Gateway
FREE
FALL/WINTER 2016
to Canyon Country
A guide to Page, Lake Powell, Kanab and the Grand Circle
EXPLORING WUPATKI
ANCIENT RUINS LEAVE VISITORS SAYING, ‘WOW’
WORTHY GETAWAY
WHITE POCKET A CHALLENGE TO REACH, BUT WORTH THE EFFORT
ESCAPE CLOSE TO HOME
BED & BREAKFASTS A GREAT WAY TO EXPLORE THE AREA
Winter Hours: 2nd week in November - end of February 9:00 am - 3:00 pm (Tours begin at 9:15 am) 7 Days a Week
Summer Hours:
March 1 - 2nd week in November 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Tours begin at 8:15 am) 7 Days a Week Hiking Tours Depart Every 1/2 Hour
$2800 Adults Per Person. Includes Navajo Parks Permit Fee.
$1800 Children 8-12 Years Old. Per Person. Includes Navajo Parks Permit Fee.
0-7 Years FREE
All Tours Are Guided THINGS TO BRING: HIKERS:
t #PUUMFE 8BUFS t $MPTFE 5PF )JLJOH 4IPFT t 4VO 4DSFFO )BU Hiking Tours Depart Every 1/2 Hour
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
t 1IPUP 1BTT QFS QFSTPO
t &BDI *OEJWJEVBM .645 IBWF 4-3 PS %4-3 /P 5BH "MPOHT t $BNFSB 5SJQPE t &YUSB 'JMN PS .FNPSZ $BSET t #BUUFSJFT t 1MBTUJD #BH UP 1SPUFDU $BNFSB -FOT PO 8JOEZ %BZT Photo Tours are 2 Hours in Duration Cash & Traveler’s Checks , Credit Cards Accepted.
Call for Reservations. Limited Space Pay with
928.640.1761 www.antelopelowercanyon.com lowerantelope.d.ellis@gmail.com
SLEEP INN & SUITES SLEEP INN & SUITES
Set against the dazzling Glen Canyon Overlook off Highway 89, the Sleep Inn & Suites® hotel in Page puts guests close to gorgeous Arizona landmarks like Horseshoe Bend and Rainbow Bridge. This non-smoking affordable Page hotel is also near attractions like: t "OUFMPQF $BOZPO t -BLF 1PXFMM t 8BIXFBQ 0WFSMPPPL t +PIO 8FTMFZ 1PXFMM .VTFVN t 8BUFS )PMFT $BOZPO 8F XBOU ZPV UP GFFM SFGSFTIFE XIFO ZPV TUBZ XJUI VT that’s why our indoor heated pool and whirlpool is a great place to relax. Our exercise room is the perfect place to keep your endorphins going. Other amenities include: t 'SFF GVMM CSFBLGBTU t 'SFF 8J'J t 'SFF QBSLJOH t (VFTU MBVOESZ All guest rooms offer a 40-inch HDTV and desk. Some rooms feature a balcony, coffee maker, whirlpool, microwave, refrigerator, sofa sleeper and in-room tea and coffee. Dream better at the Sleep Inn & Suites. Hotels in Page, AZ offer cozy, modern rooms at a great value. Book now!
673 Scenic View Drive, Page, AZ, 86040, US Phone: (928) 645-2020 Fax: (928) 645-4950
Page, AZ
4 Gateway to Canyon Country
Gateway to Canyon Country
is produced three times a year by the staff of the Lake Powell Chronicle, P.O. BOX 1716, Page, AZ 86040. Phone 928.645.8888 Fax 928.645.2209 Publisher/Editor David Rupkalvis lpcpub@lakepowellchronicle.com editor@lakepowellchronicle.com
Contributors Jamie Brough Steven Law
Composing Marty Sisk marty@lakepowellchronicle.com Advertising Ed Pease ed@lakepowellchronicle.com Mary Ann Chilton mchilton@lakepowellchronicle.com Kimberly Clark office@lakepowellchronicle.com Circulation Mike Nation
Connect With Us: facebook.com/GatewaytoCanyonCountry facebook.com/LakePowellChronicle
Issuu.com/GatewaytoCanyonCountry
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com www.LakePowellChronicle.com
The beauty that surrounds us
B
y the time most of you read this, I will have been in Page for more than half a year, and it seems like every month or so, I find something new that takes my breath away. The latest came in August when the National Park Service was celebrating its 100th bir thday. To help celebrate, the park service allowed free entrance to national parks around the country. So my wife and I took the kids to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Canyon. Yes, it was spectacular, but it always is. On this day, the fun was the spectacle of getting there and exploring every step of the way. During the trip, which normally takes around two hours from Page, we stopped four times to check out the natural beauty around us. On the way home, we only stopped twice. My favorite was easily the Kaibab National Forest. When you spend half your life living in the desert, any time you can spend hours walking through a legitimate, real forest is a special treat. And the Kaibab National Forest is all of that. Growing up, I spent several years in Colorado, going to the mountains regularly with my parents. That was my baseline, and Northern Arizona was up to the task. As we moved higher up the mountains into the forest, it was amazing to watch the world around us change. We went from sandstone and desert to crisp mountain air and trees everywhere. I knew when I saw my first aspen tree, this was going to be a different
day. We stopped and let the kids play at a mountain meadow and then headed together into the forest itself. And what a treat. The first thing we noticed was an abundance of mushrooms. All shapes and colors, on the ground
and in trees. Seeing so many really made us want to figure out what we effort will hopefully come soon. But the trees were the real story. Thousands and thousands of trees. Many were seedlings from this year, many clearly have been standing proud for generations. There were parts of the forest where sunlight struggles to reach due to the dense vegetation overhead. It is truly a different world from where away. Most of the Kaibab National Forest will be covered in snow while not afraid of a little cold or you find yourself back here in warmer months, take a little break and check out a completely different part of Arizona. And hey, you might as well make a day of it and spend some time amazing treats — the Grand Canyon National Park. David Rupkalvis Gateway to Canyon Country
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 5
Canyon Country
Fall/Winter 2016
Natural gem White Pocket shows sandstone at its finest Page 16
Cover photo / Adam Straub Page resident takes his girlfriend on an adventure and gets a close up look at how Arizonans survived in the desert long before Arizona even existed. Page 37
6 Gateway to Canyon Country
Page 9
Page 18
Page 28
Inside 9 16 18 21
Buckskin Gulch White Pocket Balloon Regatta Lake Powell map
22 23 24 26
Page area map Canyon Country map City of Page map City of Kanab map
28 32 34 37
B&Bs in Southern Utah Panguitch ‘Round the Bend Wupatki Ruins
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 7
Fiesta Mexicana Family Restaurant
If you miss out on
Fiesta Mexicana, you haven’t been to Page!
Experience the authentic atmosphere of Mexico and enjoy the best Margarita’s in town.
928-645-4082
Lestin Fuller performs a traditional Native 8 Gateway to Canyon Country
THANK YOU BELLE
Hiking Buckskin Gulch with my favorite explorer story AND PHOTO by STEVEN LAW/Staff
I
t had been a stressful couple of weeks. My life felt as though it shared several similarities to the rack, a medieval torture device were attached to opposing ropes or chains and he was slowly pulled apart. Instead of actual ratchets and pulleys slowly pulling me apart, I was instead being pulled in a dozen different directions at once by my life, which in recent months had become a bit too busy. My job pulled me one way. My second job pulled me another way. Household chores. Spouse time. Family time. Freelance submissions. These are all good, honorable things, but they all demanded a piece of my time and attention and after a while . . . it got stressful. I was having one of those pulled-in-too-many-directions kind of days. After three hours of emailing and making phone calls, I walked out of my home office into the living room and found Belle lying on the couch with her head on her paws. She looked as bored as I was. Once again my day had shrunk to the size of a living room and an office. Belle and I made eye contact and she wagged her tail a little bit. “Save me, Belle,” I said with a sigh. I got some orange juice, went back to my office and made some more calls, this time to an editor from the Bay Area. Over the phone, she sounded like she was stoned. I know her well, and I portion of her attention. When I asked her some questions, she sounded stoned because her voice was monotone and she was doing something there was a two-second gap else in her office — probably between my questions and emailing someone or reading her responses. This is how it had been for the last two days. — that required the greater I walked back out into the
living room. “Belle, I need an adventure.” I went to the garage and brought back my daypack and water bowl, dog food and a sandwich for me. Belle remained curled
on the couch, but she was watching me intently. To her as well as I do, she would have appeared cool and calm, maybe even disinterested and bored, but she was the candle ready to throw off the bushel,
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 9
and though she appeared calm, a new alertness and hopefulness gleamed from her eyes. only make her wear it when we go on walks, so when I grabbed it off its peg, she bounded off the
are great times to explore
Exuberance, and her exuberance beamed right out of her and filled the room with its light. Her exuberance is very contagious. Belle ran around our living room in her patented ecstatic panic; doing what we call her Belley Dance. Feet prancing, tail whapping; bowing, barking and leaping. I left it there. And with that thought I took my cell phone out of my pocket and left it on the table. “No leashes An hour later, we arrived at the Buckskin Gulch gates of the Belmont Stakes. Belle ran! She jumped! She went! She chased the first scent she happened upon. permit, Belle had chased that scent 200 feet in the direction opposite Buckskin Gulch. I could only see the tip of her happy tail whipping above the sagebrush like a dune buggy flag. I whistled. “This way Belle!” I watched her tail change course and come my way. Man, I love that dog! One of my second jobs is guiding clients on
COLORADO RIVER DISCOVERY Full Espresso Bar Frozen Blended Drinks 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Call Ins Welcome
928-645-9175
Outdoor Hiking & Summer Sandals
Sandwiches
Inside Colorado River Discovery across from City Park - 130 6th Ave., Page, AZ Colorado River Discovery is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
10 Gateway to Canyon Country
overland trips throughout the Vermilion Cliffs and Grand taken my clients to Buckskin always taken them in through Wire Pass (a tributary canyon never entered it from its upper trailhead and I am burning with anticipation of spending the day exploring a new place — and Belle is visibly trembling with it. If she stands still, she will probably explode. So she runs, trying to smell every bush at the same time. It was the perfect day for a walk. Blue skies. Chilly, rosycheek air. The late-December ground half covered with crusty, two-week old snow, the other half covered with halfthawed mud. The trail wound through a sagebrush field along the edge of a gully. I watched happy Belle sniff one bush and pee on another one. She then
Great Wall of China Chinese Buffet
Open Monday through Sunday 11 am - 10 pm Daily Lunch Buffet 11 am - 3:30 Daily Dinner Buffet 3:30 - 10 pm
Full Menu & All You Can Eat Buffet ALL DAY LONG!
Inside Rodeway Inn at 107 S. Lake Powell Blvd., Page, Arizona 928-645-0094 www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 11
crossed the gully and did the same on the other side. She was ecstatic. She leapt off hills and over bushes like she was a 1-year-old pup. Belle, easily a 10-horsepower dog. The canyon trail we traveled was bordered on all sides by stumpy, nondescript, orange cliff walls covered in a camo-pattern of half-gone snow. I followed the trail over muddy meadows where the mud built up on my boot soles like emails in my inbox, then l dropped down into the gully where I crossed the frozen stream with short Geisha steps, then back up the side of the gully, where the trail, once again, meandered through the sagebrush. The only thing that meanders more than a stream is a trail made by a well-fed cow, and surely this trail was made by a herd of very contented cows. After an hour of running, leaping and exploring Belle
had burned off enough energy that her fervor had dropped to a steady thrum, but she still circulated in my general vicinity, doing a non-stop, Chinese fire drill around me. Three miles below the trailhead, Buckskin Gulch transforms from a gully running through a redwallrimmed meadow into a narrow slot canyon. Inside the slot canyon, its widest spots are about as wide as a single highway lane, yet in many strip of grass between Jeep tracks, and there are several spots where I was able to touch both walls at the same time with my outstretched hands. made from Navajo Sandstone. Countless flashfloods through several millennia have sculpted the walls into majestic flutes. Walking through Wire Pass is a bit like walking down a narrow
hallway that was inspired by Picture petrified curtains. To me it looks like a six foot high top, with serrated blades along its sides, was sent spinning and caroming down this Jurassic hallway, grinding away scallops and chevrons of wall in every spot it collided. Because Buckskin Gulch is so narrow, very little direct sunlight can penetrate into it. The light that finally reaches your eye is very soft and diffused. It looks like it has been sifted a half dozen times through filters of citron and saffron. The soft sunlight draws out the pinks, reds, oranges and purples of the oxide, and this choiring light draws Belle and I ever deeper into the slot, like the white stag draws the hunter deeper into the forest. Belle bounced from one wall and back to the other as if her nose was a Pong dot and
the rest of her was doing its best to keep up. We traveled down that ancient hallway to the Wire Pass junction where the canyon suddenly flares open into a box about the size of a football field. There, on a tall cliff wall we found several Anasazi petroglyphs, including petroglyphs of men, bighorn sheep and a mysterious dotted line forming a continuous wave traveling the entire length of the wall. We ate our lunch and drank some water in a sunny wedge, then, content with our in the direction of the Jeep. By the time we returned to the car two hours later, we were both very tired. But it was the most beautiful, satisfying kind of tired; the tired of having spent your day in the exuberant spell of exploring. It felt good, real good, to have left our leashes at home and run wild for a day. At the car, I squatted down
JcaÛ9gYlkÛÝÛ=ak`af_Û9gYlk G]jkgfYdÛNYl]j[jY^lÛÝÛGgflggfÛ9gYlk Mile Marker 6, Hwy 89, Big Water, Utah 435-675-3835 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3 EDUCATION DAY Page Schools FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4 MEDIA FLIGHT DAY 7:00 am Balloon Launch - Lake Powell National Golf Course 11:00 am-10:00 pm The Chamber Page Lake Powell Regatta Vendor Fair-Elm Street Mall Beer Garden, Music, Games, Rides, Food SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 SPONSOR AND COMPETITION DAY 7:00 am Balloon Launch - Lake Powell National Golf Course 11:00 am-10:00 pm The Chamber Page Lake Powell Regatta Vendor Fair-Elm Street Mall - Beer Garden, Music, Games, Rides, Food 6:30 pm-8:00 pm Balloon Glow Lake Powell Blvd. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6 CREW APPRECIATION DAY 7:00 am Balloon Launch - Lake Powell National Golf Course All flights are weather permitting. Pilot parking will be marked and a pass will be required.
12 Gateway to Canyon Country
until I was face to face with Belle. “Thanks for the great adventure, buddy!” And to my surprise Belle licked my face, and I let her. Belle is a shy girl. In the 16 months that I have known her, this was one of fewer than five times that she has licked me. Maybe after our eight-mile walk, she just needed some salt, and my face and forehead glowed with it, but Belle has a very expressive face and the positioning of her ears, the angle of her eyebrows, the light in her eyes seemed to be saying, Thanks for a great adventure. “No, thank you, amiga! I think I needed that more than you!” I felt blessed. Because dog saliva cures the blues out the poisons. It dissolved the strings that were pulling me in 30 different directions. Yes, a thousand thank yous, Belle. My muddy buddy. My number one adventure partner. My trusty dusty canyon companion. Thanks for always having my back. Thanks for always being spontaneous, willing and ready to go. Thanks to you my sanity will remain intact for a few more days. And your hugs, and Belley Dances, and licks will add another 10 years to my life. Fall and winter are great times to hike Buckskin Gulch. The best route to enter Buckskin Gulch is from the Wire Pass Trailhead. No advance permit is necessary, but hikers must obtain a day-use permit, which they can get right at the trailhead. There is also a $6 per person fee, also paid at the trailhead.
Great Store - Great Service Welcome to our cafe! Alley E N
6th St.
Breezeway
Lake Powell Blvd.
Elm St.
S W
Enjoy our crepes, coffee, and free WiFi! We serve great coffee! Come in and enjoy a cup!
N. Navajo
In the breezeway downtown, up from Blue Buddha and Blair’s Trading Post. Open Mon-Sat 7 am - 4 pm Sunday 9:30 to close Breakfast Served All Day
Your hometown Hardware Store for over 41 years.
669 Elm St., Ste 3 928.614.4530 www.canyoncrepescafe.com
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 13
14 Gateway to Canyon Country
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 15
A WARPED WALK
White Pocket talks hikers through wonderland story AND PHOTOS by Steven Law/Staff
W
e leave our vehicle parked at the trailhead, sling our small daypacks onto our backs and walk over the sandy trail to White Pocket. parking lot to White Pocket, only about 200 feet. The trail has room to make a couple turns as it winds through a hallway in the white sand dunes, on which grow wild mint, creosote, sagebrush and juniper trees. Our destination is hidden from view behind the sand dunes through which we walk, but the spot where the trail
16 Gateway to Canyon Country
terminates gives us a sudden and dramatic view of the White Pocket. “Oh wow!” says Carrie Jenkins. I am hiking with Carrie and her 20 year-old daughter, Mariah. The three of us pause at the entrance to White Pocket for about a minute and take in the grand view. After proceeding farther which allows us a better sense of its otherwordly strangeness, Carrie says, “I Burton movie,” “Yeah!” her
20-year-old
daughter agrees. “Dr. Seuss would love this place!” White Pocket is a beautiful and unique geological feature inside Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, located in northern Arizona. White
goethite are responsible for the bands of yellow and brown. A few years ago, I worked as an overland tour guide taking clients on day trips to
broad bed of white sandstone arranged in geodesic hexagons, pentagons and squares. But the unique rockscape also features various shades of red, orange and pink rocks. The orange-based colors are due to the oxidation of iron and hematite within the sandstone. Limonite and
jewels. One of my favorite destinations was White Pocket, and my favorite part about taking people there was hearing them try to digest and describe what they were seeing. During the time I guided trips there, I heard it described as a giant turtle shell, a village of igloos, a petrified cloud
and biscuits in a Dutch oven. All of which are accurate metaphors. geologist, a recreational rockhound or a metamorphic metaphorist, you will love exploring White Pocket. White Pocket is a geologically unique, beautiful hiking and photographic destination, located three miles south of the Utah border between Kanab, Utah and Page, Ariz.
White Pocket is located in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and is about a two-hour drive from Kanab or Page. Half the fun of visiting the area is the drive there. The road is a four-wheel drive roller coaster ride that slaloms around a couple hundred juniper trees, up and down dozens of sandy hills and between ancient sandstone monoliths. After your trek across this
juniper-dotted,
sandstone-
of twisted and contorted Navajo Sandstone. “The geology there is complex,” said Rody Cox, a geologist for the Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Strip office. Though they look vastly different from each other, both the white polygonal rock formations and the twisted orange-pink formations are Navajo Sandstone — an immense sand bed deposited during the early Jurassic age. Vermilion Cliffs National Monument Manager Kevin Wright said the reason for their drastic difference is that they oxidized and weathered differently. is exploring its unique rock formations, but the area also has stunning views of the Grand Staircase to the
standing atop some of White It takes about two and a half hours of driving to reach White Pocket from Page or Kanab. After arriving, plan on spending one to three hours exploring and photographing features. No permit is needed to hike White Pocket, but it can be difficult to reach on your own. The road to White Pocket consists of long stretches of deep sand that is simply too deep for a conventional car to traverse. But any four-wheel drive vehicle with reasonable clearance can make it. If you have the proper vehicle and navigational skills, you can find driving directions at the Vermilion Cliffs website. Overnight camping is allowed but there is no water or bathrooms, and camping permits are not required. Dogs are also allowed.
At the End of Your Day ...
t %FMVYF HVFTU SPPNT XJUI GSJEHFT t $POWFOJFOU MPDBUJPO DPGGFF QPUT JSPOT JSPOJOH CPBSET t 'SFF XJSFMFTT JOUFSOFU t #PBU QBSLJOH "$ QPXFS t #SFBLGBTU t (VFTU MBVOESZ
LAKE POWELL s ntoon carlsadventurerentals.com o P ’ 25 Jeeps carl@carlsadventurerentals.com
Ski B oats Jeeps
(928) 645-2800 www.daysinn.net Property Direct (877) 525-3769 Toll Free
Lake Powell Days Inn & Suites 961 Hwy 89, Box 3910, Page, AZ 86040
Nationwide Reservations 1 (800) DAYSINN
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 17
UP, UP AND AWAY
F
or the 14th consecutive year, the Page Balloon Regatta will fill the skies above the city with colorful, hot-air balloons, and days of fun Nov. 3-6. Along with the morning flights during the festival, highlights include a two-day vendor fair with live music and entertainment Friday and Saturday. Saturday night, the always popular Glow will take place along Lake Powell Boulevard as the pilots light up the night sky, and their balloons, to the delight of the many spectators. For information, visit lakepowellballoonregatta.com
18 Gateway to Canyon Country
Rim Trail Bike & Hike /FX #JLFT t 1SFPXOFE #JLFT t 4QFDJBMUZ #JLFT
Blair’s Trading Post Indian Art Online 5PMM 'SFF t 1IPOF CMBJST!CMBJSTUSBEJOHQPTU DPN t XXX CMBJSTUSBEJOHQPTU DPN
www.blairstradingpost.com www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 19
KEN’S TOURS We are located approximately 2.5 miles east of Page, Arizona on HWY 98. See the map on page 29 in this magazine. GPS Location: N 36 Degrees 54’ 9� W 111 Degrees 24’ 39� Take highway 98 toward Kaibeto and turn left on Navajo Route N22B (Antelope Point Road) for about 1/4 mile. The entrance sign is on the left. Bus Tours are Welcome! We have plenty of parking space.
t QFS QFSTPO BHFT PS PMEFS BOE JODMVEFT /BWBKP 1BSL 1FSNJU t QFS $IJMESFO BHFT ZFBST PME BOE JODMVEFT /BWBKP 1BSL 1FSNJU t̓$IJMESFO BHFT BOE VOEFS BSF '3&& *G ZPV IBWF QBJE UIF /BWBKP 1BSLT GFF J F 5PVSFE XJUI 611&3 "OUFMPQF $BOZPO 0/ UIF 4".& %BZ XF XJMM EJTSFHBSE UIF GSPN PVS BENJTTJPO QSJDFT "HFT BOE PMEFS "HFT .645 )"7& 3&$&*15
SUMMER HOURS
Rates and fees are subject to change.
WINTER HOURS
FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: $50 Per person (ages 16 and Older ONLY) ($42 for pass fee and $8 for Navajo Nation Park Fee) Professional/Avid Photographers REQUIRED EQUIPMENT: SLR camera or DSLR camera, medium or large format WITH a tripod for each individual that is joining the photo tour. This is now a guided Photo Tour of Lower Antelope Canyon. (Group size of 8-10 People)
20 Gateway to Canyon Country
Highway 89 to Flagstaff is OPEN. See road maps on pages 28, 29, 30 and 32.
Colorado River
Glen Canyon Dam
Antelope Point Marina & Launch Ramp
West Canyon
Last Chance Bay
Padre Bay
Navajo Canyon
Warm Creek Bay
City of Page, Arizona
Antelope Canyon
Antelope Island
Wahweap Bay
Wahweap Marina
Hwy 89 to Kanab, Utah
Wahweap Marina
Hole-InThe-Rock
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Dangling Rope Marina
Rock Creek
Escalante River
San Juan River
Halls Creek Bay
Halls Crossing Marina
Bullfrog Marina
Bullfrog Bay
Hite Marina
Colorado River
Utah Highway 276 to Monument Valley
Antelope Point Marina
Lake Powell
Utah Highway 276 to Hanksville
4 -BLF 1PXFMM #MWE 1BHF "; t
Downtown Page, AZ
Utah Highway 98
214 78 401 275 434 201 247 365 203 121 145 92 381 161 119
202 321 283 357 206 169 287 125 137 301 261 520 303 211
321 68 77 268 331 197 64 79 204 78 202 278 203 380 126 196 318 151 74 67 21 303 88 41
559 199 484 111 40 162 278 216 299 408 318 397
447 189 230 464 524 356 186 168 268 275 283 203 559 595 77 407 525 365 272 225 182 413 110 153
149 431 393 221 122 285 427 445 365 434 357 380 199 595 518 89 158 161 232 419 401 380 461 420
376 121 162 388 450 282 119 101 307 201 206 126 484 77 518 330 447 288 191 148 105 336 36 76
118 163 126 269 217 394 284 242
122 238 256 339 368 410 363
214 242 230 133 192 246 239 257 140 203 125 151 162 365 161 288 163 122 61 226 172 435 239 200
285 149 151 204 262 262 174 154 136 121 137 74 278 272 232 191 126 238 61 141 91 376 153 115
291 35 24 340 320 144 32 50 267 145 301 67 216 225 419 148 269 256 226 141
342 101 107 299 352 219 97 115 205 92 261 21 299 182 401 105 217 339 172 91 88
238 250 260 580 304 224 253 250 503 381 520 303 408 413 380 336 394 368 435 376 376 324
341 85 126 383 414 246 88 53 273 161 303 88 318 110 461 36 284 410 239 153 115 67 303
88 236 324 115 67 303 74 62 309 43
ZION N.P., UT
ST. GEORGE, UT
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
PIPE SPRINGS, NM
PANGUITCH, UT
129 301 284 185 81 147 299 317 221 365 287 318 40 525 158 447 118
PAGE, AZ
159 280 278 171 145 196 277 295 176 247 169 196 111 407 89 330
NAVAJO, NM
MESQUITE, NV
MESA VERDE, N.P., CO
LAS VEGAS, NV
LAKE POWELL, HITE MARINA 168 248 223 210 116 123 245 263 252 401 321 278
NATURAL BRIDGES, NM
208 78 204 252 268 365 307 176 221 140 136 267 205 503 273 241
425 298 292 257 439 312 295 313 78 214
MONUMENT VALLEY, UT
322 176 313 79 263 168 445 101 295 317 257 154 50 115 250 53 59
399 161 155 347 409 275 158 176 208
KANAB, UT
419 292 302 181 282 277 304 322
GRAND CANYON S. RIM
288 32 78 365 354 199 21
GRAND CANYON N. RIM
FLAGSTAFF, AZ
249 62 145 285 331 350 179 5 294 327 120 56 175 551 351 175 230 352 551 230 178 351 352 178 365 354 199 21 181 282 277 304 347 409 275 158 257 439 312 295 268 331 197 64 210 116 123 245 404 524 356 186 221 122 285 427 388 450 282 119 171 145 196 277 185 81 147 299 133 192 246 239 204 262 262 174 340 320 144 32 299 352 219 97 580 304 224 253 353 414 246 88 298 372 204 93
CEDAR CITY, UT
CEDAR BREAKS N.P., UT
CAPITOL REEF, N.P., UT
CANYONLANDS, UT
278 270 56 56 331 294 350 327 179 120 5 56 32 78 292 302 161 155 298 292 68 77 248 223 189 230 431 393 121 162 280 278 301 284 242 230 149 151 35 24 101 107 250 260 85 126 90 84
CANYON DE CHELLY, NM
BRIANHEAD, UT
278 270 249 62 145 285 288 419 399 425 321 168 447 149 376 159 129 214 285 291 342 238 341 328
BRYCE CANYON N.P.,UT
ARCHES N.P., MOAB, UT ARCHES N.P., MOAB, UT BRIANHEAD, UT BRYCE CANYON N.P.,UT CANYON DE CHELLY NM CANYONLANDS, UT CAPITOL REEF N.P., UT CEDAR BREAKS N.P., UT CEDAR CITY, UT FLAGSTAFF, AZ GRAND CANYON N. RIM GRAND CANYON S. RIM KANAB, UT LAKE POWELL, HITE MARINA LAS VEGAS, NV MESA VERDE N.P., CO MESQUITE, NV MONUMENT VALLEY, UT NATURAL BRIDGES NM NAVAJO NM PAGE, AZ PANGUITCH, UT PIPE SPRINGS NM SALT LAKE CITY, UT ST. GEORGE, UT ZION N.P., UT
328 90 84 298 372 204 93 59 241 119 211 41 397 153 420 76 242 363 200 115 74 62 309 43
89
A
B
Ave.
e Butt
Dr.
iew V Rim
Knoll 11
.
S t.
.
ral Ave he d
Cat
Vist
Rimv i
Pine
a Av e.
r. ew D
Hem lock St
d.
t. oS onin a hi n Coc Kac
Bure au S t.
3rd Ave .
Sunrise Antelope
9
d.
1*
e ll
Blv
Po w
Hopi Ave
Ct. Veronica
L
K
3
t. Diane C
F Aqu
5
r. Village D
St.
3
Av e .
a
Cam
ero n St.
Page Public Library
Sandpiper Dr.
R d.
Marble Rd.
. ll Blvd Powe Blvkde. eSll. La
Cam eron S
Palomino Rd.
H a u l Rd.
t.
Piute Ct.
Bass Ct.
Packer Ct.
Cliff Ct. Clydesdale Rd.
Coppermine Rd.
Manson Rd.
::
Bonita Rd. W
To Antelope Point Marina Navajo Generating Station & Kayenta, AZ
98 To Flagstaff, AZ
Bonita St.
Aztec St.
Reproduction of the whole or any part of this publication, by any method for any purpose whatever, without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
street index
24 Gateway to Canyon Country
Amado St.
::
Bonita Loop
Amand Cir. Amado Rd. W
::
Azure Rd.
5
98
printing
C Sunset St.
San Francisco Rd.
98 lake powell
Shetland
Pinto Rd.
O’Neil Loop
Mustang Rd.
To Horseshoe Bend
Cameron St.
Sunset Rd. W
89
B uckeye Dr.
Newburn Rd.
Via Valdez
Appaloosa Rd.
Morgan Rd.
e Po w
Rd. Coppermine
Maverick Loop
Jerome St.t
Azure Rd.
Cascade St.
Cameron St.
Rd.
C
Haul Rd.
4
. Osprey Dr
Newburn
Manson Rd.
San Francisco Rd. Bran Rd.
I
Cach
e Rd.
Falcon Ct.
Hawk Ct.
Golden Eagle Ct.
Hau l Rd.
Ct. Lakeside
7
lvd.
C e meter y
Elk Rd.
Kaibab Rd.
89
ell B e Pow S. Lak K
d.
Granada
S. La ke P owe ll Blv
.
ve. Cheryl A
A
spe n
St.
Ave.
Sage Ave.
S
ke . La
k St.
r. jo D
6
Oa
a S. Nav
E
S. Navajo Dr. 2
e.
Dat
C e d a r S t.
El Mirage St. S. 9th Av
Del Barrco Ave.
e.
Vista Ave.
Tower Butte Ave. Cll Hermosa
e.
John C. Page Park . Ave 5th t. eS
r. jo D
2nd Ave.
e. th Av S. 9
. lvd
Av 7th
B ell
Av 8th
Pow
El
t.
. Colorado St
Crestview
Willow St.
Vermilion Ave.
t. mS
S t.
Birch St .
Tamarisk St.
Sage Ave.
Cypress Ave.
Tower Butte Ave.
e Lak
E lm
Pondersoa St.
Redrock St.
S.
va
rS
Fi
ve. tA
S.
Na
Dat eS t.
10th St.
Juniper Ave.
Driftwood
Re
esa Ave. dM
Spruce
oise Ave. Turqu
. Ave
4th Ave.
Gum St.
1s
Gunsight St.
Ave .
6th
N. Navajo Dr.
United States Post Office
Glen Canyon Dr.
S c enic View
Dr.
Aero Ave.
Gramdview St.
S. 7t h
89
ATM
on Glen Cany
Pop lar S t. 8
Grandview St.
Park Golf Course
Golliard Park
N. 10th Ave.
Thunderbird Ave.
e Dr. Eagl
School
0 th A ve.
Castle Rock St.
Church
t St. Gunsigh
Lake Powell National Golf
N. 1
. Ave
Page Municipal Airport
te Dr.
Fire Station
A
th
. Plateau Ct
Ct.
n scala re E Pad
R
Ct.
y Valle
w St.
Police Station
D Westview r.
B
e. h Av 12t
e Grandvi
. 15th Ave ve . 14th A Ave. th 3 1
Clubhouse Dr.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
Urgent Care
.
t. 13 t h C
N Lake Powell Blvd.
Page Hospital
Ave .
14th Av e
Dr.
Lake Access
W. View Dr.
Mesa
1 6th Ave.
Marinas
2
4
17th Ave.
Dr.
89
Scenic Overlooks
. iew St
Pu e blo
Visitors’ Centers
20th
Grandv
18th Ave.
N. Navajo Dr.
19th Ave.
jo Dr. N. Nava
Must See
1
D
. 20th Ave
To Glen Canyon Dam Wahweap Marina & Kanab, UT
KEY
C
One of the newest hotels in town. The Comfort Inn & SuitesÂŽ hotel in Page, Arizona
offers easy access to a variety of outdoor activities along the Colorado River, including water skiing, hiking, biking, fishing, golfing and raft trips. This Page, AZ hotel is also convenient to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
Comfort InnÂŽ has the only indoor heated pool & Jacuzzi in Page!
Guests of the Comfort Inn & Suites will appreciate our many amenities including: t 'SFF XJSFMFTT IJHI TQFFE *OUFSOFU BDDFTT t #VTJOFTT DFOUFS t )FBUFE JOEPPS QPPM +BDV[[J t $PNQMJNFOUBSZ IPU CSFBLGBTU t 'JUOFTT 3PPN
)BVM 3PBE 1BHF "; t
The Rodeway InnÂŽ is located close to Powell Museum and Lake Powell National Golf Course.
Downtown Page, AZ Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool. Those traveling on business have access to a business center at this hotel. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. Self parking is complimentary.
Additional property amenities include free WiFi, laundry facilities, and a picnic area. Some accommodations have balconies or patios if available. Free hot breakfast. All rooms with flat screen TV’s, microwave, refrigerator, coffee pot and hair dryer.
Great Wall of China Restaurant inside the Rodeway Inn
4 -BLF 1PXFMM #MWE 1BHF "; t
La 3 sV H eg ou a rs s
Kanab, Utah
HOME-STYLE COMFORT Great intimate places to stay in Southern Utah story AND PHOTOS by Laurel Anderson/Special to Gateway
T
he husband struts for a minute as they go into the private living room/library of their guest suite. The wood stove in the back of the large room is already prepared with a basket of fragrant juniper logs alongside. Together they go into the bedroom, and both happily catch their breath. “Told you it would be better than a hotel,” he says with relief. His wife is already adoring the handmade bed quilt and asking questions about what to do the next day. garden, with their little dog,
28 Gateway to Canyon Country
they are all (dog included) wearing smiles. New converts to the bed & breakfast experience. Staying at a B&B or small — it takes a special breed of traveler. Someone who the morning with breakfast served in a plastic wrap and impersonal service. Hmm, it takes someone who likes the personal touch. Instead of walking down a lobby, you could be greeted by a burro! At Burro Flats High Desert Lodge, the friendly burros Chocolate
Bear or Donny are waiting for attention. Excellent host Celeste is always bursting with ideas on what guests can do and eager to share her expertise. “We are just five minutes outside Kanab town center but we are rural, and we simply provide a different atmosphere from hotels,” she said. “From our place, you can put on your running or hiking shoes and take off into this exceptional landscape. From here, you can hear wind chimes and birds, and that is special.” That is just the beginning of
the many very special places you may want to stay here in Southern Utah. The XbarH Lodge in Orderville is another sweet place with a rural flavor. Pet-friendly and tucked away in the beautiful Elkheart Cliffs, the XbarH Lodge and Mesa Cabin is a wonderful year around get-away. Located on a 75-acre property made up of small box canyons, this is a pretty amazing place with an amazing array of plants, animals and rock formations. The XbarH is hosted by JC and Michele and is happy to host intimate weddings, retreats and family reunions.
NOT UNCHARTED. JUST UNSPOILED. Nestled amidst an array of state parks, national parks, and national monuments, Kanab and surrounding Kane County is a magical land filled with an innumerable combination of world-famous landmarks and stunning spaces that are still largely unexplored. And the best part? It’s spectacular any time of the year. Plan to make Kanab your basecamp for Southern Utah adventure at VisitSouthernUtah.com
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 29
Just ask host JC about local permaculture and geology and you will be off to a grand day of wandering their property with a lecture. for photographers, hikers, birders and nature lovers. Like a fabulous breakfast to start your day? At Condit Ditch Ranch just outside Kanab, host Suzanne is a pastry chef and provides breakfast with the assistance of her many hens. Each hen has a name and knows it; your omelet may be a Mary and Betty mix of eggs with a contribution from chicken Susie as well. The goats on the property do their part, providing the Condit Ranch fantastic goat milk cheese is to die for.) There seems to be something going on with chefs and the local B&Bs here. In Kanab, the Grand Circle Bed & Breakfast is a beautiful
Natural History Museum Inside A Sandstone Cave Fluorescent Mineral Display Native American Artifacts Dinosaur Tracks Fossils Pre-Columbian Artifacts Unique Gifts And Rock Shop
HOURS Monday - Saturday Summer Season 9:00 - 7:00 Off Season 10:00 - 4:00
THE COOLEST STOP ON HWY 89 - NEVER OVER 70Ëš DEGREES ON THE HOTTEST DAYS.
Come celebrate our 63nd year of business Your visit to MOQUI CAVE will be educational and long remembered.
5 1/2 miles north of Kanab, Utah, Hwy 89 Phone (435) 644-8525 Leave Message
30 Gateway to Canyon Country
BUS TOURS WELCOME!
historic home and overseen by the highly recognized chef Shon. Located in the center of historic Kanab is the Purple Sage Inn. The Purple Sage is a late 19th-Century “pioneer Italianate” Victorian home lovingly restored and wonderfully managed by its current owners. Speak of some history here; the original building was owned by William Derby Johnson and his four wives. Johnson was forced to leave for Mexico by a government that frowned on polygamy, taking two wives and leaving two behind. Ask the hosts for the rest of the fascinating history. Speaking of history, Savage Point Bed & Breakfast is named after the original guide who led early Mormon settlers to Kanab. “Savage Point” is a majestic red rock butte known by locals as the “K-Hill” and towers above the large orchard/garden of this little bed and breakfast.
WANT TO LOOK YOURSELF? If you want to explore some of the bed and breakfast options in Southern Utah, visit BOX: www.facebook.com/ BurroFlatsLodge/ www.XbarHLodge www.purplesageinn.com www.savagepointbed breakfast.com Minutes from town, but isolated by its location at the end of a street, Savage Point offers a friendly environment complete with ponds and even a traditional Finnish sauna. At breakfast, always homemade with fresh jams and garden produce, guests enjoy advice from their park ranger host and his wife. There are countless characteristic places to stay in Southern Utah. Each provides a certain special charm and a type of personalized attention that is unique.
BIG WATER BOAT STORAGE & RENTAL -BLF 1PXFMM T MBSHFTU JOEPPS GBDJMJUZ t 4FSWJOH 8BIXFBQ .BSJOB
-BVODI 3FUSJFWF t $MFBOJOH .BJOUFOBODF
The Kind Relief Inc. Your local Medical Marijuana Dispensary (State Licensed, Nonprofit)
Marine Rentals Pontoon Boats Fish & Ski Boats NYl]jÛKgqkÛÝÛKmZ]k NYc]Û9gYj\kÛÝÛJcak
1500 Coppermine Road, Page, AZ www.TheKindRelief.com
928-645-0222
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 31
PANGUITCH
COURTESY PHOTO
32 Gateway to Canyon Country
P
anguitch, Utah, the largest and most historic town in the Bryce Canyon area, was named by the Paiute Indians after the “big fish� they caught in nearby Panguitch Lake (Big: Pan, Fish: Quitch). district are reminders of the pioneers who worked hard to establish their community. A group of pioneers from Parowan and Beaver first settled the valley on March 16, 1864. The first winter, being exceptionally cold, was hard for the settlers. Crops had failed, and people were starving. Seven brave men journeyed 40 miles away to Parowan to search for flour. The snow was so deep that the men had to abandon their oxen and wagons. They were able to reach Parowan by placing a quilt on top of the deep snow, walking to the end of the quilt, then placing another down, and retrieving the first. This became known as the Panguitch quilt walk. Settlers were forced to abandon the village and leave their crops during the Black Hawk War in May 1866. In 1871, Latter Day Saints leader Brigham Young ordered that Panguitch be resettled. As the settlement grew, a brick factory was built. The majority of the people from the community worked in the factory, loading horse-drawn wagons with wood, and iron-rich clay, firing a kiln with the wood, and making bricks. The brick workers were not paid with cash but with bricks. This enabled the workers and townspeople to build the large brick homes that are still standing today. Panguitch is filled with unique history and traditions. One such story is derived from an early sheriff, James W. Pace, story holds that when federal agents came to Panguitch hunting polygamists in the middle of the night, Hanna would light a lamp and set it in the window to signal all men in the neighborhood to go into hiding. During the first settlement of Panguitch between 1864 and 1867, members of the LDS Church paid tithes with produce and livestock that were kept on the lot on which the Pioneer Museum storehouse and was dedicated in 1907. Later, it was used for church classrooms and a seminary. In 1964, it was leased to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers for a museum, where visitors today can enjoy the fine collection of pioneer artifacts. Whether one is escaping the summer heat, enjoying summer fishing or experiencing fall colors, Panguitch is the base for a good vacation getaway.
National Historic District
1BOHVJUDI 6UBI
Start here ... go everywhere! $MPTF UP t /BUJPOBM 1BSLT t "57 5SBJMT t (SFBU MBLFT TUSFBNT GPS GJTIJOH t #SJBO )FBE 4LJ 3FTPSU t 0VUEPPS "DUJWJUJFT
"MM TFSWJDFT BWBJMBCMF 0WFS .PUFM 3PPNT 'SJFOEMZ )PNF 5PXO 4FSWJDF "OUJRVF BOE 8FTUFSO UIFNFE TIPQQJOH
Events
t3PEFPT t2VJMU 8BML 'FTUJWBM t1BOHVJUDI 7BMMFZ #BMMPPO 3BMMZ t$PNNVOJUZ 5IFBUSF t'JEEMFS 'FTUJWBM 5BTUF PG 1BOHVJUDI
'PS *OGPSNBUJPO PO 1BOHVJUDI $JUZ BOE VQDPNJOH FWFOUT WJTJU PVS XFCTJUF
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 33 PANGUITCH XXX QBOHVJUDI PSH MAIN STREET, INC.
34 Gateway to Canyon Country
‘Round the Bend Just in case you haven’t gone already story by blake tilker, Photo by MATT ROBERTS/ special to the Gateway
O
k, now this is the big daddy of the area. This is one of the reasons you came here in the first place. Someone once told me the three most important features of Page are Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend. And even though Horseshoe Bend is on National everyone. Horseshoe Bend gets its name from the serpentine, 180 degree curve in the Colorado River. Although it looks more like a mule shoe, the winding section of river has carved out one of the most photographed natural wonders ever. The trail head for Horseshoe Bend is about three miles southwest of Page and is well marked with signs and tour buses. Park at the well-maintained parking lot just off because they are about to be knocked off. miles, but the first section of trail is a steep at the top of the hill if you want to gather your molecules before starting the descent. The rest of the hike is in sand, but you can bounce around the protruding sandstone fins to make it a bit easier. The first time I went to Horseshoe Bend, I walked right up to the edge of the 1,000 foot Navajo Sandstone drop and literally way of telling me to get low. The exposure to hold you back, so keep that in mind on a windy day. Horseshoe Bend regularly has hundreds of people scrambling about for that awardwinning photo to take home. Sunrise shots will light up the prominent point of the horseshoe, while sunset shots backfill the landmark and add another dimension of beauty. A tripod and wide angle lens are needed to capture Horseshoe in its entirety. Most people will head straight to the main overlook for the experience, however, I would suggest you hike around and get as high as you can via the various mounds of 180 million year old Navajo Sandstone buttes.
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 35
36 Gateway to Canyon Country
ANCIENT HISTORY
Wandering the ruins of Wupatki National Monument story AND PHOTOS by Adam Straub/Special to Gateway
T
he sun was just starting to think about lifting its head above the horizon, but we already had a head start on it. The first cup of coffee was down, the gas tank was full, and my girlfriend and I were ready to hit the highway. She was kind enough to let me spend the summer back on my home turf in Northern Arizona, so I was repaying the favor by showing her as much of the area as possible. Today, the fascinating ruins of Wupatki National Monument were on the list. The drive from my hometown of Page seemed to fly by. Liz would probably say my foot was a little heavy, the combination of good conversation and killer tunes on the stereo. Either way, we
had quickly left the towering sandstone cliffs, skirted the colorful multihued bands of edge, and were now cruising through the grasslands of Northern Arizona. There are a lot of reasons to get up and get moving early in the desert. Fewer people on the road, cooler temps and the crisp morning light is stunning. Soon the San Francisco Peaks and other remnants of Northern center stage and we knew we were drawing near our destination. We passed through the entrance to the monument off of Highway 89 and continued on the drive to the visitor center. The volcanic nature of the landscape became
readily apparent as we drove. Hills were covered in cinder of deep red and purple hues adorned with large outcrops of sandstone. Vegetation was scarce until we drew near the visitor center and a seep spring. Amid a dry and dusty landscape, the spring was an oasis with vibrant growth trickling down the hillside of black cinder. Some of the ruins in the area can be visited before arriving at the visitor center, but I wanted Liz to be able to get the most out of the visit as possible. I also had not been to the monument since a middle school field trip and was happy to seek out a refresher on my knowledge of the area. The visitor center was the perfect place to start. We were greeted by
friendly rangers who collected our visitor fee and provided us with us a handy brochure that corresponded with different features of the structures we were about to view. Very informative displays in the center provided even more knowledge, but it seemed a shame to waste valuable time we could spend with the ruins without a gaggle of other curious visitors. We stepped through the back doors and within just a few steps a massive multi-room structure dominated the landscape. “Wow...,” was the first phrase uttered. “Yep”, was the second. The ruins still amazed and impressed even though I had viewed them before. That amazement increased as our guide pamphlet
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 37
described interesting facts and information about the vibrant society that inhabited the area. Humans had roamed the lands as far back as 10,000 years. They hunted and gathered at a time of more temperate climate and when the deer and thrived. Later a rich tapestry of communities formed around the cinder fields surrounding Sunset Crater volcano. The volcanic landscape holds a vast network of caves that conducted water and aided in irrigation of crops. Society thrived and there have been hundreds of ruins discovered in the area. Wupatki was the largest of them all. The massive multi-room structure also featured what was believed to have been a ceremonial kiva and ball court. Wupatki is also located in an area that was surrounded by other unique cultures and there are many pieces of evidence that
RED LION HOTEL - St. George, Utah Experience the majestic beauty of St. George, Utah and Zion National Park while staying at the Red Lion (formerly Lexington Hotel) and Conference Center.
850 Bluff Street St. George, UT 84770 435-628-4235 www.lexingtonhotels.com
Easily accessible location, affordable rates, exceptional customer service, and superb accommodations make the Lexington Hotel and Conference Center a perfect choice when visiting the St. George area. Our spacious guest rooms and suites offer you all of the comforts of home including complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access, microwave, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, 32-inch flat panel LCD cable TV with HBO, desk with lamp, hairdryer, iron, and complimentary local calls. Pets are allowed-charges and restrictions apply. We also feature a complimentary full breakfast from 7am to 10am. After a long day of traveling, relax in our massage therapy center, lounge by the indoor/outdoor heated pool and indoor jacuzzi or take advantage of our meeting/conference facility, business center, guest laundry facility, exercise facility, game room, complimentary area shuttle service, and plenty of complimentary parking.
38 Gateway to Canyon Country
MARBLE CANYON LODGE
OPEN YEAR ROUND
For Your Health Care Needs... Away From Home!
Canyonlands Urgent Care Walk-In Center
Open Monday through Saturday, 7 am - 7 pm (Mon-Sat. excluding holidays) No appointments needed... Walk-In 440 N. Navajo Drive Call 928.645.1700 Page, AZ
Established 1926
125 Miles North of Flagstaff On The Colorado River at Lees Ferry
GROUP FACILITIES & RATES
Lake Powell Medical Center Family Practice
Open Monday through Friday 8 am - 6 pm (excluding holidays) For Appointment
Call 928.645.8123
Sliding Fee Schedule Available
467 Vista Ave., Page, AZ
1-800-726-1789 1-928-355-2225 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6001, Marble Canyon, AZ 86036 Call or Write
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 39
demonstrate vast networks of trade, influence and interaction. It seems however that not all was well in the area. According to some sources, legends tell of a people who had become so successful at agriculture that they had immense amounts of free time. They began to follow a life of leisure and promiscuity to such a degree that they ignored their duties and roles in society. The conditions of life deteriorated so much that eventually fire and lava were sent to purify the land and cleanse the hearts of the people. Those that survived settled among the nutrient rich cinder fields and began life anew. Scientific records indicate people began to gather and build at Wupatki near 1100 AD. Sunset Crater is believed to have last erupted between 1064 and 1085 AD. The population of those that built Wupatki exploded over the next 100 years and then seemingly moved on. Wupatki is the name of just one of some 800 sites in the Wupatki National Monument. The word has been interpreted as meaning “Long Cut House.� Some sources say it is in reference to the structures large size while others suggest the reference is to a nearby canyon cut into the earth. Another legend indicates that the people of Wupatki had ignored the prior history with sunset crater and had begun to resume a life
of decadence. Their leader was desperate to awaken his people from their ways and, in a demonstration of shock and terror, cut something long and important before going into exile. There are several reasons and factors that may have lead the people to move on, but the area was not abandoned. Just as rich as the history of the ruins, is the history of its other occupants and caretakers. One caretaker couple lived on site in the ruins for almost 10 years after having only been married to each other for two weeks. This legacy of caring for the structures and preserving the history of the cultures that once called it home is carried on today. Our brochure guide outlined for us what different rooms in the Wupatki structure may have been used for and unique feats of engineering such as ventilation throughout the adobe building. Every once in a while, we would just gaze out over the open plains and the great expanse that was their domain. Nothing but blue sky save the lone cloud or two in the distance. Coming from a background of guiding and exploring, my girlfriend and I loved the ability to self-guide and at the same time loved having access to the team of National Park Service custodians. While they were mostly seeing to the maintenance of the Wupatki structure, they were never too gained from simply reading busy to answer questions or about a place. As we walked among the
Beach Break Boardshop
structures, we came to realize our private time imagining life here was soon to be
Need ice? Get it straight from the source, Reddy Ice!
We’ve got you covered for all your lake needs.
Paddle Board Rentals! 40 Gateway to Canyon Country
www.ReddyIce.com 928.645.8886 ext. 35480 2018 E. Frontage Rd., Page, AZ 86040
interrupted as other curious minds joined the trail. We returned to the visitor center to learn more before heading out to other sites within the monument and thanked the rangers for their time as we left. Next, we visited other sites within the monument that demonstrated more of the unique construction and ingenuity in completing the structures. The ruin of Wukoki appears to simply be an extension of a large sandstone outcropping that seems to defy gravity on its own. It is an amazing example of the structures blending with the landscape that would later influence the work of famous architects in Arizona. The Citadel structure is unique in that little is known about it. It commands stunning vistas and overlooks a large depression and what appears to be a sinkhole. Was it a place to keep watch? Guard a
water source? So much of the area still remains an unknown to be studied. There are many ways that one can experience the ruins besides self-touring. The National Park Service includes available guided hikes, talks and a junior ranger program for the little guys. Guided back country hikes can also be organized with the Park Service for overnight treks to view sites not available for general viewing. The overnight hikes are an option that my girlfriend and I are very keen to pursue when the fall and winter seasons approach. As it was, our time for visiting was growing short as the heat was increasing, and we still had so much to see. Other amazing monuments and parks are within striking distance of Wupatki including visiting the lava fields of Sunset Crater or going for a loop through the Petrified Forest and Painted
We Book Tours for Most Local Companies
See Page & Lake Powell Today! t *OEJWJEVBM 'BNJMJFT 5PVS (SPVQT t 4BNF 3BUFT BT -PDBM (VJEFT t 5JQT *EFBT UP 5PVS "SFB t )JLF #PBU ,BZBL 8IJUFXBUFS 3BGUJOH )FMJDPQUFS 3JEFT 4XJN 'JTIJOH %JOJOH )PUFMT
Desert for a full day. Wupatki National Monument is only about a two-hour drive from Page and about an hour from downtown Flagstaff. Going for a walk with a ranger around the Wupatki Ruin will typically run 45 minutes and the back country trek to Crack in the Rock will take two days and involves permits. It can be easy to make a visit to Wupatki National Monument a full-blown expedition or an interesting stop to break up a long drive across the beautiful landscapes of Northern Arizona. We looped through the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert and Sunset Crater before retiring in Flagstaff for a delicious meal and a night out on the town. But not before my girlfriend kindly reminded me that I still had the laminated guide brochure for Wupatki in my possession. I was mortified but secretly excited to go back. I decided to ride at dawn, as the trails are open from sunrise to sunset and thought it might make for an amazing sunrise opportunity. I was right. Summer monsoon weather had rolled in during the night and bright bolts of lightning tore the sky all around as I drove out to the monument. It was one of those mornings where everything lined up right and almost seemed as a reward for not just ignoring the brochure in my possession. The rain stopped and the clouds parted to reveal a sky
on fire. I climbed the steps and stood on the patio at Wukoki Ruin to snap a few photos and completely forgot about the storm in the area. The morning was quiet and beautiful; the only sound a gentle misting of rain. Thunder suddenly cracked over my head, and I nearly jumped out of my skin as blazing blue bolts ripped overhead through vibrant clouds. Realizing I was standing on a high place with lots of open space around me I decided it was time to move on. have not been so much a warning to duck as to simply look all around me. As I came help but laugh as a nearly perfect rainbow stood within running distance from me. It had been forming behind me as my gaze had been fixed on the opposite horizon. The amazing spectacle only lasted for a few moments before the clouds shifted, the light changed and the colorful specter vanished. Lightning crashed, the rain now poured and I was off to the visitor center. A grin could not be held from my face as I entered and chatted with the rangers. After handing over the very important and informative document I had another reason to grin. Another visitor to Wupatki had just stepped out the back door and uttered the magic three letter word, “Wow…” “Yep.”
www.PageChamber.com
928.645.2741 5 Lake Powell Blvd., Unit 3
M-F 9-5
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 41
42 Gateway to Canyon Country
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 43
44 Gateway to Canyon Country