You are here

Home » Rainbow Bridge National Monument Access Limited

Rainbow Bridge National Monument Access Limited

Share
By Compiled From N... - October 21st, 2021

Rainbow Bridge access has been impacted by falling lake levels and recent storms/NPS

Continued declines in the level of Lake Powell have limited access to Rainbow Bridge National Monument in southern Utah. 

The National Park Service has pulled the Lake Powell dock used to access the shoreline back into deeper water. While small vessels will still be able to access the shoreline, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area staff advise that access to the canyon and trail will likely require going through mud, debris, sand, and water before reaching the established trail.

Conditions could also change without notice due to weather, the agency added. Concessioner tours to other canyons on Lake Powell are not affected by this announcement.  

Map of trail leading to Rainbow Bridge from Lake Powell/NPS

While no longer connected to the shoreline, the Rainbow Bridge dock system will still be accessible with restroom facilities for visitors. The Park Service has plans to use seasonal trail crews this winter to re-establish a more accessible trail with the possibility of reconnecting the dock structure as conditions improve and resources allow. Further guidance will be provided at a later date.  

Rainbow Bridge National Monument is only accessible via boat on Lake Powell or by obtaining a permit form the Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation Department to backpack on Navajo Tribal Lands from Navajo Mountain. Backpackers expecting to arrange drop-off and pick-up in advance at Rainbow Bridge will need to be aware of the current conditions impacting access.  

Rainbow Bridge is one of the world's largest known natural bridges. Rainbow Bridge National Monument was established in 1910 before the National Park Service was established. In April 2017, NPS designated Rainbow Bridge a Traditional Cultural Property on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing the site's historic and ongoing cultural significance to at least six American Indian tribes. In 2018, it was designated an International Dark-Sky Association Dark Sky Sanctuary, the first of its kind in the National Park Service.

Rainbow Bridge locator map/NPS

Comments

Submitted by Bill Stock on October 21, 2021 - 4:00pm.

Been there and took pictures when water at a high level. Bass Jumping in front of R.B. and birds singing. A magical place & Arch still in place.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.