Sacred Navajo Mountain Rainbow Trail, Arizona

The Trip

"Adventure is not in the guide book and beauty is not on the map. Seek and ye shall find." - Jerry and Renny Russell in On the Loose

Surrounded by high mesas, narrow sinuous canyons with inviting pools, and sandstone domes in varying hues, Navajo Mountain (10,388 feet) dominates the Navajo reservation’s northwestern landscape. Here, beneath the world’s largest natural sandstone bridge, lived the people the Navajo call the Anasazi. Hidden in secluded cliff dwellings, they made pottery and carved petroglyphs in the soft sandstone while the gentle music of their flutes echoed magically off the steep canyon walls.

Beginning near the ruins of Rainbow Lodge, we will circle the western and northern sides of Navajo mountain as we follow the route of early 20th-century packtrips to Rainbow Bridge. We will see a wonderland of winding canyons, natural bridges, and slickrock domes and pass through some of the most scenic terrain in the southwest. Expect warm days, cold starry nights, the fresh spring green of cottonwood trees, and perhaps a brief spring storm leaving waterfalls pouring off the high sandstone walls. The warm glow of evening twilight on red sandstone and sunset views of Navajo Mountain will be unforgettable. Desert wildflowers -- including prickly pear and hedgehog cacti, paintbrush, and primrose -- are likely to be in full bloom.

Anyone who plays a lightweight musical instrument is welcome to bring it and test the acoustics of the sandstone amphitheaters -- you may call up the spirit of the ancient flute player known as Kokopelli! Because good music needs an audience, those who simply like to listen are sure to enjoy any impromptu serenades. 

Our hike will be almost entirely on Navajo land. With relatively short backpacks between camps (except for the second day), we will have two full layover days to explore rarely visited side canyons. We will hike to the aptly named Echo Camp, the legendary Rainbow Bridge, and the less well known Owl Bridge. We will look for evidence of previous travelers, ranging from ancient pueblo dwellers to early 20th-century explorers such as John Wetherill and Charles Bernheimer.    

The trip will end at a Navajo friend’s home where we will enjoy a meal of traditional Navajo tacos and fry bread. 

Day 1: We will drive to our Navajo friend’s home, park our cars, and shuttle to the trailhead. We will hike a short two miles to the ruins of Rainbow Lodge.

Day 2: This is the longest and most difficult day of the trip. We backpack 11 miles around the south side of Navajo mountain, cross Yaput pass, then descend into Cliff Canyon to an idyllic campsite named “Painted Rock Camp” by Charles Bernheimer.

Day 3: A layover day. We will explore farther down Cliff Canyon to its junction with Forbidding Canyon. We will visit a high waterfall, have time for a swim, and perhaps climb out of the canyon to a rarely seen pictograph panel.

Day 4: We will backpack a short three miles over Redbud Pass to our next campsite in Bridge Canyon. In the afternoon, we will hike without backpacks to Echo Camp and Rainbow Bridge.

Day 5: We backpack about five miles up Bridge Canyon to our next campsite in Surprise Valley. We will see a large cave-like alcove with pictographs and hand prints.

Day 6: Our second layover day. We will explore upper and lower Nasja Canyon and see several petroglyph panels.

Day 7: We will backpack five miles from Surprise Valley to the northeast end of the Rainbow Trail and the trip’s end. Those who wish can join a Navajo friend at her home for a lunch of fry bread and Navajo tacos. We then drive back to Page.  

Getting There

Participants will need to arrange travel to Page, Arizona. The nearest large cities are Phoenix and Las Vegas, both about a four-hour drive from Page. Air service is also available from Great Lakes Aviation directly to Page with one or two flights daily from Phoenix or Denver. From Page, we will travel by private car (not part of the Sierra Club trip) to Navajo Mountain.    

The trip officially begins at the south end of the Rainbow Trail and finishes at the trail’s northeast end. Our Navajo friends will assist with providing a shuttle between the trip's starting and ending points. This shuttle is not part of or included in the cost of the Sierra Club trip, and will cost approximately $50, paid to our Navajo friend. The road to the trail’s northeast end is a very rough four-wheel drive track that is impassable to most vehicles.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

All meals are included in the trip cost. We will have simple, lightweight, easy-to-prepare, good-tasting meals from dried and freeze-dried ingredients, using recipes tested on previous Sierra Club trips. Vegetarian options are possible. Participants will share cooking and clean-up activities with guidance as necessary from the trip staff. The first meal is lunch on day one, and the last is lunch on day seven. As personal preferences in hot drinks and trail snacks vary so widely, these are not included in the trip commissary and participants should plan on bringing their own.

Consumption or possession of alcoholic beverage is illegal on the Navajo Nation. We will demonstrate our respect for the Navajo by complying with their laws.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderate trip, except for the long 11-mile hike on the second day. Participants must be comfortable walking with a full pack over rough, rocky terrain. Although most of the hike is on smooth sand or rock, while crossing Redbud Pass we will encounter a boulder field requiring some scrambling, rock hopping, and passing of packs. Plan on carrying 15 pounds of food and water and a total backpack weight of 35-45 pounds. You need to be in very good physical condition for this trip.

Equipment and Clothing

Full backpacking equipment is required. This includes a large capacity backpack, full rain gear, a synthetic pile jacket, a warm vest, a reliably dry tent, and a sleeping bag comfortable in the low 30s (although the weather probably won’t be that cold). Personal equipment should be limited to 20-25 pounds. The leader will provide a list of recommended equipment. To this will be added 12-14 pounds of group equipment and food.

Pain-free feet and a well-fitted comfortable backpack are the keys to an enjoyable trip. Comfortable, well broken-in hiking boots in good condition are essential. You should have sufficient experience (i.e., miles) with the boots to know that they will not cause blisters or other problems. Lightweight boots are fine; heavy mountaineering or expedition boots are unnecessary.

Most likely, the weather will be idyllic with warm days and cool nights. Spring weather is highly variable, however, and you should be prepared for both high and low temperatures. Rain, freezing temperatures, and even snow are possible.

References

• Bernheimer, Charles, Rainbow Bridge: Circling Navajo Mountain and Explorations in the “Badlands” of Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Reprinted 1999 by Center for Anthropological Studies; originally printed 1924.
• Babbitt, James E., Rainbow Trails: Early Day Adventures in Rainbow Bridge Country. Glen Canyon Natural History Association, 1990.

Conservation

Discussion of conservation issues will focus on conservation of public lands in Arizona and southern Utah -- especially Leave No Trace methods and invasive species impacts. Insight into power generation and Lake Powell, as it relates to the Navajo Nation, will be provided.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation.