Onyx Bridge
About
Onyx Bridge is an arch in Petrified Forest National Park, within the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area, which the National Park Service manages. The nearest town is Sun Valley, about 16 miles away. The arch sits at roughly 5,500 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show April highs around 68°F and October highs around 70°F, while July highs reach about 92°F and winter lows drop to around 22°F. Several trails lie close by. Off the Beaten Path Onyx Bridge Route Stop 3 is about 1.4 miles away, and the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area: North Unit is about 1.8 miles away. Tawa Point is about 2 miles off, and Puerco Pueblo is about 9 miles away.
Arch Facts
Elevation
5,534 ft
Land manager
National Park Service
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Onyx Bridge
Arizona
Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Mar–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–78°F and lows of 30–44°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Painted Desert Np, AZ weather station, 3.1 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan48° high22° low
- Feb52° high25° low
- Mar61° high30° low
- Apr68° high35° low
- May78° high44° low
- Jun89° high53° low
- Jul92° high60° low
- Aug88° high58° low
- Sep82° high51° low
- Oct70° high40° low
- Nov58° high28° low
- Dec46° high22° low
Where it is
- Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area · Wilderness
- Petrified Forest National Park · National Park Service
- Nearest town
- Sun Valley, Arizona · 16 mi
- Managed by
- National Park Service
Conditions
Active alerts for Petrified Forest National Park as of Oct 9, 2026:
Park Headquarters Phones are Down
Information · posted Aug 24, 2026
The Painted Desert Oasis Gift Shop, Gas Station and Restaurant are Open!
Information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: NPS Alerts API
Nearby
Off the Beaten Path Onyx Bridge Route Stop 3HikingPhoto: NPS / public domain1.4 mi
Off the Beaten Path Onyx Bridge Route Stop 1HikingPhoto: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)1.7 mi
Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area: North UnitHikingPhoto: Mary P Madigan, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)1.8 mi
Tawa PointHikingPhoto: Navin75, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)2 mi- Tawa TrailHikingPhoto: Navin75, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)2.9 mi
Puerco PuebloHikingPhoto: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)9.1 mi- Cactus Blossom TrailHiking9.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Is Onyx Bridge open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for Petrified Forest National Park.
As of · Source: NPS · Petrified Forest National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Onyx Bridge
Best months: March–May and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
48° / 22°
4 wet
Feb
52° / 25°
4 wet
Mar
61° / 30°
4 wet
Apr
68° / 35°
3 wet
May
78° / 44°
3 wet
Jun
89° / 53°
3 wet
Jul
92° / 60°
7 wet
Aug
88° / 58°
9 wet
Sep
82° / 51°
6 wet
Oct
70° / 40°
5 wet
Nov
58° / 28°
4 wet
Dec
46° / 22°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Painted Desert Np, AZ, 3.1 mi away at 5,760 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
