Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Rainbow Bridge National Monument is perhaps one of the most remote national monuments in the lower forty-eight. It is located on a side canyon of Glen Canyon, flooded in 1963 to form Lake Powell. The arch is about fifty miles upstream from Lake Powell Resort. There are only two ways to reach this legendary arch: a two hour boat ride, or a two day hiking trip through Navajo Country. While the boat ride was pricey, my mother has a passion for national parks and as an employee, I got a discount on boat rides offered by the resort. It seemed the perfect gift.

Brief glimpses of Rainbow bridge can be seen from the boat dock, such as this here. Navajo Mountain rises in the background. Though not required, in order to fully appreciate the bridge, the half-mile walk to rainbow bridge is recommended. -Staff Photographer

The boat to Rainbow Bridge costs over $200, but for those wanting to see this remarkable location it is worth it. The route to the bridge is beautiful as well, displaying what remains of Glen Canyon above water: towers of red rock, pink sand beaches, and crystal blue skies. The boat trip is accompanied by an audio track composed of information about the area and a repeating Native American drum track. Upon arrival at the bridge, it’s a half mile walk to see the bridge itself. While you aren’t allowed to actually touch the bridge, there are trails so you can view and photograph the bridge from both sides. Rainbow Bridge is so called since the arch was formed by moving water, making it a bridge. While not as famous perhaps as Arches National Park, Rainbow bridge is the largest visible rock span in the United States. Allegedly a larger one remains under the water of Lake Powell: Gregory Arch. There was only an hour and a half at Rainbow Bridge, but that is plenty of time for pictures, marveling at creation, and even a picnic lunch if you desire, though food must be brought on with you.

Rainbow Bridge, viewed from the south. One of the plaques commemorating the first known white man to view the bridge in the early 1900s can be seen in in the far right. -Steven Kramer, photo

Rainbow Bridge was long unknown to white settlers until, according to the audio on the tour, Hopis visiting a trading post mentioned it, and an expedition set out to locate it. They succeeded, and their journey is commemorated by two plaques near the border of the National Monument with the Navajo Nation. Exploring the bridge before the formation of Lake Powell was apparently much different. A number of nostalgic web sites make mention of Rainbow Bridge, and one tells the story of a disillusioned former river rafter who felt confined by how rigidly the tour was planned. I will concur: the tour was very structured, and freedom to explore was practically nonexistent. However the days when Glen Canyon was a wilderness are gone, and such rules make perfect sense. I don’t hold it against them.

Glen Canyon and Lake Powell as seen from the Boat returning from Rainbow Bridge. This trip differs from the strips offered by the resort in that it allows a traveller to see far more of the lake - Staff Photographer

While this is the only way to see the bridge be advised. Only private boats and the tour boat go there, and both take almost three hours to reach the bridge from the town of Page. The boat tickets are expensive, and the tour is a bit long for some. However, the bridge is legendary and many are willing  to overlook all this for the sake of seeing it. -KP

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