Natural Bridge Canyon
Inyo County, California
Details
Distance
1.39 miles
Elevation Gain
518 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Tiffany Nguyen
Natural Bridge is one of the few canyons at Death Valley National Park with an official trailhead. The natural stone bridge is easily accessible just 10-15 minutes away from the parking lot.
Natural Bridge Canyon is one of the few canyons in Death Valley with an official trailhead that can be easily accessed from the parking lot. You’ll find the trailhead off Highway 178, just 4 miles south of the Artist’s Drive scenic loop. The hike is nice and easy and great for families or large groups. From the parking lot, it takes about 10-15 minutes to reach the natural bridge. As you’re walking through the canyon, you’ll notice the crumbling rock walls above you.
The natural bridge is the perfect spot for a photo-op as you’ll be underneath the stunning 50 foot tall bridge. The trail is fairly flat with a minor uphill walk through the canyon. After about a mile you’ll see a large boulder lodged in a narrow part of the canyon. Soon after, you will reach a 20 foot dry waterfall that was once flowing through the canyon thousands of years ago. This marks the turnaround point for the trail so you can head back the way you came.
Trailhead Coordinates:
36.281005, -116.769982
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Natural Bridge Canyon Reviews
This trail is short and can be crowded, but is well worth it. The dirt road that leads to the parking area is passable in a sedan. For me, the best part of the hike was after the natural bridge. The canyon narrows more and offers some interesting colors and textures. We stopped and turned around at the 15 foot tall rock wall, but hopefully sometime I'll head back and keep heading up the canyon after that point.
5.0
We hiked here in the middle of the day and the canyon walls provided good cover from the sun. There were very few people on the trail and getting awesome photos was a breeze. Definitely a must do hike in Death Valley
5.0
Short and sweet canyon hike! I enjoyed this a lot because of the shade it gave, since we hiked mid-day. I recommend doing it early in the morning or late in the afternoon, especially if temps in Death Valley are high. Plus you are also able to get a great shot of the natural arch with less people if you go early ;)
4.0
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Nearby
Devil's Golf Course, Death Valley
Badwater Basin's Salt Flats
Artist's Palette
Photograph Dante's View of Death Valley
Zabriskie Point
Badlands Loop in Death Valley
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