Rainbow Bridge is the world’s largest natural bridge. The span has undoubtedly inspired people throughout time from the neighboring American Indian tribes who consider Rainbow Bridge sacred, to the 300,000 people from around the world who visit it each year. Please visit Rainbow Bridge in a spirit that honors and respects the cultures to whom it is sacred. The history of Rainbow Bridge National Monument is both long and complex.
The monument has existed since May 30, 1910, when it was designated by President William Howard Taft. Between 1910 and 1916, the General Land Office administered Rainbow Bridge National Monument. With the creation of the National Park Service in 1916, the monument has been part of the evolving national park system. Since 1916, the monument was the subject of numerous legal disputes involving several issues. This history identifies and explains the various historical controversies involving Rainbow Bridge National Monument. In addition, this history delineates the cultural, scientific and aesthetic aspects of the monument that are also important to its interpretation.
The official life of the monument is only part of the story of Rainbow Bridge. Native American groups throughout the Southwest maintain a historical relationship with Rainbow Bridge that pre-dates the 19th century entrance of non-Native Americans into the region. There is also strong evidence that humans have been present near Rainbow Bridge for more than 8,000 years. The spiritual and religious significance to Native Americans groups such as the Navajo Nation, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute, is detailed in this history.
History & Culture
By its wonderous size, to say nothing of its majesty and mystery, Rainbow Bridge has inspired humans throughout time. From the time the bridge became known to the outside world in the early 20th century, thousands of people from around the world have visited each year. From its base to the top of the arch, it is 290 feet-nearly the height of the Statue of Liberty-and spans 275 feet across the river; the top of the arch is 42 feet thick and 33 feet wide. Tucked among the rugged, isolated canyons at the base of Navajo Mountain, Rainbow Bridge was known for centuries by the Native Americans who lived in the area. Native Americans living in the region have long held the bridge sacred. Ancestral Puebloan residents were followed much later by Paiute and Navajo groups. Several Paiute and Navajo families, in fact, still reside nearby.
By the 1800′s, Rainbow Bridge was also surely seen by wandering trappers, prospectors and cowboys. Not until 1909, though, was its existence publicized to the outside world. Two separate exploration parties-one headed by University of Utah dean, Byron Cummings and another by government surveyor, W. B. Douglass-began searching for the legendary span. Eventually, they combined efforts. Paiute guides Nasja Begay and Jim Mike led the way, along with trader and explorer, John Wetherill. Men and horses endured heat, slickrock slopes, treacherous ledges and sandstone mazes. Late in the afternoon of August 14, coming down what is now Bridge Canyon, the party saw Rainbow Bridge for the first time.
The next year, on May 30, 1910, President William Howard Taft created Rainbow Bridge National Monument to preserve this “extraordinary natural bridge, having an arch which is in form and appearance much like a rainbow and which is of great scientific interest as an example of eccentric stream erosion.” after the initial publicity, a few more adventurous souls journeyed to Rainbow Bridge. Teddy Roosevelt and Zane Grey were among those early travelers who made the arduous trek from Oljeto or Navajo Mountain to the foot of the Rainbow. Visiting Rainbow Bridge was made easier with the availability of surplus rubber rafts after World War II, although the trip still required several days floating the Colorado River plus a 7-mile hike up-canyon. By the early 1950′s, people could travel by jet boat from Lees Ferry, then make the hike-a trip totaling three days!
What Teddy Roosevelt and his contemporaries witnessed-evidence of the significance of Rainbow Bridge to early and present day Native American cultures-is difficult to discern today. Since then, much archeological evidence has been lost as Lake Powell, along with thousands of visitors, arrived. The Glen Canyon Dam was authorized in 1956. By 1963, the gates on the dam closed and rising Lake Powell began to engulf the river and its side canyons. Higher water made access to Rainbow Bridge much easier, bringing thousands of visitors each year.
In 1974, Navajo tribal members who lived in the vicinity of Rainbow Bridge filed suit in U. S. District Court against the Secretary of the Interior, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Director of the National Park Service. The suit was an attempt to preserve important Navajo religious sites that were being inundated by the rising waters of Lake Powell. The court ruled against the Navajo, saying that the need for water storage outweighed their concerns. In 1980, the Tenth District Court of Appeals ruled that to close Rainbow Bridge, a public site, for Navajo religious ceremonies would violate the U. S. Constitution which protects the religious freedom of all citizens.
By 1993, a National Park Service General Management Plan, involving much public input, was adopted. It offered a long-term plan for mitigating visitor impacts and preserving the resources of Rainbow Bridge National Monument. As part of the planning process, the National Park Service consulted with the five Native American nations affiliated with Rainbow Bridge: the Navajo, Hopi, San Juan Southern Paiute, Kaibab Paiute and White Mesa Ute. Chief among their concerns was that Rainbow Bridge-a religious and sacred place-be protected and visited in a respectful manner. Additionally, the tribes expressed concerns about visitors approaching or walking under the bridge. Today, the National Park Service simply asks that you visit this site in a manner respectful of its significance to the people who have long held Rainbow Bridge sacred.
Recreation
Although Rainbow Bridge is immediately adjacent to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, it is a separate unit of the National Park System. Rainbow Bridge was declared a National Monument in 1910 and, as such, the range of permitted activities is smaller than for the recreation area. Visitors may take the trail from the courtesy dock to the viewing area for the bridge. We ask that visitors respect the religious significance of Rainbow Bridge to neighboring tribes and consider viewing Rainbow Bridge from the viewing area rather than walking up to or under the bridge. Traditional water-based recreation activities such as swimming, fishing, water skiing, etc. are not allowed anywhere within the monument. People may backpack to Rainbow Bridge on the Navajo Mountain trail with the appropriate permit available from the Navajo Nation in Window Rock, AZ.
Getting There
Rainbow Bridge National Monument is accessible only by boat or by a 13 mile hike (with permit from the Navajo Nation). The public may access Rainbow Bridge by boat across Lake Powell. Trips to the bridge may be made in private, rental, or tour boats. A courtesy dock is available for short-term docking while people make the 1/2 mile walk to the bridge. By boat, it is approximately 50 miles from Wahweap, Bullfrog, or Halls Crossing to Rainbow Bridge.
You may also backpack to Rainbow Bridge across Navajo Nation lands. A permit from the Navajo Nation is required. You may write to: Navajo Nation, Parks and Recreation Department, Box 9000, Window Rock, Arizona 86515.
Traveler Facts
Contact Information
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
PO Box 1507
Page, AZ 86040-1507
Phone: 928-608-6404
Fax: 928-608-6283
Operating Hours & Seasons
Dangling Rope Marina, the closest source of first aid, water, gas and supplies, is open year-round. A ranger station there is staffed intermittently year-round. Rangers are at Rainbow Bridge daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, less frequently other times of the year.
Weather/Climate
Summers are extremely hot with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with night time lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable with extended periods of strong winds. Fall is generally mild. Temperatures range from 110F in June and July to 0F in December and January. Although precipitation is generally less than 6 inches annually, both heavy rains and flash flooding can occur. Recommend lightweight, light colored clothing in summer, including a hat. Layers of clothing are best other times of year.
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