Natural Bridge – Death Valley National Park
Walk up a wide desert canyon to a natural bridge spanning the canyon. You can continue up the canyon to a dryfall.
| Total Distance: 1.5 miles out & back | Elevation Gain: 480ft. (374ft. to 854ft.) |
| Difficulty: Easy | 0-5 Mile Difficulty: Moderate |
| View Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0 stars | Author’s Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars |
| Visitor Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0] | Visitor Difficulty Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0] |
| Pets: No | Horses: No |
| Best Seasons: November-April | Special Permits: None |
| Water Availability: None | Overnight Options: None |
| Trailhead Amenities: Primitive restrooms | Crowd Factor: Moderate to Crowded |
| Trailhead Access: 1.2 | |
Uses:    | Trail Surface:     |
Features:    | Hazards:    |
Mile-by-Mile: Natural Bridge
0.0 Natural Bridge Trailhead (374ft.). Take the trail up to the kiosk and then drop into the wash. Turn left (upstream). (36.281323°, -116.769677°)
0.4 Natural Bridge (629ft.). Enjoy the span across the canyon. It can be difficult to get a good angle on it, especially for photos, but the most effective method I’ve found is to try and include hikers underneath the natural bridge for scale. Continue beyond the bridge, enjoying the various geological features that the canyon offers. Scramble under a bolder and up a small dryfall before reaching a 20ft. dryfall. (36.284909°, -116.765815°)
0.75 Impassable Dryfall (854ft.). The easily navigable trail ends here in a dark grotto below the sheer dryfall. I’ve heard that it may be possible to bypass the dryfall on the left, but this would require some sketchy scrambling up “weathered cliffs,” so this guide stops here. (36.286560°, -116.761107°)
History & More
The Natural Bridge is about 35ft. high and about 35ft. thick.
The access road is typically accessible to most low-clearance, 2WD vehicles. However, the road can become washed out by storms or develop ruts. Check with the visitor center before visiting if you’re concerned for the safety of your vehicle.
If you like geology, read the sign at the trailhead so you can spot the various features along the way. It also describes how the bridge was formed by running water.
The canyon containing the Natural Bridge is geologically interesting. It includes examples of Alluvial Deposit (rocks, sediment, etc. washed to the base of the mountains and cemented together), dry falls, vertical chutes, and hanging canyons.
Keep an eye on the walls of the canyon for “candle wax” – in other words, where mud has dripped down the sides of the canyon leaving behind long drips that look like melted wax.
The floor of the canyon is gravelly, which can make hiking more strenuous than on a hard-packed path.
I first visited the Natural Bridge one very hot morning in May when I was maybe 11 or 12. I wasn’t terribly impressed by the natural bridge, itself (I had trouble getting a good angle on it), but I loved the candle wax!
If you decide to continue beyond the impassable dryfall, scramble up the cliffs to the left (north) of the dryfall. The continuation of the canyon appears to rise quickly, then become quite shallow while branching in several directions into the Black Mountains below Mt. Perry.
Download Route Map
Driving Directions
The trail begins at the end of the Natural Bridge Access Road. To get to the access road, take the Badwater Road 13.0 miles south of CA-190 (road will be on the left) or 3.5 miles north of Badwater Basin Parking Area (road will be on the right).
Remember, it may be easier to climb up dryfalls than down them (or vice versa). Be sure you can climb in the other direction before climbing up or down a dryfall.
Leave No Trace Principles are enforced
Drones and model aircrafts are prohibited
Camping is permitted only in designated sites or in areas open to dispersed backcountry camping
All park rules and regulations
12 Month Pass: $55/Death Valley Annual Pass (valid at Death Valley National Park). $80/America the Beautiful Annual Pass (valid at all national park and federal fee areas). $20/Annual Senior Pass (62 years or older US citizens; valid at all national park and federal fee areas). Free/4th Grade Pass (Valid Sept. 1-August 31 of the child’s 4th Grade school year). Free/Military Pass (valid for all active military personel and their dependents with a CAC Card or DD Form 1173).
Lifetime Pass: $80/Lifetime Senior Pass (62 years or older US citizens; valid at all national park and federal fee areas). Free/Access Pass (available to all US citizens with perminent disabilities). Free/Access for Veterans and Gold Star Families Pass (valid for all military and veterans with a CAC card, Veteran HJealth Identification Card, Veteran ID Card, or veteran’s designation on state-issued drivers license or identification card.)