Day 8 - Marble Canyon
|
| Parked at Marble Canyon Airport (L41). |
| |
 |
|
|
The Lodge, Trading Post and Restaraunt -- all one outfit -- are across the street. There is also an Exxon gas station/mini-mart.
I had reserved a room at the Marble Canyon Lodge a couple of days ago. The rate wasn't bad at all -- lower than I expected. Maybe this is the off-season. The restaurant was very good -- I had lunch and dinner there. I heard their breakfast was great but couldn't afford to spend the valuable early morning time so I missed that. You could get all the normal stuff -- drinks, snacks, ATM machine -- at the Exxon station next door. I asked how far was Lee's Ferry, thinking I might walk it. Five miles. Not a chance in the hot sun. The Lodge lady suggested visiting the bridge just down the road. So I did that. That's about all there is to do here if you don't have transportation. Still, it was nice to relax and enjoy the view.
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| I started walking north along the main drag. You make a left on this road if you want to go to Lee's Ferry. Keep on straight to get to the bridge. |
| |
 |
|
|
And there is the bridge.
|
| |
 |
|
| And also a little Visitor's Center. Actually it was little more than a gift shop. But there were numerous informative placards outside with interesting information about Lee's Ferry and the Bridges. |
| |
 |
|
| It turns out there are actually two bridges. The first bridge, on the left, was built in 1928, and replaced the ferry boats that had been operating at Lee's Ferry since 1871. The Navajo Bridge was a big deal; it was the only bridge across the Colorado River for 690 miles. The second bridge, on the right, was built in 1995 to better handle modern vehicles. The second bridge was deliberately designed to look like the first. The first bridge is now used for sightseeing pedestrian traffic. |
| |
 |
|
| The view from the original bridge, looking north. |
| |
 |
|
|
The view from the bridge to the west.
|
| |
 |
|
| Walking across the bridge. |
| |
 |
|
|
The river has unusual color: green with brown silt.
|
| |
 |
|
| Looking south. And that was about it for Marble Canyon! Not really what I expected, but then, it never is. Still, I was glad I stopped here for the night. |
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|