by Shawn Redfield
Rainbow Bridge.
Reference book: Hiking the Southwest’s Canyon Country by Sandra Hinchman.
Access: From Tuba City, AZ. Northeast on highway 160 ~40 miles to highway 98. Left on highway 98 ~12 miles to highway 16. Right on highway 16 ~34 miles to Y-junction with highway 161. The route is paved to a few miles short of this junction.
To the NE trail head: From the "Y" take the right fork ~12 miles. You will pass the turn off to Navajo Mountain Trading Post, and another to the small community of Rainbow City. At the intersection at Rainbow City, proceed straight onto the dirt road for the last 3.5 miles over primitive road to the trail head on the south side of a rock mound.
To the SW trail head: From the "Y" proceed northwesterly along road 161 ~5 miles to a road to the right. The water tank noted on the 7.5 minute topographic map is visible from just before this intersection. The road quickly deteriorates into a rugged trail ~2 miles to the remains of Rainbow Lodge. The road is rock strewn and rugged, but our 2WD Ford Explorer managed it easily.
Rainbow Bridge, on the Navajo Reservation, is the largest natural bridge in the world. Hinchman says the trip would be well worth the time and effort without the Bridge, a statement with which we enthusiastically agree. Two trails lead to the Bridge, one from the south, the other from the east. Together they nearly encircle Navajo Mountain.
Permits (required) from the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department are available by mail (P.O. Box 2520, Window Rock, AZ 86515-2529 (928-871-6451). For unexplained reasons, allow several weeks to receive the permit by mail. Or pick the permits up in person at one of several offices on the reservation. (Cameron, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, or Window Rock) The Navajo Nation is not responsible for vandalism at the trail heads, an oft-noted problem but one we did not encounter. Trail heads are quite remote.
We did the hike clockwise from the Rainbow Lodge trail head on the slope of Navajo Mountain to the northeastern trail head. Setting up the shuttle vehicles (car tricks as Robert called it) took about ninety minutes. This trail head is in Arizona (which makes the hike suitable for HikeAZ.com), you cross into Utah about a mile down the trail.
We found the trail well marked and in good condition, despite reports that it is not maintained. It wanders up and down circling around the western flank of the mountain. Some steep stretches provide a good workout, but none are overpowering. Take a few breather stops to enjoy the slick rock views to the west. At Sunset Pass the trail passes through a small opening blasted through the wall atop the ridge. Look for the tell-tale starburst blast pattern in the trail bed.
The trail descends rapidly into Cliff Canyon from the pass. Take your time and enjoy the expansive views down canyon. First water is down there somewhere. We found it below the mouth of a large unnamed canyon on the right (east). Water was a concern our entire trip due to the extended drought cycle at the time and because we found no authoritative source of information; everyone we contacted said there was none. However, and to our chagrin after carrying extra most of the trip, all the named canyons along the route were flowing.
Campsites are just down stream from the junction mentioned just above. Hinchman suggests marching on to some alcoves a mile past these campsites. We did not find the alcoves, and felt the first sites were just fine, especially after our late start. There is a rather attractive open area at the turn up to Redbud Pass and this would certainly be a nice camping area. We found horses grazing here, and some old log structures. The rock art Hinchman mentions is on the north wall of the canyon directly north of the sign noting the route to Redbud Pass. The trail ascends a few feet from the stream side to the meadow and the sign comes into view, look north to some faded spots near the base of the wall to the north.
However, our search downstream did yield a nearly intoxicating juniper aroma in the west end of the meadow.
The trail enters Redbud Pass, which contrary to Hinchman’s sketches, this is not two canyons, but one slot plugged by a talus pile. The talus seems very out of place amidst this slick rock world, but to corrupt a cliché-geology happens. We were rather mystified by thoughts that this is or was a horse route. Perhaps it has deteriorated; several areas require scrambling and hand holds, nothing to hinder foot traffic but certainly too step and rough for horse travel.
Dropping into Redbud Canyon, the trail turns left, then soon joins with the route down Bridge Canyon. We noted a larger than usual cairn at the junction. We missed the ruin Hinchman mentions, probably because we were focused on reaching the bridge. Continue downstream from the junction across a slightly wooded camping area. The trail braids here but all strands lead downstream to the obvious and well-cairned route. It becomes somewhat serpentine for a mile or so, twisting along below the sandstone walls until the stream bed drops away and the trail stays level. Watch for, but do not take, a steep branch down to the bottom of the stream bed. As you make your way around to the left, keep a watchful eye down-canyon. We found the first appearance of the bridge something of an optical illusion, not readily apparent. See if you do.
The trail divides just after crossing a tiny drainage, one branch goes to Echo Camp, the other to the now obvious bridge. Echo Camp is the remains of commercial tourist operations prior to Lake Powell and the bridge becoming accessible by boat. The most notable feature is the many steel beds littering the area. In spite of being an eyesore, several in our party found them very comfortable sleeping. The camp is aptly named: the alcove has near perfect acoustics and light voices are audible great distances in and around the alcove. A small marsh is the head of flowing water at the camp.
The bridge is just a short distance over nice trail from the camp. Note the plaques commemorating the Native guides on the discovery trip.
We enjoyed a full moon, with an eclipse!! our night in Echo Camp. Rainbow Bridge in moonlight so bright you do not need flashlights to find the trail is quite a sight. (Can we time a trip or what?)
Going out to the east requires a back track up Bridge Canyon. At the junction with Redbud Canyon stay left to remain in Bridge Canyon, which here is very narrow but soon opens up a bit. Hinchman advises watering up before leaving Bridge Canyon, but did not reveal how to distinguish the "last water" from any other. We found the trail up out of the canyon, then back tracked a few hundred yards to that last water.
From here the views change from canyons to open bench lands. The trail changes often, crossing sagebrush flats, dropping into small canyons and arroyos, traversing slick rock reaches, and generally keeping you interested. There are no large hauls up or down, but like the first day, enough elevation change in small doses to keep your heart pumping. The views of Navajo Mountain are incredible, and you can take heart in how few people ever get the chance to see it from this remote vantage point.
As the trail descends into Surprise Valley, look for Owl Bridge to the right, followed quickly by the remains of a hogan on the left. Go a short distance farther to the stream crossing, and look for the rock art-a rather modern horse-on the wall to the right of the trail as it begins its ascent. The "discovery" expedition camped in Surprise Valley August 12, 1909, the night before reaching Rainbow Bridge.
Again the route takes you up onto the bench lands for spectacular views of the red slick rock. We had the good fortune of an overcast sky on our third day, which brought out the orange of the rock to the point that it was almost luminescent. Camp number three was in Bald Rock Canyon just downstream from where the trail crosses the stream. A light rain serenaded us through the night.
Out of camp a bit early we headed for the car. The scenery remained spectacular, with views of snow flecked Navajo Mountain through the mist, and the low clouds accentuating the red of the rocks to the north. The book says three miles to the trail head from Bald Rock Canyon; it is a bit further, especially with a bad case of "trailheaditis." We reached the car in just under two hours to find it safe and secure. The rain and perspiration had us quite soaked; the heater felt wonderful. A quick drive to the southern trail head where we found the other cars equally sound, and we are off to Cameron for a hot meal.
There are several variations of the trip, including one way hikes into the bridge and meeting up with a tour or charter boat. Both the north trail and the trail from the southwest are spectacular, I wouldn’t miss either.
Links:
NPS History of the discovery expedition:
http://www.nps.gov/rabr/adhi/adhi3a.htm
Troubling quote:
Even Cummings contended that Douglass was in the midst of jockeying for position so as to ensure his claim to being the first white man to see Rainbow Bridge. Cummings later remembered:
After we negotiated the difficult Red Bud Pass [on the eastern side of Bridge Creek], Mr. Douglass, Mr. Wetherill, Noscha Begay [sic] and I halted in the shade of a cliff to let the packs catch up with us.
What’s troubling? The current Redbud Pass is west of Bridge Creek, and the expedition approached the bridge from Surprise Valley, which is east of the bridge.
About the Author
Shawn, Father, Bureaucrat, Hiker and Backpacker from the desert.
A Walk in the Grand Canyon
by David Hanson
