When I was in Natural Bridges National Monument, I saw a reference on a sign saying “Rainbow Bridge is the largest natural bridge in this area…” and I got curious. Where is this mysterious Rainbow Bridge? Rainbow Bridge is one of the hardest places to visit because you either need to take a full day boat trip from Page (which has been suspended due to the water levels), or backpack 30 miles in the desert. Also, it’s located in the Indian Reservation, so you need to get a permit to go. Of course I was going to find a way to visit.

About Rainbow Bridge

It is a natural arch on the boarder of Utah and Arizona, within the Navajo nation. It is 290ft tall and 275ft wide, with Lake Powell filtering under the bridge at certain times of the year. It is considered a sacred site by the Native Americans.

For those of you asking, what is the difference between a natural arch and a natural bridge? A natural bridge is a natural rock arch that spans a watercourse like a stream or river, whereas a natural arch is any rock formation with a hole that goes all the way through, formed by natural forces like wind, water, and freeze-thaw cycles. The key distinction is the presence of a waterway underneath, which is absent in most arches. They are also formed differently, and from the way they look, you could nearly walk across a “bridge” but not an “arch”.

When to hike

Since Arizona and Utah are challenging desert climates, you need to consider water availability and heat when planning your backpacking trip. I would recommend March to May and September to November when planning a backpacking trip. I did this trip from May 10-12, and water was already becoming limited in the early parts of the trial (before mile 12).

How to get there

North trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BS76CS8abF4XW9is9?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

The bridge can be accessed by boat trip from Page over Lake Powell or by backpacking. While the boat trip is the easiest way to get to rainbow bridge, it is limited now, due to low water levels at Lake Powell. To backpack, there are 2 trailheads, a North and a South. I decided to do the North trailhead because I read online that the dirt road was shorter and better maintained.

That being said… the drive to the trailhead is really, really intense. I was in a Subaru Crosstrek, and I bottomed out a few times. There is dirt on the rocks which makes it quite slippery, plus the rocks are really big. I highly recommend a 4WD car with high clearance. I did make it unharmed in my AWD Subaru Crosstrek, but man, it was a stressful experience.

How to get a permit

I found the trail on AllTrails (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/rainbow-bridge-trail?sh=31eica&utm_medium=trail_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality) and called the permit office (928-645-0268). I was able to get a 2 night permit for the next day, and pay via credit card over the phone ($15/night/person). The lady was concerned issuing me a permit by myself initially, but I convinced her that I am an experienced backpacker, and all was good!

Water availability

One of the major things to consider on this hike is where to find water. I hiked this from May 10-12, and the streams existed but were pretty low. Make sure you carry extra water just in case! Water was available around miles: 3, 6, 9, and 12-15 it was very abundant. Mile 6 had the most water.

How long should you spend backpacking?

This question depends on your hiking experience, the heat, and water availability! The benefit to a shorter backpacking trip is you don’t need to carry as much food, but it’s always good to be prepared and not have to force any long days in the heat. Also, since this is an out and back trail, you have the benefit of not carrying all your gear and doing a day trip to the bridge on a shorter trip. On AllTrails, I saw reviews of people doing this hike anywhere from 1 night up to 5 nights, with those doing 5 nights taking a whole day at the bridge. I did my hike in 2 nights, and I met other ladies on the trail doing it in 3 (who moved slower than myself). Suggested itineraries for 2- and 3-nights are below.

2-night / 3-day itinerary

Day 1: Drive in and camp at mile 9

I purposefully decided to arrive at the trailhead later due to the heat (I arrived around 3pm). I drove in from Mexican Hat area as part of a longer road trip, which took me about 2 hours. The drive on the 4 mile dirt road took me nearly an hour. Originally I was going to hike in 7 miles and camp at Owl Bridge, but there was no water so I ended up hiking in another 2 miles to mile 9 and setting up camp there. The site had a small spot for one tent, and there were a lot of loud frogs!

Day 2: Day hike from campsite to Rainbow Bridge and back

My plan was to day hike to rainbow bridge and back, leaving my tent and gear behind. From mile 9, it was 6 miles each way (so a 12 mile total day). I had a small daypack that I filled with 3L of water, a water filter, and snacks. I left around 6:30am to beat the heat. A few miles in, I met 2 girls backpacking back from the bridge and we got to talking. They were heading to a campsite at the 6mile mark - Surprise Valley, and invited me to come stay with them! I continued on to the arch, which I reached at 8:45am. After resting for an hour, I returned to my campsite by 12pm. I made lunch and relaxed before deciding I wanted some company, so I packed up all my gear and hiked the 3 miles back to meet up with my new friends. I highly recommend that campsite becuase there were large pools of water to bathe in (so nice after a long, sweaty day!) and the campsites were very large for groups. My full day ended up being 15 miles, 12 miles with a day pack and 3 with my full backpacking gear.

Day 3: Hike back to trailhead (6 miles)

After breakfast, I packed my things up and hiked back to my car. I filled up on all the water needed at the campsite and did not need to filter again. The final hike took me 2.5 hours and I was back at the car by 10am, ready for my drive out.

3-night / 4 day itinerary

The 2 girls I met on the trail did a 3 night itinerary, and if you want a more relaxing experience (as in, don’t want to hike 12-15 miles in one day), I would recommend this option!

Day 1: drive in and hike 6 miles to Surprise Valley

Day 2: hike 9 miles to bridge campsite (1/2 mile from the bridge), drop off gear and take a 1 mile round trip hike to Rainbow Bridge

Day 3: hike back 9 miles to Surprise Valley

Day 4: hike 6 miles to car and drive home

Backpacking Rainbow Bridge, 2- and 3-night guide