Paul & Tara Visit the National Parks: Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Visited: October 2012

Nearby town: Page, AZ

In the rugged canyonlands at the foot of Navajo Mountain, along the shores of Lake Powell, stands one of the largest and most impressive natural arches in the world. At 290 ft tall and 270 ft across, Rainbow Bridge is a must-see for any visit to Lake Powell or the Four Corners area.

Native Americans have long held the bridge sacred, the Navajo named it Nonnezoshe "rainbow turned to stone." The first documented visit by whites wasn't until 1909. The next year, President Taft declared the bridge a National Monument by executive order. The first visit of the new monument was an expedition led by former President Teddy Roosevelt and author Zane Grey. Many people yearned to see the bridge for themselves but it was an arduous journey, requiring days of travel by foot or horseback. The completion of the Glen Canyon Dam and creation of Lake Powell in 1963 made the journey by boat much easier and visitation increased exponentially. Today, the Monument is administered by the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

The difference between natural "bridges" or "arches" is somewhat arbitrary. They are formed the same way. Some geologists argue that the terms are interchangeable. The Natural Arch and Bridge Society designates a "bridge" as a sub-set of arch that is primarily formed by water while arches erode by means of wind or other weathering.

There are two ways to visit the park. The first is by foot. It's a 2 hr+ drive from Page along very precarious dirt roads to the trailhead. And then a 15 mile hike that will take a couple of days to get to the bridge. In order to do this hike, you need to get a permit from the Navajo Nation. The overwhelming number of visitors take the second option via boat. There are full day guided cruises from Wahweap or Bullfrog Marinas that leave daily. Or you can access via your own private boat, there is a courtesy dock.

Tara and I visited Lake Powell a few months after we began dating. My sister and her husband were living in Page at the time and they arranged the guided tour for us. We took the cruise from Wahweap. It was a very scenic boat trip through the alien landscape of Lake Powell.

Once you get to the dock, it's about a mile hike to the bridge. Enjoy the views and soak in the majesty of the span. Because the bridge is sacred to the Navajo peoples, climbing on or standing directly underneath the bridge is prohibited. This prohibition is also for visitor safety and environmental concerns.