Au Natural

Hike to Natural Bridge in Death Valley National Park

03.13.2024

Natural Bridge is a short, sweet canyon hike in Death Valley National Park with—you guessed it—a natural bridge formation that’s wholly unique for being, well, rough around the edges. Instead of a smoothness, this formation’s ingredients are a coalescing of rock and gravel and sediment … it’s complicated and interesting!

It’s also just a cool sight to see (and, yes, a popular place for photos). Natural Bridge is a 35x35 behemoth—as in 35 feet high and thick. What we also like about the hike is the beautiful bonus vista you get early in the hike of Badwater Basin and Lake Manly.

The vista is lovely as is the short canyon hike, up through a wash and under the bridge. The trail goes just beyond the bridge and ends at an obvious dry fall.

Death Valley National Park's Natural Bridge parking area and trailhead is south of CA-190 off Badwater Road. You have to drive a dirt road for several miles to reach it; most vehicles can make it but be mindful of ruts and check with the Furnace Creek Visitor Center for updated conditions. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Camp and Kayak at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest

    Sleeper Hit

    It's all about the water, and the camping, at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest, a High Sierra reservoir perfect for kayak explorations and pitching your tent with the lake in the background.

    View

  2. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  3. Woman taking a photo on a bike path

    Bike, Beers, Shore Thing!

    The coastal community of Redwood Shores may be known for its tech campuses, but this 8.5-mile bike loop explores the natural side of this beautiful peninsula. With a brew pub bonus!

    View

  4. Sheep Tight!

    You’re not going to have to count sheep to get a good night’s sleep at Sheep Dung’s beautiful property in Anderson Valley near Boonville. Four modern cottages—tucked far apart from each other among 500 acres of rolling hills—are designed for blissful solitude. And it’s dog-friendly!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. All the Wright Stuff

    Avoiding drama? That’s a good thing. Unless you’re talking about campsites. In that case, the more dramatic the better! And Wright’s Beach on the Sonoma Coast is quite the drama queen—27 campsites sitting smack dab in the middle of the wild and raging Sonoma Coast State Beach.

    View
  2. kirk creek campground big sur

    Sur Bet!

    You can spend $1,000 a night for an ocean-view room in Big Sur. Or you can spend $45 and wake up to the sound of crashing waves and incredible views of Big Sur’s coastline when staying at Kirk Creek Campground.

    View

  3. Secret Redwoods + Camping by the River

    Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is a little-known gem where skyscraping reds (the tallest living trees in the world!) fly under the radar. Grizzly’s ironically small size and location off the beaten path provide near total seclusion, not to mention relaxing camping!

    View

  4. Three Falling

    Three waterfalls, and fewer people. McCloud Falls might be the best waterfall hike in Northern California. There are bigger waterfalls in the state, but it’s the whole package that makes this 4-mile (round-trip) hike truly memorable.

    View