05 Oct Road Trippin with Karma – CA to NM: part II

Thursday September 15

We woke up at our parking sport on the hill outside Page, AZ with a spectacular view and quickly started driving the rest of the way into Vermillion Cliffs, National Monument. The entrance to the park was at the Navajo Bridge crossing the Colorado River. We walked onto the massive bridge, just shy of 100 years old and still standing!

After stopping at the bridge, we continued our quick driving tour of Vermillion Cliffs to Lee’s Ferry, the small campground and launch for all the Grand Canyon rafting trips. The short few miles of driving were past some incredible landscape!

We parked nearby at the trailhead for hike through Cathedral Wash. There was no trail for this hike, simply follow the canyon down hill until you reach the Colorado River – just under 2 miles away. It had rained the night before and the ground was still wet in places — we came across another couple on the return that advised we’d likely be getting wet the further we went on! We both looked at each other and shrugged, what’s a little water on a hot day in the desert?

We hiked on, finding routes around the muddy water and rocky walls. Some parts of the canyon stream dropped 5-10 ft, and we’d search momentarily for the way down. Often there were cairn rock stacks to alert us to the easiest steps and holds to descend. But on the way down, the first puzzle of this kind we did not figure out, and simply had to get wet!

For much of the hike we were high above the stream, walking on ledges. It was so fun not knowing where the hike would lead – up or down – around every corner!

Some parts of the hike were more scrambling, climbing up and down the ledges like ladders, or even holding on as you side stepped something too narrow to walk on!

Suddenly — the canyon opened back up, and we were at the Colorado River! We watched and waved at some rafting groups go by, with a rapid right at our feet for entertainment. It was much much hotter out in the full sun, so we quickly turned back and scampered back up the canyon!

After the hike we took our time preparing for another leg of the drive: 170 miles to Monument Valley. When we first purchased the van last November, Monument Valley was an instant vision of a dream bucket list road trip destination. I was PUMPED to finally be heading there 10 months later!