Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Southwest > Utah > Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah

Rainbow Bridge National Monument, UT
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Massive natural sandstone bridge spanning 275 feet across and 290 feet high, accessible only by boat or multi-day backcountry hike.

General Information

Hours:
Open year-round; boat access varies with lake levels
Visitor access via dock trail: sunrise to sunset
Fees:
Included with Glen Canyon National Recreation Area entrance fee ($35 per vehicle)
Hiking access requires Navajo Nation backcountry permit
Pet Policy:
Pets not allowed on the trail or at the monument
Closest cities with hotels:
Page, AZ (50 mi), Big Water, UT (45 mi)
Seasons:
Best visited spring and fall; summer heat can be extreme
Location:
Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Lake Powell, UT
Website:
nps.gov/rabr

How to Get There

From Page, AZ (50 mi): Take a boat from Wahweap Marina to Forbidding Canyon (buoy 49), dock at the courtesy pier, then hike 1.2 miles to the monument.

Overview

The Rainbow Bridge National Monument is one of the world’s largest known natural bridges, a sacred site to Native American tribes and a geological marvel of the Colorado Plateau. Towering nearly 300 feet above the canyon floor, the bridge spans a dramatic desert landscape carved by water and time. Most visitors arrive by boat from Lake Powell, docking at a floating pier before hiking a short trail to the base of the arch. The bridge’s graceful curve and immense scale make it a powerful symbol of nature’s artistry and endurance.

For those seeking a deeper adventure, Rainbow Bridge can also be reached via a 32-mile round-trip backcountry hike through Navajo Nation lands, requiring permits and careful planning. Regardless of the route, visitors are asked to respect the cultural significance of the site, which is sacred to several Indigenous tribes. With no facilities beyond floating restrooms and no trash services, the monument remains a pristine and humbling destination for those who make the journey.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for Rainbow Bridge National Monument, which are released under the https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.