Rainbow Bridge National Monument is a National Monument in Utah. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 6 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Rainbow Bridge
We matched 6 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Rainbow Bridge. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Natural Arches (5)
Natural Arch
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchDark Sky Places (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Rainbow Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:37 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:31 PM | 244° | 9h 54m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:04 PM | 255° | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:36 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:59 PM | 283° | 13h 09m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:26 PM | 295° | 14h 09m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 301° | 14h 42m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:44 PM | 298° | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:17 PM | 288° | 13h 36m |
| September | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:32 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:48 PM | 260° | 11h 16m |
| November | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 247° | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:09 PM | 241° | 9h 38m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.0779, -110.9655); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Rainbow Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.3 | 14° |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:58 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:21 AM – 5:11 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:29 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:38 PM – 4:08 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:43 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:41 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers are extremely hot with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with nighttime lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable with extended periods of strong winds. Fall is generally mild. Temperatures range from 110°F (43°C) in June & July to 20°F (-7°C) in December & January. Although precipitation is generally less than 6 inches (15cm) annually, both heavy rains and flash flooding can occur, particularly during the summer monsoon season.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (51%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Rainbow Bridge National Monument is located between Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and the Navajo Nation. *There are no roads to or near the monument.* Rainbow Bridge can be reached by boat on Lake Powell or by hiking one of two trails around Navajo Mountain on the Navajo Nation, by permit only. Boat tours may be available. The entrance to Forbidding Canyon is located at buoy 49 on Lake Powell. Boaters should be familiar with the Aids to Navigation (buoy) system and use a navigational map.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Boating
- Boat Tour
- Guided Tours
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
Nearby parks
AZ/UT
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AZ/CA
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