The Negro Bill Canyon Trail is a pretty hike near Moab on a sandy trail that winds through trees, crosses a shallow stream, and arrives at the Morning Glory Natural Bridge.

The round trip hike is 4 1/2 miles of fairly easy terrain, but with some uphill and a few scrambles up & over rocks. The elevation gain is 330 feet.  The trail is dog-friendly and gets quite crowded mid-day.

Moab, Utah – Negro Bill Canyon Trail: Getting there

Head north out of Moab on Hwy 191 (Main Street).  Turn east on Hwy 128 and drive about 3 miles.

The trailhead is clearly marked.  If the parking lot is full, there is additional parking across the road – be careful crossing the road, as traffic is fairly fast coming around the curve.

Moab, Utah – Negro Bill Canyon Trail: The hike

The hike to the Morning Glory Natural Bridge is 2 1/4 miles from the trailhead.

Most information says to allow for 4 hours round trip – we did it in 3, but we went before it got too crowded and we tend to hike pretty quickly.

The Negro Bill Canyon Trail leaves the trailhead to the left of the stream.

The first half to two-thirds of the Negro Bill Canyon Trail is mostly a sandy path that winds through trees, crossing the stream several times.

Unlike other Moab hikes, this section is very green, with the stream supporting trees, bushes, and various types of flowering plants.

The trail pops in and out of the shade, keeping you fairly cool during this segment. The stream is shallow, but your feet will get wet, so plan accordingly.

The last part of the trail is on exposed slick rock, with some uphill.

There are a couple of places that require scrambling up rocks.  The terrain then becomes exposed and is much hotter under the desert sun.  There are numerous cairns marking the path over the rocks.

Negro Bill Canyon Trail: Morning Glory Natural Bridge

The sixth-largest natural rock span in the United States, Morning Glory Natural Bridge is is located at the end of the Negro Bill Canyon Trail.

Some hikers use this spot to have a bite of lunch and some of the dogs enjoy a quick dip in the pool of water under the bridge.

Poison ivy grows near the pool under the bridge, so keep away from dark green, shiny leaves with serrated edges in clusters of three.

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