Walk to the Owachomo Bridge Viewpoint

Owachomo Bridge is the smallest, and probably oldest, natural bridge in the park. From the viewpoint, you can see the bridge’s delicate span and surrounding landscape. You can also see the large rock mound on the left side that the bridge was named for - Owachomo is a Hopi word for “rock mound.” Length Roundtrip: 519 feet (158.19 meters) Elevation Change One-way (from Parking Lot to Viewpoint): 8.67 feet (2.64 meters) loss, 0 feet (0 meters) gain Getting There Start at the Owachomo Bridge parking area and follow the (mostly flat) paved trail 259.5 feet (79.10 meters) to the overlook. A bench is near the beginning of the trail. For an easy hike, take the unpaved trail to the base of Owachomo Bridge. Special Features Below the viewpoint, notice the dark layer of biological soil crust carpeting the ground. This top layer of soil holds moisture, giving life to this arid environment. Do you see the interwoven trails in the soil crust? Deer follow these narrow trails to navigate the canyons and don’t damage much soil crust. In contrast, look at the dusty, tan soil lining the trail. When visitors step off trail, they crush the fragile soil crust, which takes decades to grow back. Please stay on trail at all times and help us protect the park!