Sipapu Bridge Trail,
Natural Bridges National Monument
The Sipapu Bridge is the second longest natural bridge in the world and one of the top ten largest natural bridges in the world. The Sipapu Bridge Trail is the steepest within the park trail structure and therefore the most difficult to access. The trail starts its descent by a series of steps, several switchbacks lead further down to ladders and primitive stone steps before reaching this magnificent sandstone structure.
Elevation
The Sipapu Bridge Trail has a maximum elevation of 6,215 ft., a minimum elevation of 5,775 ft. and an elevation range of 440 ft.
Metrics
| [ A to B ] or [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length 2 | Min Ele 3 | Max Ele 4 | Range 5 |
| 0.6 mi | 5,775 ft | 6,215 ft | 440 ft |
| [ A to B ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time 6 | Floors 7 | Gain 8 | Loss 9 |
| 26 min | 36.3 | 436 ft | 0 ft |
| [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Floors | Gain | Loss |
| 16 min | 0.0 | 0 ft | 436 ft |
Calories
The following chart shows the total calories that you may expend on the trail while hiking in both directions. The chart is based on data derived from a statistical model of energy expenditure that relates gross weight, typical speed and trail topography.
Topo Maps
Download the PDF Sipapu Bridge Trail topo map and the adjoining quads to plan your hike. These are full-sheet, 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) topographic maps.
Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend
- Northwest Topo Map: Jacobs Chair, UT
- North Topo Map: The Cheesebox, UT
- Northeast Topo Map: Woodenshoe Buttes, UT
- West Topo Map: Fry Spring, UT
- Topo Map: Moss Back Butte, UT
- East Topo Map: Kane Gulch, UT
- Southwest Topo Map: Red House Spring, UT
- South Topo Map: Pollys Pasture, UT
- Southeast Topo Map: Cedar Mesa North, UT
FAQ
What is the length of the Sipapu Bridge Trail?
The length of the trail is 0.6 miles (1.0 km) or 1,410 steps.
How long does it take to hike the Sipapu Bridge Trail?
A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 26 minutes in one direction and in 16 minutes in the opposite direction.
Warnings
Prevent tick bites: Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
(cdc.gov)
- The Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) may be present in this area. The Brown dog tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- The Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) may be present in this area. The Rocky Mountain wood tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Tularemia.
- The Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) may be present in this area. The Western blacklegged tick transmits Anaplasmosis and Lyme Disease.
Footnotes
- Steps is a unit of distance equal to the sum of stride lengths that vary with the terrain.
- Length is the distance of the trail between the two trailheads, measured on the trail.
- Min Ele is the minimum elevation on the trail.
- Max Ele is the maximum elevation on the trail.
- Range is the difference between maximum and minimum elevation.
- Time is the typical total time required to hike the trail.
- Floors is the gain divided by twelve feet, the height of one floor.
- Gain (cumulative elevation gain) is the sum of every gain in elevation.
- Loss (cumulative elevation loss) is the sum of every loss in elevation.