This 4.65-mile round-trip journey begins above the Colorado River's banks east of Moab, Utah, and winds its way up a picturesque canyon alongside a much smaller stream. The hike culminates in a breathtaking 243-foot-long natural bridge, America's sixth longest natural rock structure. Morning Glory Bridge is reached through a simple dirt trail that ascends only 300 feet and provides plenty of peace and quiet along the way.
Grandstaff Canyon, as with most of Moab has a rich history.
This trail was named for William Grandstaff, a black man who moved from the American South to Moab in 1877 to become a cowboy and prospector. Many people in town new this fellow as Negro Bill as a nickname and this canyon for many years was called "Negro Bill Canyon." As the story goes William was happy and never offend being called/nicknamed Negro Bill and ran his cattle through the canyon. We are not commenting on the proper/improper use of the Negro nickname but just that there are often small pieces of the story that can go missing and forgotten about with the changes/updates that are made. William Grandstaff will still be remembered and honored with or without the name update.