Located
15.3 miles (24.4 km) down the river from Glen Canyon
Dam, Lees Ferry is a meeting of the old and the new.
A natural corridor between Utah and Arizona, Lees
Ferry figured prominently in the exploration and settlement
of the surrounding canyon country. The Lees Ferry
and Lonely Dell Ranch Historic Districts offer a glimpse
into western pioneer life of the late 1800s.
Lees Ferry continues to be a center of activity. Here,
adventurous visitors begin river rafting trips through
the Grand Canyon. From April to October, rafters launch
their craft for 5 to 14-day trips. Backpackers hiking
the Paria Canyon Primitive Area finish their trip
at Lees Ferry after a 4-day journey down the Paria
River. Highway travelers exploring the area's national
parks stop at Navajo Bridge, one of only seven land
crossings of the Colorado River for 750 miles (1200
km).A "Walking Tour Guide" of Lees Ferry
and Lonely Dell Ranch Historic Districts may be purchased
for $1.00 from self-service stands located at either
the Lees Ferry or Lonely Dell Historic Districts.
Lees Ferry may be reached from Page by driving 23
miles (37 km) south on Hwy. 89 to Bitter Springs.
Then turn north on Hwy. 89A and drive 14 miles (22
km) to Navajo Bridge. The Lees Ferry junction is approximately
300 yards (90 m) west of the bridge, on the right.
LEES
FERRY HISTORIC DISTRICT. Located approximately
100 yards (90 m) upriver from the boat launch ramp
on the Colorado River are several historic buildings.
The small rock structure, built by Charles H. Spencer
in 1913, functioned until 1923 as a post office for
area residents and gold miners working the canyons.
The largest and most historically significant building
in this area is the rectangular structure commonly
called Lees Ferry Fort. Built by Mormons from St.
George for protection during the Navajo uprising in
1874, the building later served, in an effort to restore
friendly relations, as a Navajo trading post.Farther
upriver, from 1916 through the 1950s, the U.S. Geological
Survey constructed several buildings from which the
water flow of the Colorado River was measured.
Yet farther upriver, the American Placer Company,
owned by Charles Spencer, attempted gold extraction
from the chinle shale in the early 1900s. A large
boiler and the sunken remains of the steamboat Charles
H. Spencer can be seen.
Approximately one mile (1.6 km) upriver from the historic
district is Lees Ferry's most important ferry crossing
site. Here, ferryboats operated from 1873 to 1928.
Most of the early Mormon emigrants from Utah, heading
to Arizona, crossed the river at this site.
LONELY
DELL RANCH HISTORIC DISTRICT. In 1871, John Doyle
Lee (for whom Lees Ferry is named) became the first
permanent resident of the area. Lee established a
ranch on the valley floor within a large meander of
the Paria River. When Emma Lee first saw the isolated
valley that was to be her home, she cried, "Oh,
what a lonely dell," and ever after, the place
was known as Lonely Dell. Crops and livestock raised
here provided economic support for ferry operators,
their families, and others through the 1940s.
Located at the ranch site is a log cabin believed
to have been built by John D. Lee in the early 1870s.
The small log building near the cabin was used as
a blacksmith shop. A fruit orchard of pear, apricot,
peach, and plum trees is maintained by the National
Park Service, creating a semblance of the historic
scene. A long rock building, constructed in 1916 by
the Bar Z Ranch, functioned as a hub for cattle ranching
activities. Leo and Hazel Weaver, two of many ranch
owners, added a wood-frame wing on the east end of
the rock house in 1936. The ranch cemetery, located
about 200 yards (180 m) northwest of the ranch buildings,
contains graves dating from 1874 to 1928. Buried here
are four of Warren Johnson's children, who contracted
diphtheria from a passing traveler and died within
a period of four weeks.
HIKING
AT LEES FERRY. This is rugged country. Temperatures
can be extreme, ranging from 0°F in the winter
to 110°F in the summer (-18° to 42°C).
Flash floods are possible during stormy weather and
can occur even when the sky is clear overhead. Always
carry plenty of water - one gallon (4 L) per person
per day is recommended. Ask at the ranger station
for further information and current hiking conditions.
