MARBLE CANYON LOOP

April – May, 2019

So what were we going to do around Kanab if we ever got our fill of the National Parks, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend?

 

With help from a delightful and professional young woman at the Kane County Visitors Center, which just happens to be in Kanab, we ended up with a handful of 2-sided full- color, don’t-miss places to go and things to see…all referred to as part of “Abra Kanabra”!  Gotta admit there is something magical about this part of the Country.

#1 to do…The Marble Canyon Loop!  It is a 191-mile, 14 stop driving tour along Route 89 in Utah connecting to Route 89A in Arizona (or the other way around) . The Wave lottery, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are 3 of the Loop stops.  Since these had been checked off of our bucket list, there were 11 sightseeing locations remaining for our tour.  We divided the Loop into two days…one day for the Utah or northern half of the Loop, and the second day for the Arizona or southern half of the Loop.

Day 1  We purposely headed south into Arizona on route 89A for the first day of our Marble Canyon Loop for 2 reasons. The young woman who was so much help at the Visitors Center made us promise to go to the Jacob Lake Inn for their (who can pass them up?) famous homemade cookies, and because several of the locals assured us that California Condors were hanging out on the Vermillion Cliffs.  The Vermillion Cliffs are part of the southern half of the Loop, and, oh yeah, seeing condors is on Barbara’s wish list.

The first stop may have been our favorite. The LeFevre Overlook offers the visitor a full and complete view of the entire Grand Staircase-Escalante. In Brian’s simple terms, each level of the region’s topography is visible to the naked eye…from flat desert plains to towering heights in a series of what appear to be stair steps.

Onward to Jacob Lake and those famous cookies. The cookie is pretty much a standard soft sugar cookie. But it’s the toppings and/or the interior of the cookie that make the Jacob Lake Inn worth the trip. Can there be too many raisins in an oatmeal raisin cookie? Too many chips in a chocolate chip cookie? Too many chunks in a chocolate chunk cookie? A thick delicious “gob” (thank you Grandma Viola) centers the top of the German chocolate (plenty of coconut and pecan); raspberry or lemon (both gloriously sweet tart) cookies. Sorry – the cookies didn’t last long enough for a picture.  BTW – the Jacob Lake Inn is right at the intersection of Highway 89A and Arizona Route 67 – the road into the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

The Vermillion Cliffs and Condor Viewing site were our next stops.  Wonder how the Cliffs got their name?

We purposely traveled past the Vermillion Cliffs twice just in case the condors were shy the first time around (or was it the wrong time of day to see them?)…alas and alack we didn’t see the majestic birds soaring on the thermals either time.

To the south of the Vermillion Cliffs was an unimproved hardpacked roadway calling our name.  We started off on what was to become a 20-mile roundtrip backcountry ride through the sagebrush desert to see if we might spot wildlife.  Birds accompanied us on this adventure, and we think that’s the tail end of a pronghorn. The flora was…well, enjoy the pictures.

We gave the next 2 stops a drive-by only.  Perhaps the history is worth knowing, but the Cliff Dwellers Lodge and the Marble Canyon restaurant/bar and shopping area were less than impressive.

The Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River was our last stop the first day. There are 2 bridges:  a foot bridge for pedestrians to enjoy a scenic stroll across the Colorado and a bridge for vehicle crossing.

Day 2: Heading east out of Kanab along Highway 89 our first stop is an off-road trip into the Paria Valley (thanks to Tom and Landa for their tip on the Valley). The colorful rocks and layered cliffs hold the secret of a small town that used to be hidden there.

Toadstool is next. Yeah – Toadstool.  It’s an easy 1-mile hike from the parking lot to the unusual rock formations that give the area an otherworldly appearance and its name. Imagine being surrounded by wild flowers and unending moody craggy formations, and the hike takes no time at all.

 

 

 

Lee’s Ferry is in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and it holds an important place in history.  This is the only place for many miles that the Colorado River was able to be crossed.  Sheer cliffs line this part of the river, but due to the severe turn south just up river from this location, a beach formed on each bank.  In the 19th century John Doyle Lee operated a ferry service ushering passengers across the river.  Rafting trips begin or end here; it’s a great place for kayaking or paddle boarding or to just to sit and enjoy the flow of the Colorado.  For reference, the first rapids of the Grand Canyon are about 100 river miles south – a nice 4-day rafting trip.

Like Lee’s Ferry, Lake Powell is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.  It can be used for swimming, picnics, boating, fishing, bicycling, and/or camping.  Commercial boat tours are way cool.  The Lake was formed by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, and contrary to our vision of a lake being one big body of water, Lake Powell meanders giving its visitors many different places to explore.  There’s a great overlook on the way to the Dam, as well as a nice mile or so hike from a trailhead on the west side of the Dam.  Both afford terrific views.

Almost all of the Marble Canyon Loop is top notch, and it was well worth our time.  Traveling the Loop gave us a true feel for the geographical variance in this corner of Utah and Arizona – and we were well away from the attractions.  If you’re in the neighborhood give it a go.

Barbara and Brian