Coyote Gulch to Rainbow Bridge — Glen Canyon Desert Bench via Navajo Mountain Road
The back door to the world's biggest arch.
Navajo Mountain Road punches south from Big Water, Utah across the Kane County desert toward Rainbow Bridge and the Navajo Nation boundary — a high-clearance slog through wash crossings, sandy shelves, and exposed sandstone ledges that most GPS units don’t fully understand. The route traces the western flank of Navajo Mountain at over 10,000 feet, dropping through Aztec Creek drainage toward the Colorado arm of Lake Powell and the back approach to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The canyon walls close in at Forbidding Canyon, and you’re threading a line that John Wesley Powell’s crew mapped from the river a century and a half ago. This is Glen Canyon’s forgotten backdoor.
This is expert-level country. Deep sand, loose shelf rock, and unmarked wash crossings demand a capable 4WD with a locker, recovery gear, and serious navigation chops — paper maps and a downloaded GPX because you will lose signal. The Navajo Nation portion requires a tribal permit from the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department. Carry at least four gallons of water per person; there is no reliable source on route. Page, Arizona is your last fuel and supply stop. Spring and fall are your windows — summer heat is brutal and winter closures are real. What you get out of it is one of the most solitary approaches to an American landmark that most people only see from a tour boat.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Mixed, Rock, Sand |
| Features | Historic, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 38 mi / 61.2 km |
| Duration | 2-3 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 6400 ft |
| Best season | March-May, September-November |
| Minimum vehicle | Modified 4WD with locker and recovery gear |
| Nearest town | Page, Arizona |
| Land manager | Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation / Glen Canyon National Recreation Area |
| Permit required | Yes |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | NPS Rainbow Bridge page Navajo Nation permit portal |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or do I actually need a locker?
A stock rig won't cut it here. You need a modified 4WD with at minimum a rear locker — front locker strongly preferred. The slickrock benches and loose sand sections will strand an unmodified vehicle, and recovery gear isn't optional on a trail this remote.
When does this trail become impassable, and is spring runoff a real concern?
Flash flood risk in the canyon sections is highest July through August during monsoon season — avoid it then. Spring (March–May) is prime, but check recent weather hard before you go; snowmelt from Navajo Mountain can turn the water crossings from passable to dangerous fast.
Do I need permits for both the Navajo Nation section and the NPS side, or just one?
You need both. A Navajo Nation permit covers travel across tribal land via the Navajo Mountain Road corridor, and a separate NPS permit is required to access Rainbow Bridge Monument itself. Get them before you leave — there's no permit station out there.
What's the hardest section of this trail and what actually makes it technical?
The open slickrock bench crossings near the descent toward the bridge are the crux — no marked line, steep off-camber shelf sections, and loose sand traps at the base of rock ledges. Navigation is genuinely difficult; GPS tracks drift and cairns are sparse, so if you lose your line on the benches you can end up cliffed out.
How far is the nearest fuel from the trailhead, and can I resupply water on route?
Page, Arizona is your last reliable fuel stop — top off there, because you're looking at 80+ miles round-trip with no services anywhere on the route. There are natural water sources in Coyote Gulch, but treat everything; don't count on them as your primary supply and carry at least two days of water buffer for a two-to-three day run.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
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