Page, Arizona (Part 4, Lees Ferry, Vermilion Cliffs, Cliff Dwellers)

The last thing we did before leaving Page was take a drive to Lees Ferry and the Vermilion Cliffs, about 8-miles southwest of Page and 9 miles south of the Utah-Arizona border. On tap for us was a hike near the Colorado River, and a drive in the surrounding area to a couple of historic points of interest.

Lees Ferry’s unique geography makes it the only place in hundreds of miles where you can easily access the Colorado River from both sides. Historically this was the site of a ferry operated by John Doyle Lee, for whom the site is named. In the early 20^th century a bridge was built that superseded the ferry, and allowed for more efficient automobile travel.

The Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is part of the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, with scenic views of towering cliffs and deep canyons. Our visit was just on the periphery of the area, as we did not venture deep into the National Monument where a hiking permit is required for access. We hiked Cathedral Wash, a minor drainage that begins at the base of the Vermilion Cliffs. This short hike took us through a sandstone slot canyon with many interesting rock formations, plant life, birds, insects, and reptiles. Hikers are warned that this wash would be dangerous during or shortly after any rains due to flash flooding, but we had a blue sky day with no hint of rain to hamper our enjoyment.

After our hike, we took a scenic drive along Highway 89 to the location of the Cliff Dwellers. Not knowing what to expect, and just reading the signpost announcing the “Cliff Dwellers” where head, we thought this was going to be archeological remains from ancient native peoples. As it turned out, these are in fact archeological remains of a sort, but something much more recent, only going back to the 1920’s. The story goes that Blanche and Bill Russel, the original homesteaders at Cliff Dwellers established a trading post here in 1920, after their car broke down near the big rocks. Blanche thought this would be a nice place to live, and the rest, as they say, is history. Their original home still stands at the end of the property. The unique rock house they built for themselves was called Cliff Dwellers by the local cowboys because of its proximity to the Vermilion Cliffs.  

Here are some pictures from our final exploration while staying in Page, Arizona.