The Emerald Pools, a series of three pristine cascading bodies of water, is one of the most scenic spots in all of Zion National Park.
For the last 2 years, the bridge that carries hikers over the Virgin River has been closed due to an unstable foundation. That forced visitors to make a longer hike with a series of detours. But on Tuesday, June 10, the bridge reopened and normal trail access was restored, park officials announced this week.
Normally, hikers can reach the Emerald Pools by walking from Zion Lodge or shuttle stop #5 to access the trail. With the bridge closure, hikers had to take a more circuitous route. They had to go to shuttle stop #6 and take the Kayenta Trail until it merged with the trail to the pools.
Now hikers can once again enjoy the bridge crossing while also knocking a mile off the total distance to the Lower Emerald Pools. After a project that involved moving an entire bridge 100 feet upstream, the popular trail is now open to hikers, Ally O’Rullian, a communications specialist at Zion National Park, told GearJunkie.
“Reopening this bridge restores a critical connection to one of Zion’s most iconic trail systems,” Jeff Bradybaugh, superintendent of Zion National Park, said in a news release. “We appreciate our visitors’ patience and support as we worked to ensure this structure can safely serve future generations.”
‘Better for the Bridge and the River’
The bridge helps hikers cross the Virgin River, a wide, powerful river that’s more than 160 miles long. The National Park Service initially installed a suspension bridge in 1943. The NPS later replaced it with a modern steel construction in 1983.
Then, in May 2023, a landslide destabilized the ground, weakening the attachment of the bridge to the ground and abutments. In response, park officials closed down the bridge.
While the bridge’s foundations were unstable, the bridge itself was still structurally sound. With a perfectly good bridge on hand, park officials decided to install it in a more stable area further upstream.
The team had to take into account the impacts that flooding, continuing erosion and increased visitor numbers would have on the bridge and the landscape. First, the team dug large holes far enough back from the river to avoid erosion. Then they constructed steel rebar frames and filled them with concrete to build a stable foundation. Finally, construction crews used a giant crane to move the bridge to its new home.
“The new foundation is actually better for the bridge and the river. It will allow the river to take its own course in the future, so it’ll withstand the test of time,” Marshall said.
Its new location is outside the geologically active zone, meaning it will be less subject to degradation due to erosion, landslides, and flash floods. Zion National Park is the second-most visited national park, with nearly 5 million visitors in 2024.
“Moving a bridge is easier said than done,” said Malynn Marshall, Zion National Park Engineering Technician, in a video released by the park. “Subject matter experts worked together to create a plan that would safely build new abutments on the riverbank and transfer the bridge onto them, all while considering the constantly changing landscape that is Zion.”
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