Natural Bridge Canyon Death Valley National Park hike Natural Bridge arch trail

The 2-mile round trip hike up Natural Bridge Canyon is a great trek for those interested in learning about the geological history of Death Valley National Park. Also, the natural bridge is just cool to walk under.

A panel at the trailhead provides illustrations of the various geological features visible in the canyon, making it easy for hikers to spot the faults, chutes, and mud drippings along the way.

From the panel, the trail quickly enters the mouth of the canyon. The gravel floor makes hiking uphill a bit tiresome (but hiking back down is a breeze). Half a mile from the start, the walls of the canyon narrow and the 50-foot tall natural bridge spans the canyon.

Differential erosion created the impressive bridge. This is the main attraction of the hike of course, but the canyon has more to offer.

Natural Bridge Canyon Death Valley
Mud drippings on the canyon wall beneath the bridge

Continue under the bridge and the canyon will bend past a dry falls that pours into the canyon. Thousands of years ago, a stream flowed into the canyon here. The long vertical chute was created when the canyon eroded much more rapidly than the stream bed above.

The trail then presents two easy obstacles. Scrunch down to get around a large bolder lodged in a narrow part of the canyon. Then cross a sloping marble dry falls, which can be easily climbed, before coming to a 20-foot dry falls that cannot. The trail stops here. Turn around and hike back out the canyon, enjoying another passage under the nature bridge.

Natural Bridge Canyon Death Valley
The Natural Bridge

To get to the trailhead: From Furnace Creek, drive 13 miles south on Badwater Road and turn east (left) on to a dirt road toward Natural Bridge Canyon. It is 1.5 miles from Badwater Road to the trailhead.

Trailhead address: Natural Bridge Road, Death Valley National Park, CA 92328
Trailhead coordinates: 36.28115, -116.7699 (36° 16′ 52.1″N 116° 46′ 11.6″W)

Elevation Profile
Click or hover over any spot on this elevation profile to see the distance from the start and elevation above sea level at that location, which will be highlighted on the map.
Trail Map

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Photos

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These photos were taken in November of 2009. Click to enlarge.
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Badwater Death Valley Badwater Basin
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Camping
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Nine campgrounds are spread throughout this large park to facilitate your visit.
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Tagged with · Desert Canyons · National Parks · Natural Bridges
Distance: 2 miles · Elevation change: 400 feet

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5 Comments on Natural Bridge Canyon in Death Valley National Park

  1. […] Gain: About 450 feet in elevation. The sites I’m looking at (here and here) don’t agree so I’ll average […]

  2. […] ensuite le Natural Bridge Canyon, une ballade par 45°C à l’ombre qui nous a mené jusqu’à cette arche de roche, nous […]

  3. […] We veer off Badwater road onto a rutted dirt road towards Natural Bridge parking area as the cloud of dust trails our car. A short, hot hike later, we reach an arch formation that bridge both side of the small canyon […]

  4. […] veer off Badwater road onto a rutted dirt road towards Natural Bridge parking area as the cloud of dust trails our car.  A short, hot hike later, we reach an arch […]