The Grand Canyon & Northern Arizona - American Southwest - page 554

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At the west end of the bridge, you'll find the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center, which
is operated by the National Park Service and is partly housed in a stone building built
during the Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). At the east end of the
bridge, which is on the Navajo Reservation, interpretive signs tell the story of Lees Ferry
from the Native American perspective.
Lees Ferry is the starting point for raft trips through the Grand Canyon, and for many
years it was the only place to cross the Colorado River for hundreds of miles in either
direction. This stretch of the river is now legendary among anglers for its trophy trout
fishing. Lees Ferry has a 54-site campground charging $12 per night. Reservations are
not accepted.
Lees Ferry Anglers ( & 800/962-9755 or 928/355-2261; www.leesferry.com), 11
miles west of the bridge at Lees Ferry, is fishing headquarters for the region. Not only
does it sell all manner of fly-fishing tackle and offer advice about good spots to try your
luck, but it also operates a guide service and rents waders and boats. A guide and boat
costs $350 per day for one person, and $425 per day for two people.
Continuing west, the highway passes under the Vermilion Cliffs, so named for their
deep-red coloring and now the namesake of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
( & 435/688-3200; www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/natmon/vermilion.
html). At the base of these cliffs are huge boulders balanced on narrow columns of eroded
soil. The balanced rocks give the area an otherworldly appearance.
Along this same stretch of road, you'll find the gravel road that leads north to the
Coyote Buttes , which are among the most unusual rock formations in Arizona.
Basically, these striated conical sandstone hills are petrified sand dunes, which should give
you a good idea of why one area of the Coyote Buttes is called the Wave. The buttes are
a favorite of photographers. You must have a permit ($7 per person) to visit this area, and
only 20 people are allowed to visit each day (with a maximum group size of six people).
Permits are issued by lottery, and applications must be submitted 4 months in advance.
There's no actual trail to the buttes, so you have to navigate by way of the photos and
map that you'll be sent when you receive your permit. For more information, contact the
Arizona Strip Interpretive Association, 345 E. Riverside Dr., St. George, UT 84790
( & 435/688-3246; www.az.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/coyote_buttes/index.htm).
To learn more about the pioneer history of this remote region of the state (known as
the Arizona Strip), continue west from Jacob Lake 45 miles on Arizona 389 to Pipe
Spring National Monument, 406 N. Pipe Spring Rd., Fredonia ( & 928/643-7105;
www.nps.gov/pisp), which preserves an early Mormon ranch house that was built in the
style of a fort for protection from Indians. This “fort” was also known as Winsor Castle
and occasionally housed the wives of polygamists hiding from the law. In summer, there
are living-history demonstrations. The monument is open daily from 7am to 5pm June
through August, and from 8am to 5pm the rest of the year (closed New Year's Day,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Admission is $5 per adult.

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WHERE TO STAY
Inside the Park
Grand Canyon Lodge Perched right on the canyon rim, this classic mountain
lodge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is as impressive a lodge as
any you'll find in a national park. The stone-and-log main building has a soaring ceiling
and a viewing room set up with chairs facing a wall of glass, and on either side of this