12. Little Colorado River Gorge
Continuing south and east, Rte. 64 descends from the Coconino Plateau to a broad plain where vegetation is sparse. Two overlooks just north of the highway provide dizzying views into the Little Colorado River gorge. Like an old photograph taken of someone that is now full grown, the narrow, 1,200-foot chasm may show how the Grand Canyon looked as the Colorado River first began to erode its bedrock in its youth — millions of years ago.
13. Wupatki National Monument
The drive joins Rte. 89 at the village of Cameron, and 20 miles south a side road leads to Wupatki National Monument. Indians now called the Sinaguas (sin agua is Spanish for “without water”) lived here some 800 years ago. The multistoried sandstone and limestone pueblos they built (one contains more than 100 rooms) were home to about 2,000 people.
14. Sunset Crater National Monument
The scenic loop continues south from Wupatki across the desert, rising as it approaches the dramatic, almost otherworldly vision of Sunset Crater. A little over 900 years ago — only a heartbeat in geologic time — a series of volcanic eruptions built this stunning, symmetrical, black cone of rock, ash, and cinders in an eruption that lasted only a few years; its peak rises 1,000 feet from the ponderosa pines and lava fields around its base. The crater took its colorful name from particles of oxidized iron and sulfur, which tint its rim in the fiery “sunset” shades of red and yellow. While it’s inviting to climb, prepare for slow progress; loose cinders slide from underfoot.
15. Walnut Canyon National Monument
At the junction of Rte. 89 and I-40 near Flagstaff, the drive turns east to Walnut Canyon. In this deep horseshoe-shaped gorge, the Sinagua Indians built pueblos under the ledges of limestone cliffs, sheltered from sun, rain, and snow. Living in family groups, they grew corn, beans, and squash on the canyon rim, gathered wild berries and walnuts, hunted deer and rabbits, and traded with surrounding tribes. The sturdy pueblos attest to their builders’ skill and ingenuity. Yet after 150 years in this idyllic home, the Sinaguas abandoned the canyon about A.D. 1250. Bones tell us what they ate, and macaw feathers prove that their trade routes went as far as ancient Mexico, yet the cause of their final journey is a mystery that may never be solved.
Star Route:
North Rim Parkway
Just 1 out of 10 Grand Canyon visitors makes it to the North Rim (10 miles from the South Rim as the crow flies but 215 miles by car), and the lack of crowds is part of its appeal. From Jacob Lake, Rte. 67 (open May to October) travels south across the Kaibab Plateau through pine forests and grassy meadows. After it enters the park, the road winds through rockier terrain, culminating at historic G rand Canyon Lodge, where a short trail leads to the dazzling views at Bright Angel Point.
