Hiking & Biking On The North Rim - July 2004

Wandering around Page - July 2004

Upper Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon is a famous slot canyon near Page that has become something of a local tourist attraction in recent years. Although the rock formations are as impressive as the lower canyon a few miles to the south, the upper canyon is shorter and requires a hired guide for access.

Carved by Wind and Rain
The entire canyon runs through tough Navajo Sandstone that has been sculpted by wind and flash floods for thousands of years to create odd twists and turns in the rock.

I Have Seen The Light!
The Upper Canyon is especially famous for the shafts of light that beam down from above at certain times during the day. Dust in the sunlight creates odd visual effects that look like ghosts or misty waterfalls.

Cathedral Canyon Near Lee's Ferry
Cathedral Canyon winds down toward the Colorado River about half way between Lee's Ferry and the bridge at Marble Canyon. Not quite a true slot, it still has some pretty interesting rock formations and tight squeezes. Much of the hike down had to be done walking along narrow benches and catwalks on the side of the canyon walls.

Colorado River at the Mouth of Cathedral Canyon
Cathedral Canyon empties into Colorado River a few miles upstream from Navajo Bridge. There is a rather nice sandy beach here... secluded from the typical crowds at Lee's Ferry.

Bikes-Eye View of Lake Powell
On Friday evening, I attempted the ten-mile mountain bike trail that overlooks Lake Powell near Page. About 8 miles into it, I got a flat and discovered that the pump that came with my rental bike was busted and would not inflate my spare tube. After an hour walk/drag to the nearest gas station (during which the un-inflated spare tube slide out of the tire and wrapped itself in a love embrace around the back gears), I was able to call a taxi and get a ride back to my truck.

High Noon on the Streets of Paria
A few miles north of State 87 in Utah is the old Paria movie set first built in the 1950s (and rennovated in the 1990s). It was used in several westerns including 'McKenna's Gold' and Clint Eastwood's 'The Outlaw Jessie Wales'.

Old Paria
A few miles further north along the banks of the beautiful Paria River is the actual historic ghost town of Paria. Mormons founded the small farming community in the 1870s, but alternating floods and drought drove most of them out by the turn of the century.

Click here to continue to the North Rim Pictures - July 2004