People

Though its "discovery" by the outside world was only a hundred years ago, people native to the area have known about Rainbow Bridge for centuries. It is also quite likely that prospectors, ranchers, and others happened across the bridge in their wanderings.

Affiliated Tribes

For many indigenous peoples in the Four Corners region, Rainbow Bridge is a spiritually occupied landscape that is inseparable from their cultural identities and traditional beliefs.

Visit the websites of the affiliated tribes to learn about their cultures through their own words.
Hopi Tribe
Kaibab Paiute Tribe
Navajo Nation
Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah
San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe
Pueblo of Zuni
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

The park regularly consults with representatives from these affiliated tribes, ensuring all voices are heard regarding the ongoing management of the park.

 

Louisa Wetherill was told of Rainbow Bridge by a Navajo trader, and she convinced her husband to lead the Cummings-Douglass expedition

Cummings-Douglass Expedition

Learn the interesting story of the official expedition that put Rainbow Bridge on the map.