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The Grand Canyon's North Rim offers visitors a calmer, more peaceful environment with significantly fewer visitors.
Sue Poirier and Midge Lemay at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Rafters prepare to take off from Lees Ferry for their Grand Canyon river rafting adventure.
The historic Lonely Dell Ranch was home to the families who operated the ferry service from the 1870 to 1890s.
Some views of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument treasures can be seen from Route 89A pull-offs.
The steel arch Navajo Bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, crosses the Colorado River into the Arizona Strip.
The Grand Canyon's North Rim offers visitors a calmer, more peaceful environment with significantly fewer visitors.
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When we arrived in Green Valley in November 2010, we definitely acted (and looked) like newcomers. In January, February and March, we walked around in tee shirts and shorts; in the summer, we would bask in the sun and enjoyed the 100-degree temperatures. Over time, however, we started noticing that something strange was happening to us in the Southern Arizona summers.
As the temperatures would rise, we would start looking through our lists of places we wanted to see. We searched until we found a place that would meet our needs — an unfamiliar place we could explore, an area with few visitors and someplace a lot cooler than Southern Arizona! In August 2012, we found just the journey that met all of our criteria.
We filled our backpacks, loaded the cooler, grabbed our maps, informed our family and friends that we would be gone “for a while,” and smiled as we drove north to Flagstaff for an overnight stay. The next morning, we headed north on Route 89 towards our destination: the 89A Scenic Drive from Bitter Springs to Fredonia. Our plans also included other sites to the east and west of the Scenic Drive — a total of 107 miles, from Lee’s Ferry to Colorado City.
We were delighted to have the opportunity to explore the Arizona Strip: the part of Arizona lying north of the Colorado River … “the region that has more physical and cultural connections with Southern Utah and Nevada than the rest of Arizona.” According to our research, we were aware that this section of Arizona contains many interesting and historical sites.
As we approached the Colorado River, the first site we encountered was the Navajo Bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site contains a pair of steel arch bridges that cross the Colorado River and provide visitors the opportunity to enter the Arizona Strip. The new bridge, constructed in 1995, lies near the historic bridge. Upon arriving, we stopped at the visitor center and walked along the path to get an excellent view of the Colorado River, Marble Canyon and the Echo cliffs.
The steel arch Navajo Bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, crosses the Colorado River into the Arizona Strip.
At the visitor center, we also explored the beautiful stone ramada with multiple picnic tables, read the information signs, and took multiple photos of the breathtaking scenery. Our research indicated that condors love to sit on the railings of the historic bridge. On that day, we did not see a condor! Some of our adventurous friends have seen the birds at this site, but we were not lucky on that day and on the return trip. Oh well!
Leaving the bridge, we took a right turn and headed to Lee’s Ferry, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the only site, for hundreds of miles, where the Colorado River can be accessed from both sides. A ferry service was established at this site and provided travelers the opportunity to cross for over 60 years. When the Navajo Bridge was built, the ferry service became obsolete.
Rafters prepare to take off from Lees Ferry for their Grand Canyon river rafting adventure.
The site is named after John Doyle Lee, who operated the ferry for several years. During its heyday, this site included a post office and a trading post. During our visit, we located a semi-intact stone building, broken wagon wheels, metal pipes, and other metal pieces. On that beautiful, sunshiny day, we took the occasion to soak our feet in the Colorado River and watched the rafts preparing to leave for their Grand Canyon river rafting adventure.
A short walking distance from Lee’s Ferry, we found the Lonely Dell Ranch, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. From the 1870s to 1890s, this ranch was home to the families who operated the ferry service. Due to the isolation of the area, this ranch had to be self-sufficient to ensure their survival. They grew their own food, and some of the orchards are still productive. We explored several of the original, well-maintained buildings. This area is harsh, barren, and isolated, but the surrounding scenery is stunning.
The historic Lonely Dell Ranch was home to the families who operated the ferry service from the 1870 to 1890s.
Leaving Lee’s Ferry, we were driving west on 89A and stopped at a census-designated community with a population of less than 400 residents. Marble Canyon began as a Trading Post in 1920 and the original homestead still stands on the original site. Today, this small community, at the edge of the Vermilion Cliffs, contains a post office, the Cliff Dwellers Lodge, a restaurant, gas station, and store.
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, immediately south of the Utah border, has limited road access, although some of the treasures can be seen from the road. Along Route 89A, there are pull-offs that allow explorers the opportunity to stop, touch, and photograph some of the beautiful formations. At one of the stops, we pulled in to read the information sign that stated: “Tucked away in north-central Arizona, this monument is a wonderland of geologic formations and rugged terrain that supports a rich array of desert wildlife and vegetation.” At another pull-off, we stopped to photograph, examine and touch some incredibly beautiful balancing rocks. These brilliantly colored cliffs are the living proof of years of erosion.
Some views of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument treasures can be seen from Route 89A pull-offs.
Continuing on our journey west, we discovered the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition Site that honors the 1776 expedition of Fathers Francisco Dominguez and Silvestre Escalante. They were searching for an overland route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to California and they are reportedly the first Europeans to explore the Arizona Strip. The tall cement monument is inscribed with their names and the year of the expedition. The monument lies on the spot where they camped. A sign at the site provides information about their goal and the reasons why the expedition was unsuccessful.
Whoa! This is where we need to turn right on the dirt road! According to our research, condors love to nest in the high, red stone cliffs near House Rock. We followed the directions and turned right on the bumpy, narrow dirt road and headed towards the cliffs. We looked and looked, but did not see any condors. Today was not our lucky day! Maybe on the way home, we will spot one in flight.
Our next stop: the House Rock Valley Overlook. Standing 1,000 feet above the valley floor, this overlook offered us a magnificent view of the valley, the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument and Marble Canyon in the distance. This was a great spot for taking photos of the bright red cliffs. We also looked for condors — none spotted here!
In the distance, we could see the small community sitting at the junction of Route 89A and Route 67. Jacob Lake, with approximately 500 residents, is known as the gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This community, sitting in a large ponderosa pine forest, consists mainly of an inn, cabins, campground, store, gas station, restaurant, gift shop, and a visitor center managed by the Forest Department. We chose this area for an overnight stay and enjoyed the accommodations tucked away amongst the trees.
The next morning, prior to continuing our journey, we spent some time in the Visitor Center. The ranger shared with us some history of the area, and the center contained great exhibits and valuable information. The ranger also reminded with us that driving along Route 67, toward the Grand Canyon, we should watch for the bison; they are often seen in the large meadows and alongside of the road.
Leaving the Jacob Lake area, Fredonia, a town of approximately 1,300 residents, was the first place on our agenda. Established in 1885, the town has been nicknamed “Desert Rose.” Driving through the community, we noted well-maintained residences, parks and outdoor spaces. It is obvious that the residents are proud of their historic community. Point of information: The Arizona One Mine (Uranium) is 35 miles south of this charming community.
Pipe Spring National Monument, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is west of Fredonia on Route 389 West. That was our next destination! This site, named by a Latter-day Saint Missionary, preserves early explorer, Indian, and Mormon history. On that day, we learned about the tension regarding water rights between the local Indian tribes and settlers that prompted the building of a fortified structure directly over the springs.
During our visit, we spent time in the visitor center, which presented historical information on the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, and strolled through the site. We found Paiute ramadas and houses, covered wagons, an adobe residence, corrals, and agricultural equipment. The main feature of the park, Winsor Castle, is an impressive stone structure with large wooden doors. This is the fortified building that was built by the Mormon settlers directly over the area’s only water source. We participated in a guided tour of the building and were amazed at its luxurious interior. On that particular day, we were amazed, educated and thankful to the state of Arizona for preserving such important historical sites.
Pulling out of the parking lot, we almost turned left to head to the last site on our list. Then, we had a second thought — we are so close to the Utah border, let’s just drive to Colorado City before heading east. Gypsy (our 2006 Honda CRV) responded to our change of mind and turned right. We drove through the community of approximately 5,000 residents, stopped at the Welcome to Utah sign, turned around and headed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This was our final destination on this wonderful journey of discovery.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers visitors another perspective of the canyon in a calmer, more peaceful environment with significantly fewer visitors. Driving along Route 67, we drove slowly and scanned the meadows for the bison. We saw no bisons! Prior to arriving at the lodge, we stopped at three viewpoints: Point Imperial, Cape Royal and Roosevelt Point. The rewards included beautiful flowers, unbelievable scenery, and the Angel Arch. The Grand Canyon Lodge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, provided us an exquisite place to rest, eat, and socialize. For us, the North Rim was two days of peace, silence, beauty, and adventure.
Sue Poirier and Midge Lemay at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
What a great journey: an escape from the Southern Arizona heat. A time to explore, wonder, meet some interesting people, learn and rest! On this journey, we learned a valuable lesson about Arizona — higher up on the Arizona map does not necessarily mean lower temperatures! It is altitude that matters, not location. Lesson learned!
Travels with Two Sisters is a series of adventures in Arizona with Green Valley residents Marie “Midge” Lemay and Suzanne “Sue” Poirier. For more discoveries, check out their books: “One Mile at a Time,” “A Gypsy in Our Souls,” “Connecting Dots,” and their latest, “We Don't Mind if You Come Along.”
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