Canyon. There is no question as to the erosive power of water. Yet water sometimes carves with whimsy and precision. In this way, Rainbow Bridge is more than a symbol of life in the desert — it is the desert come alive.
At full pool, nearly 50 feet of water fill in below Rainbow Bridge, giving dictionary meaning to the monument, which may be erroneously referred to as Rainbow Arch. (Arches have no active water flow while bridges span a watercourse.) Check current Lake Powell water levels here.
With a permit from the Navajo Nation, you can also follow a historic trail on foot or by horseback. Trails exceed 13 miles in length and require good preparation and wayfinding skills (i.e., compass, map, GPS, overnight gear and lots of water).
Due to its remote location on Lake Powell, visiting Rainbow Bridge requires more planning than most Utah national monuments. Before the reservoir, it took a multiday hike (still on option with a permit from the Navajo Nation.). Now, visitors can book a tour or rent a motorized watercraft to the trailhead. There is primitive camping and developed campgrounds in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but not within the boundaries of Rainbow Bridge.
Get directions now and start planning your trip to this magnificent Utah natural bridge.
