Tower Bridge from Sunrise Point

From the car park near Sunrise Point and the General Store walk to the rim and turn north along the Rim Trail for a quarter of a mile to the Tower Bridge trailhead. The Fairyland Loop Trail drops from here in long bends, below the row of hoodoos called the China Wall, to the canyon floor. A short spur leads to Tower Bridge: two spires joined by a span of rock. Return the same way.

It is 3.6 miles (5.8 km) round trip with 710 feet (215 m) of climbing; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy: it is short and downhill at first, with all of the climbing on the way back.

The park gives 3 miles for this walk from the trailhead on the rim; ours is measured from the car park. There is no water below the rim, and pets are not allowed on this trail. The General Store near Sunrise Point has restrooms and a water tap in season, and in 2026 the shuttle stops at Sunrise Point until October 18. Trails were muddy after heavy rain at the end of September 2026. The rim is at about 8,000 feet, so take the climb out slowly. This is a quieter way below the rim than the trails from Sunset Point.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.