Everything You Need to Know to Visit Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Lots of people don’t know that one of the largest natural bridges in the world is located near Page, AZ!! It spans 275 feet and has a height of 290 feet!! Even though there are taller natural bridges/arches in the world, it’s in the top ten and is one of the most accessible…comparatively speaking! My family and I took a boat tour of Lake Powell that included an excursion to Rainbow Bridge.  The tour was long but seeing this natural wonder sure was worth it!

(For tips on visiting Page, check out my other posts!!)

Ways to access Rainbow Bridge National Monument:

This National Monument is technically located in Utah, but since I left out of Page, AZ, I also included it in my Arizona category.  Rainbow Bridge plays a little hard to get, as it’s only accessible via a boat ride or a 2-3 day hiking trip.  There are planes tours over the Bridge, but in my opinion you’re going to want to see this up close and personal!!

By boat: You can either take a personal/rental boat or you can take a boat tour from Wahweap Marina. If you take a personal/rental boat, you’ll want to make sure and have a good map and an understanding of the buoy system.  The entrance for Rainbow bridge is buoy 42.  I read a few reviews of people who took their own boat, and they seemed to think it was a little difficult to find, but doable.

Having not boated there myself, I’m not sure how good the maps in the above link are, but they’re a start for your personal research.  I did find a few forums of people discussing the best maps, but they always ended up private messaging the maps to each other, so I’m unable to provide those for you.

By foot: I consider myself an avid hiker…I love hiking! But me personally? I wouldn’t attempt to see this by foot.  The temperatures are too hot in the summer, monsoon gives the possibility of flash floods, by all accounts the trails aren’t well marked or maintained, and it would most likely take 2-3 days to reach. Both the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation do not take responsibility for search and rescue efforts.  The possibility of being injured in such a desolate area feels like the risk is greater than the reward.  However, I’m not one to discriminate, so I’ll give you what information I could find so you can make a well-informed decision!

The hike to Rainbow Bridge is 14 miles one way.  Most sites suggested this would take 2-3 days, as you have to take into account the harsh weather conditions.  If you choose to hike you’ll have to get a permit from the Navajo Nation, as nearly all of the hike is on their land.  I really, really suggest reading the information in this link if you are wanting to do the hike.  Not only does it have great information but it also has maps for the two trail options to perform this hike.

By air: For those of you who are thinking an aerial view is the way to go, there are several companies who offer plane tours! Here’s a link for those wanting to explore this option!

Restrooms: There are restrooms at the Marina, on the boat, and at the docking area for Rainbow Bridge

Distance: The hiking distance from the boat dock depends on water levels, but you can count on around a mile’s hike to get to the bridge.

Difficulty: The trail is not difficult and is fairly level, the problem will be the lack of protection from the sun and heat.

Pets OK? Pets are not allowed on the dock or on the trail.  If you took a boat yourself to Rainbow Bridge, obviously you could have your pet in the boat, but it would have to be left there. Make sure there is shade and lots of water!

Crowds: This will depend on whether you boat yourself there or you take the boat tour.  If you take the tour or arrive yourself between 11AM to 1PM, the crowds will be heavy.

Fees/Permits: If you will not be hiking in, there are no fees once you reach the docking area.

Tips:

• We got to the trailhead/dock around noon…which was not the best time for hiking.  It was the heat of the day, full sun, and very, very little shade along the mile hike. 
• Bring hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, and lots of water!
• If you visit during periods of heavy rain or monsoon season, please be aware that this canyon is subject to flash flooding.
• Camping is NOT allowed in this area.
• This particular boat trip took eight long hours – even though the website said six! Bring snacks and possibly entertainment for younger kids!
• You will have a time limit once you start on your hike. Make sure you have a watch to keep up with the time!
• The time limit doesn’t leave you a whole lot of time for exploration.  I definitely suggest following the trail off to the left of the Monument.  It ends up taking you to the back side of the bridge.
• Our trip stopped at the Dangling Rope Marina on the way back, which featured snacks, food, and ice cream!
• There seems to be different tour times at different times of year.  When I went the only tour was offered at 7AM.  I probably would do a later tour time if offered so that I wouldn’t be hiking in the heat of the day.  It also would make for better pictures – I was shooting in some pretty harsh lighting conditions, as you can probably tell.
• The entire bout tour/hike to Rainbow Bridge easily killed a whole day…but even though we all agreed the boat ride was very long, we also agreed that we were really glad we did it!

The above picture is the beginning part of the trail.  You can see the cliffs are towering!!

First view of Rainbow Bridge

Tips for Hiking with Kids:

• If you leave the Marina at 7, you will probably be hiking at the heat of the day.  Make sure you have lots of water and sun protection for your little ones.
• Our daughter won’t keep her hat on her head to save her life! I had to force it on her but she sure did try and pull it off several times!! I ended up pouring water on her throughout the hike and her body temperature remained tolerable (she runs hot!!).  
• Monitor your infants and young kiddo’s urine output afterwards.  If it seems lower than usual consider call your Pediatrician or get some Pedialyte (Follow instructions on the bottle – there is a limit to how much kids should receive!).
• As previously stated, the trail is pretty level so older kids (school age and up) should manage it just fine.  The only safety concern would be on the dock, as it would be easy to go off the side (no railings), or if the water level has risen through the canyon. The hike is along a riverbed, but it was dry at the time I went.  The path is sufficiently wide and there really weren’t any “drop-off” areas that I remember.  I have a picture of the trail a couple of pics above, for those who want a visual.
• The only areas around the actual Bridge that would be a safety concern is when you take the path to the left of the monument.  It switchbacks and brings you right up to the bridge, but it is an area that has drop offs, so keep an eye on the younger ones if you take them up there!

Pictures really don’t convey the magnitude of the Natural Wonder!

Rainbow Bridge is sacred to the Navajo Nation, and should therefore be treated with respect.  Guests are not allowed to cross underneath the bridge, but you can follow the trail to the left that takes you around to the other side!

So little tidbit of info…Rainbow Bridge is technically located in Utah.  I’ve included it in my Page/Arizona categories because that’s where I was staying when I saw it.

For the photographer’s out there, a wide angle lens would be great to bring along!!

There’s always a tour guide from the boat around to make sure no one is left behind. Take some time to talk to them while you’re here – they have a lot of information about this area!

Taking a nine month old on an 8 hour boat tour sure had its challenges, but I was really glad we visited! This is one of the largest natural bridges in the world, and is in our own backyard, so to speak!

I hope this helped you plan your trip! Don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!

Until next time!