Much of Rainbow Bridge National Monument along Lake Powell in southern Utah has gained a new protected status.

The National Park Service says 85 acres within the monument have been designated a "traditional cultural property" due to the site's historic and ongoing cultural significance to at least six American Indian tribes.

The agency says the designation places the site of the 290-foot-tall sandstone bridge on the National Register of Historic Places.

A listing on the register provides protection by requiring a rigorous review process before any federal project that could affect the site can begin.