Lee's Ferry

We spent 5 nights at Lees Ferry. A BLM campground in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. It was a sunny spot on a bluff overlooking the Colorado River. This is where most of the rafting trips through the grand canyon begin. It is where Betty, Lydia, Nancy and I boarded a commercial raft for our 7 day adventure. Memories and sadness arose as I sat by the river that first night waiting for a raft to go by.

It is also where I saw a chuckwalla and a million … cactus in bloom. (OK not a million) Both of which filled me with joy.

One morning as we set out to see the Navaho Bridge, we took a wrong turn and happened upon an area labeled cliff dwellers on the map. It turns out that in years past many people had taken refuge from storms here. One such women decided she loved the place and came back to buy some land and build among the rocks.

We did find the Navaho bridge. Lees ferry had been an actual ferry crossing point and the bridge was built to handle cars when they arrived on the scene. Later (1990’s) a new bridge was built to handle more modern cars. We were able to spy two condors  from the bridge. I could not get a photo so you’ll have to make do with this picture of the Colorado river from the bridge.

We also spent two days hiking the Cathedral Wash. The first day we took it north towards the Vermillion rocks.

The second day we had an adventurous day trying to follow the wash South to the Colorado River. We got close but not all the way. This wash contained a number of pools that we had to cross. We waded the first. Then I was able to climb around the second on the rocks, while Anne awaited my report. When I got to the third pool, I used my hiking pole to test its depth and we decided not to get in something that was opaque and more than 2 feet deep at the edge. On my return, as I attempted to bypass the second pool, I found much to my dismay, that about half way back I could not get a good handhold and slipped down into the pool. Luckily, I landed on my feet and was not injured, just wet up to my butt.  It was a sunny day, so it was – mmm, “refreshing”.


 This is the view of Vermillion Cliffs a little farther up the road from the Cliff Dweller.