Gemini Bridges

Gemini Bridges, near Moab, off highway 313

During the time we lived in Moab, I am surprised that I never visited Gemini Bridges. My husband had seen them from above, and had even broken an oil pan when he attempted to drive our mini van on the Gemini Bridges road all the way to highway 191.  In 2023 we visited Gemini Bridges, and I was determined to see them both from above and below.

Driving toward Moab, we turned right onto highway 313, the road to Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point.  A sign on the right indicates the left turn towards Gemini Bridges.  The road is a dirt road but is very flat and does not require 4wd.  However, if you go past the Gemini Bridges parking area, you will be on the 4wd road, which is very rough.

There is a designated parking area to view the bridges and it's a very short hike to stand on top of the Gemini Bridges.  While we were on top of the bridges, we could see people down in the canyon below.  I wanted to see both vantage points of the bridges, above and below, so we determined that we would drive the 4wd trail through Bull Canyon.  James walked along the rim of the canyon to take photos of me on top of the bridges and get a better view of the bridges.  Then we headed back on the Gemini Bridges road towards where it joins Bull Canyon road.

When we got to where the road forks and we would be heading towards Gemini Bridges, we stopped and talked to two other adventurers who were heading back.  One warned us that the road would soon be getting rougher, and said that he'd just been at the bridges.  The other also warned us about the rough road ahead, but said that he'd searched for the bridges and hadn't been able to find them.  It was late afternoon in November, and I was determined to see the bridges before dark.  We decided to park our suburban right after the road divided, and walk the remaining 2 miles to the bridges.  The trail was usually easy to follow, but there were a couple times that we veered off, figured out we were on the wrong path, and came back to the trail.  From the point where we parked our suburban, to the viewpoint below the bridges, ended up being exactly 2 miles.  The bridges are even more spectacular from below!  It was definitely worth the drive and hike to see them!  There is a parking area near the bridges where you are no longer able to drive, even if your off-road vehicle can handle it.  If you reach a sign that says "road closed," you have gone the wrong way.  That is probably what our friends that we met on the trail had done.  Luckily I had my Natural Atlas map out and working as we walked towards Gemini Bridges.  

When we left the bridges to head back to our car, it was getting dark, so we ran most of the way.  We then drove out towards highway 191 and reached it after dark - the road is rough, don't attempt it unless your vehicle can handle it!  Both views of Gemini Bridges are well worth the effort - I would do it again!  I would say that the lower view was the most spectacular of the two, but definitely required more effort to get there!

Two people have died at Gemini Bridges -- a man died in 1999 trying to drive his jeep over the bridges.  A boyscout died in 2010 when he tried to jump from one bridge to the other and fell 100 feet to his death.

Driving up highway 313, this sign on the right indicates the left turn for Gemini Bridges

The Gemini Bridges road is very mild at this point and does not require 4wd.  If you continue past the Gemini Bridges parking area, however, you will need 4wd.

A sign in the parking area for Gemini Bridges

This is the round-trip distance from the parking area to the Gemini Bridges - a very short, easy walk

Lizzie relaxing next to the bridges

This is across from the bridges, and because of the shade it is hard to tell they are even bridges in this photo.  Where I was standing was actually a very thin piece of rock as compared to the bridges themselves.

James walked along the canyon rim to take photos of me on the bridges and he found these fun formations

View from the bridges.  Later that afternoon we would be walking that trail on Bull Canyon in order to see the Gemini Bridges from below

James took this photo of me from across the canyon

Without zooming in it is easier to tell the magnitude of these bridges and the drop down to the canyon below

Me on one of the Gemini Bridges

view from the side as James was walking along the rim - if you look closely you can still see me on one of the bridges

Me standing on the other bridge

from the other direction, me standing on the bridges

Lizzie walking on the bridges

James and Lizzie on the bridges

The shade makes it very hard to see that these are bridges and not just a canyon wall

The trail is marked with green paint and extremely easy and short

I was standing on the bridge when I took this photo of James across the canyon, taking photos of me

This was our round-trip hike from where we left our car, viewed Gemini Bridges from below, and returned to our car, plus a little bit extra when we were driving and I forgot to turn off my tracker

our view of Gemini Bridges as we were hiking toward it in Bull Canyon

James at Gemini Bridges

Lizzie deciding the best path to get under the bridges

This large rock at the base of Gemini Bridges reminded Lizzie of the Little Mermaid :)

This arch was viewed along the trail on the way to Gemini Bridges.  I haven't been able to discover the name of it

The trail is mostly easy to follow, although once you discover that you may have gone the wrong way, turn around and retrace your steps.  There were two times that we had to turn around and find our way back to the correct path.  

the surrounding canyon walls

This large leaning pillar was near the end of the trail

This is where we parked our car for the 2 mile hike to the arch and 2 mile hike back - we did manage to make it before dark