Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge is the world’s largest natural bridge. Carved from a fin of red Navajo sandstone, the bridge is 290 feet tall and 270 feet across – higher than the United States Capitol Building, and nearly as long as a football field! The span of Rainbow Bridge has undoubtedly inspired people throughout time–from the neighboring American Indian tribes who consider Rainbow Bridge sacred, to the 300,000 people from around the world who visit Rainbow Bridge National Monument each year.
Rainbow Bridge is considered sacred in Navajo culture as a symbol of deities responsible for creating clouds, rainbows and rain – the essence of life in the desert. Rising up at Forbidding Canyon at Lake Powell, the bridge can be reached by boat cruises offered daily from Halls Crossing, Bullfrog or Wahweap Marinas. Rainbow Bridge can also be reached by foot or by horseback from the Navajo Nation and requires a permit.
Please visit Rainbow Bridge National Monument in a spirit that honors and respects the cultures to whom it is sacred.
Rainbow Bridge National Monument consists of a 160-acre block of land surrounded almost entirely by the Navajo Indian Reservation. Its prime attraction is Rainbow Bridge, the largest, the most symmetrical, and arguably the most beautiful natural bridge in the world. Rising 290 feet above the streambed of Bridge Creek, the bridge is 32 feet thick at its narrowest and spans 270 feet. It consists entirely of salmon-pink Navajo sandstone.
Located on the northwest flank of 10,000-foot-high Navajo Mountain, Rainbow Bridge lies on the floor of a deep sandstone canyon, whose sheer cliffs rise as much as 1,000 feet. The setting was so spectacular that Zane Grey wrote a novel entitled Rainbow Bridge, in which the natural bridge takes on a mystical aspect. Former president Theodore Roosevelt, on a visit in 1913, wrote that he awakened several times in the moonlit night to gaze silently at the looming arch.
Although known to Navajos and Paiutes living in the area, the bridge was not formally discovered by white men until 14 August 1909 when two exploring expeditions, one headed by Dr. Byron Cummings, and one headed by William B. Douglass, joined forces. They were guided by two Paiutes, Nasja Begay and Jim Mike. John Wetherill, well-known professional guide and Indian trader, was also listed as a guide (although he had never been there). Their route to the bridge was around the east end of Navajo Mountain. Charles L. Bernheimer sponsored three expeditions to the bridge in the early 1920s. Participating were well-known guides Zeke Johnson and John Wetherill, and archaeologist Earl Morris. The Bernheimer groups opened up a new route through the rugged sandstone canyons west of Navajo Mountain.
President William Howard Taft set aside the bridge as a national monument in 1910. For many years it was one of the most isolated and hard-to-reach units of the National Park Service. However, in 1956 Congress passed an act authorizing the construction of Glen Canyon Dam. Suddenly Rainbow Bridge, which would be on the projected shoreline of the reservoir to be named Lake Powell, became controversial. The act decreed that barrier dams had to be built to keep the lake out of the monument, but the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in 1973 that since Congress had repeatedly refused to appropriate funds for these barrier dams, that special provision of the act pertaining to them had been abrogated.
Navajo Indians maintain that Rainbow Bridge figures prominently in their religion as a symbol of rainfall and fertility. The Navajos were unable to halt the rise of Lake Powell to the bridge, but the National Park Service agreed to prohibit “disrespectful” acts–such as swimming under the bridge.
Because of its proximity to Lake Powell, Rainbow Bridge is today heavily visited during the warm months. During 1988 the monument received 238,307 recorded visitors.
A Bureau of Reclamation report dated 1985 stated that a ten-year study showed that the presence of Lake Powell had no effect on the stability of the bridge. The report continued, “Joint controlled rockfall was the predominant erosive process in forming the bridge. [This process is] actively continuing today and will eventually cause the destruction of the bridge.”
W.L. Rusho
Park Information
VISITATION: 300,000 per year. Highest May through September; lowest in January.
LOCATION: San Juan County, UT, immediately adjacent to Navajo Mountain and the Navajo Reservation.
ADDRESS:
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
P.O. Box 1507
Page, AZ 86040
TELEPHONE:
(520) 608-6404
OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS: Dangling Rope Marina, the closest source of first aid, water, gas, and supplies, is open year-round. A ranger station there is staffed intermittently year-round. Rangers are at Rainbow Bridge daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, less frequently other times of the year.
CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING: Summers are extremely hot with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with night time lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable with extended periods of strong winds. Fall is generally mild. Temperatures range from 110°F (43°C) in June & July to O°F (-18°C) in December & January. Although precipitation is generally less than 6 inches (15cm) annually, both heavy rains and flash flooding can occur. Recommend lightweight, light colored clothing in summer, including a hat. Layers of clothing are best other times of year.
DIRECTIONS: Public access to Rainbow Bridge is by boat across Lake Powell. Trips to the bridge may be made in private, rental, and tour boats. A courtesy dock is available for short-term docking while people make the 1/2 mile (.8km) walk to the bridge. By boat, it is approximately 50 miles (80km) from Wahweap, Bullfrog, or Halls Crossing to Rainbow Bridge. Some people backpack to Rainbow Bridge across Navajo Nation lands. A permit from the Navajo Nation is required. You may write to: Navajo Nation, Parks and Recreation Department, Box 9000, Window Rock, Arizona 86515.
TRANSPORTATION: If you do not have your own boat you may rent one from ARAMARK, the Glen Canyon NRA concessionaire, or take one of the boat tours from Wahweap, Bullfrog, or Halls Crossing Marinas to the bridge.
FEES, COSTS, RATES: There is no entrance fee to Rainbow Bridge, but fees are charged to enter Glen Canyon NRA. Commercial fees/rates are available upon request to ARAMARK (1-800-528-6154).
FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits: There is a small ranger station at Dangling Rope Marina, approximately 10 miles (16km) south of Rainbow Bridge. Dangling Rope is accessible only by water. This ranger station is staffed by park personnel on an intermittent basis. There is also bulletin board information at Dangling Rope and outdoor exhibits at Rainbow Bridge.
Trails, Roads: There are no roadways. There is a short 1/2 mile (.8km) trail from the Rainbow Bridge courtesy dock to Rainbow Bridge (trail length varies due to fluctuating lake levels). Travel off-trail is not permitted in order to revegetate trampled areas.
Lodging and camping facilities:There are NO lodging or camping facilities at or near Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Lodging and camping facilities are available at some of the marinas within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Lake shore camping from boats is available within Glen Canyon NRA, but not within Rainbow Bridge National Monument boundaries.
Food/supplies: Basic supplies can be obtained at Dangling Rope Marina, approximately 10 miles (16km) south of Rainbow Bridge on Lake Powell. Accessible only by water, Dangling Rope has boat gas, limited groceries, water, boat pump out, and rest rooms. The courtesy dock at Rainbow Bridge has rest rooms only.
Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities: The park’s concessionaire, ARAMARK, provides boat tours to Rainbow Bridge on a daily basis from May through September and intermittently other times of the year. Both half-day and full-day tours are available at Wahweap. Full-day tours only from Bullfrog and Halls Crossing. For further information, contact ARAMARK at (800) 528-6154.
Accessibility: Wheelchairs have access to the docks and facilities at Dangling Rope. They also have access along the courtesy dock at Rainbow Bridge to exhibits and a view of Rainbow Bridge. Assistance is required to go further along the paved trail.
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE: Although Rainbow Bridge is immediately adjacent to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, it is a separate unit of the National Park System. Rainbow Bridge was declared a National Monument in 1910 and, as such, the range of permitted activities is smaller than for the recreation area. Visitors may take the trail from the courtesy dock to the viewing area for the bridge. We ask that visitors respect the religious significance of Rainbow Bridge to neighboring tribes and consider viewing Rainbow Bridge from the viewing area rather than walking up to or under the bridge (for more information about the religious significance of Rainbow Bridge click here). Traditional water-based recreation activities such as swimming, fishing, water skiing, etc. are not allowed anywhere within the monument.
RESERVATIONS/PERMITS: Special Use Permits are required for special activities or organizations wishing to utilize the area for official functions. A Film Permit is required for any commercial filming activities. For further information call (520) 608-6200. A hiking permit must be obtained from the Navajo Nation in order to backpack around Navajo Mountain to Rainbow Bridge. Call (520) 871-6647 or 4941 for further information.
BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS: Visitors should plan on a minimum of four hours to boat to the bridge, hike to the viewing area and return to their original destination. A minimum of six hours if they leave from the Hite area of Lake Powell. Boat tours are 1/2 day (Wahweap only) and full day (8 hours)