Lee’s Ferry, AZ

The Navaho Bridge visitors center’s stone walls reflect the rocky bluffs in the distance that lead toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Boulders that had rolled down the slope from an eroding bluff near Lee’s Ferry proved harder than the rocks underneath them, producing several of these balancing rocks that attract photographers.

A pear tree in the orchard at Lonely Dell near Lee’s Ferry is loaded with fruit. We picked a couple of pears (using a wire basket on a pole) to enjoy later once they finish ripening.

A variety of fruit trees filled the orchard next to the pioneer cabins at Lonely Dell. Visitors are invited to pick ripe fruit from the trees, which are maintained by the park service.

A low ceiling and dark interior helped keep food cool in the root cellar at Lonely Dell.

The settlers at Lee’s Ferry kept their jars of preserves and other food cool in this root cellar built into the ground next to their cabins.

These cabins housed the Lee family, the Mormon pioneers that ran the ferry across the Colorado. The building of the nearby Navaho Bridge ended the need for the ferry. Others tried to run a dude ranch here, but that didn’t last either.

Lonely Dell Ranch, maintained by the National Park Service at Lee’s Ferry in Glen Canyon recreation area, lives up to its remote name.

A raft navigates the first of many rapids on the Colorado just below Lee’s Ferry. The canyon gets deeper and the rapids bigger as they head south from here.

Rafts launch into the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry south of Page, AZ. This is where everyone launches to begin their float into the Grand Canyon (permit required). The early ferry that allowed pioneers to cross the river here was run by a polygamist Mormon family.

This endangered condor is labeled for tracking. He’s hanging out on the arched steel beams holding up the Navaho Bridge near Lee’s Ferry on the Colorado River.

The original Navaho Bridge over the Colorado is now a walking bridge with a newer bridge for cars nearby. The bridge also makes a good perch for a condor below the walkers.

Driving south from Page, we crossed the Colorado again, this time looking north from the Navaho Bridge.