The 2-mile round trip hike up Natural Bridge Canyon is a great trek for those interested in learning about the geological history of Death Valley National Park. Also, the natural bridge is just cool to walk under.
A panel at the trailhead provides illustrations of the various geological features visible in the canyon, making it easy for hikers to spot the faults, chutes, and mud drippings along the way.
From the panel, the trail quickly enters the mouth of the canyon. The gravel floor makes hiking uphill a bit tiresome (but hiking back down is a breeze). Half a mile from the start, the walls of the canyon narrow and the 50-foot tall natural bridge spans the canyon.
Differential erosion created the impressive bridge. This is the main attraction of the hike of course, but the canyon has more to offer.
