Horseshoes & Ferries...

We began the day in search of an incredible natural vista. We found it at Horseshoe Bend.

The name was inspired by its unusual shape, a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located just four miles southwest of Page.

Horseshoe Bend’s rock walls have a variety of minerals, including hematite, platinum, and garnet. The overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level, and the Colorado River is 3,200 feet above sea level, which gives this scenic view a breathtaking 1,000 foot drop. What a spectacular stop on our day of exploring.

Wanting to experience history in a unique setting, we ventured afar to Lees Ferry, with some interesting stops along the way.

Our first stop was at Navajo Bridge, an historic landmark (1929). At the time of its opening, it was the highest steel arch bridge in the world and made traveling between Utah and Arizona much easier. No longer did travelers have to contend with the moods of the Colorado River at Lees Ferry (discussed below).

In the early 1870s, Mormon pioneers from Utah began to expand their settlements into northern Arizona. Nearly 600 miles of deep canyons along the Colorado River stood in their way. One of the only places a wagon could reach the river from both north and south was at the mouth of Glen Canyon. Since the area was accessible and was a natural corridor between Utah and Arizona, a ferry was established there in 1873.

Named after the first ferry operator, John D. Lee, Lees Ferry became an important route for pioneers, settlers and local traffic.

Different ferryboats and pioneers, miners, Indians, and tourists crossed here for 55 years. Of special interest is Charles H. Spencer’s attempt to extract gold from the clay hills here in 1910. Two of the stone buildings, a steam boiler, and the remains of a sunken paddlewheel steamboat remain from his efforts.

In addition to the history, natural beauty was found amongst the ruins.

We camped in the shadow of the Vermillion Cliffs. The perfect end to our 20 day adventure. We head home with amazing memories of all we have seen, done and experienced. What a trip!

“Traveling—it leaves you speechless,

then turns you into a storyteller.”

-Ibn Battuta

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