In the words of J. B. Priestly “How do we know that the Rainbow Bridge is not itself a kind of symphony, no more to be completely explained by geology than Beethoven is by acoustics?”
RAINBOW BRIDGE TRAIL FROM RAINBOW LODGE, ARIZONA, TO RAINBOW BRIDGE NATIONAL MONUMENT, UTAH
Horse and Foot Trail RAINBOW BRIDGE NATIONAL MONUMENT EL. 3880′ Echo Spring Camp EL. 3860′ RAINBOW BRIDGE CANYON EL. 3840′ REDBUD PASS SPRING EL. 4280′ CLIFF CANYON EL. 6480′ EL. 6600′ Rainbow Lodge EL. 6280′ November 1950 RB-N.M. 7001 Vertical Cliff
Salmon pink is the predominant color of the sandstone from which the arch is carved. This color is modified by streaks of red extending down the sides of the structure. These stains are due to iron oxide, or hematite, which is soluble in water. As rain fell on the upper part of the arch, it dissolved some of the hematite and as the water moved down the sides it dried, leaving streaks of variegated colors—mostly reds and browns. The coloring becomes brilliant in the light of the late afternoon sun. This is probably the basis for the Indian legends that the arch is a rainbow changed to stone.
The trail descends 2,000 feet into Cliff Canyon
OTHER INTERESTING FEATURES
Water dripping into the pools near the bottom of Rainbow Bridge Canyon is from rain water that has seeped down through the Navajo sandstone. When the water reaches impervious rock layers in the underlying Kayenta, it is concentrated, but eventually it seeps out along the walls of the canyon, forming springs.
Plants grow in profusion nearby. Maidenhair fern and wild orchids are nestled in the shade. In addition, there are Indian paintbrush, loco, lupines, daisies, asters, yucca, sunflowers, evening-primroses, columbine, scarlet-bugler, and mariposa-lily.