Historically, (1871) this is the location where John D. LEE would ferry many, many wagons of Mormon missionaries across the river. He was directed by the Mormon Church to build this ferry so their missionaries could get to the Hopi and Navajo tribes as well as the Mormon newlyweds making their pilgrimage to the Temple in Utah. Here is a sign and portrait of the landscape describing such feats.
Part of the sign reads, "In spite of many lost wagons and drownings, Lee continued to ferry passengers into the 1900s." Always a risk when starting something new, isn't there?The ferry was closed in 1928 when the Navajo Bridge (now carrying U.S. highway 89-Alt) over Marble Canyon was built. (Will be a later post)
There are a couple buildings left built from the red rocks that surround it.
Thick walls to keep the heat out!
Here is the remains of a steamship and there is another sunken one in the river.
Gorgeous country and trails along the river.
After visiting Lees Ferry, we headed out to see some country that wasn't crawling with tourists, and such.We first headed out to Badger Rapid look-out point to see and hear one of the first on the river after the put-in. It has the most incredible looowwww rumbling sound, so you know it's big and deep!
Badger Creek drainage.
Here's a better shot of the rapid...one of the smaller ones of the float trip!
Cliffs...and the cliffs in the background are called the Vermillion Cliffs. (Next post will be our hike to the top of those!)
Scott scouting the point...
And of course I was enthralled by the plants on this gorgeous desert. Look how cute and chunky-monkey these barrel cacti are!
And here is this cute little pin-cushion cactus. It is rare and endangered, so many of them are marked so you don't step on them. I just loved these little guys!
The beauty of the desert is simply breathtaking.
