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Covered Wagon Natural Bridge


Rating: 
Round Trip Distance: 0.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5747 - 5812 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: Cedar Wash Road
Fee: none
Attractions: Natural bridge




The Covered Wagon Natural Bridge is located along the Cedar Wash Road in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument south of the town of Escalante, Utah. The picturesque little bridge spans a tributary branch of Alvey Wash. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument covers nearly 1.9 million acres of public land. Over 1000 natural bridges and arches can be found within its boundaries.



Google Maps does a good job of providing directions to the trailhead but the jist of it is to turn south off of Highway 12 in the heart of Escalante, Utah onto Center Street. After about 1.4 miles Center Street will become Proctor Road. Continue for another 3.3 miles and Proctor Road becomes the Cedar Wash Road. From there it is about another 4.5 miles to the unmarked trailhead. The total distance is about 9.2 miles with the first 4 miles or so being paved. A vehicle with a little more than average clearance would be preferred and the drive shouldn't be attempted if the road is muddy.


The trailhead is a small pullout at a sharp bend in the road. The post in this picture marks the spot.


Head west from the trailhead down into the wash. Once in the wash go to left. It is only a short distance to the bridge.


The bridge spans the wash with plenty of room to walk under it to inspect the other side.


Another feature that is almost as cool as Covered Wagon Natural Bridge is a huge alcove in the wash just to the south of the bridge. Being in a wash it would be a very bad place to camp but the cool damp ground makes it a great place to explore and cool off.


You can also scramble up the hill on the other side of the alcove to see the bridge from another perspective.


The Covered Wagon Natural Bridge is usually visited in combination with the Cedar Wash Arch which is only another 1.2 miles down the Cedar Wash Road. The BLM website lists this hike as 0.5 miles one-way but we only came up with 0.4 miles round trip. Either way this is a pretty short and enjoyable outing. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.