“Cliff Dwellers” on Arizona’s Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Drive – A Fun Stop!

October 2016 – Cutting across the northern part of Arizona from east to west in an RV is a total treat.

We took US-95 south from Page to US-89A, and then followed US-89A northbound towards Marble Canyon, passing through the stunning red rock scenery of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

The most spectacular section of this drive does a 180 degree turn on US-89A near Lees Ferry and Marble Canyon.

Every time we pass through this region we are blown away by the scenery once again.

As I was going through our photos this morning, choosing which ones to include in this post, I was amused to discover that a lot of the photos were essentially the sames ones I had taken from the passenger seat of our truck on previous trips through this area on our way to Kanab and Bryce Canyon years ago, and again this past spring of 2016 on our way towards the Canadian Rockies.

It is just that beautiful: even though I have the photos already, I’ve gotta take them again!

A stop at Marble Canyon and Lees Ferry is an absolute must. We loved visiting that area last spring.

This time, however, we wanted to see something new, and a small roadside stop called Cliff Dwellers was just the ticket. This is essentially a pullout located about 9 miles west of Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon.

We had no idea what we would find at this roadside stop in the middle of nowhere, but the first thing we saw was a towering mushroom red rock formation.

In the distance there was a rock structure.

Whoever built this structure had placed red rocks on top of each other to form walls that fit under a huge overhanging mushroom type of boulder which formed part of the roof.

We prowled around the outside and inside of the building, peering through the windows and door.

There were some beams that had once formed a ceiling over part of the structure.

Off in the distance, we found a plaque that probably used to describe the history of the structures and the area, but the plaque was empty. So, we just enjoyed roaming around this odd structure.

Behind it there was a fantastic red rock hill that had all kinds of striations and textures. Huge white boulders had come crashing down from one of the layers over the years, and they were strewn around the base.

A Navajo woman had set up a folding table to sell jewelry to tourists who stopped by.

This little stopover at Cliff Dwellers was a fun way to spend an hour or two.

Continuing our drive west along US-89A, we came to the end of the red rock region where the red rocks of Vermillion Cliffs abruptly give way to the evergreens of the Kaibab Plateau.

Climbing up a series of tight switchbacks and steep grades, we arrived at a pullout near the top where we could take in the view in all directions and see this incredible transition in the landscape from red desert to green forest.

On one side there were beautiful yellow wildflowers that set off the red rock cliffs in the distance.

There were also some beautiful pink fairy dusters in bloom.

Looking east back down the way we came, the road cut a cool s-turn through the desert.

And looking to the north, we saw the very cool divide between the red rocks of the desert and the green hills leading up to the very dense Kaibab forest that surrounds the Grand Canyon.

More about the Grand Canyon in our next post!! In the meantime, there are links for Vermillion Cliffs below.

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Info about the Vermillion Cliffs:

• Vermillion Cliffs National Monument – BLM Official Website
• Location of the drive through the Vermillion Cliffs in Northern Arizona – Interactive Google Maps

Other posts from our RV travels in Northeastern Arizona:

• Beehive Trail in Arizona – A “Mini Wave” hike by Lake Powell 07/19/24
• Lake Powell – Heart of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 05/10/24
• Navajo Bridge, Arizona — A Scenic Roadside Attraction in Red Rock Country 06/03/22
• Canyon Country Highlights – Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend & More! 02/01/19
• Canyon de Chelly – Breathtaking Views Under Vibrant Skies 05/09/17
• Blue Mesa Trail – Lavender Beauty in Petrified Forest National Park 05/05/17
• Petrified Forest National Park RV Trip – Magic in Jasper Forest 04/28/17
• Getting Our Kicks on Route 66 by RV in AZ – Cool Springs, Winslow & Holbrook 04/24/17
• Navajo National Monument, Monument Valley and Bears Ears 03/28/16
• Lees Ferry & Marble Canyon AZ + Pretty Paria River Hike 03/26/16
• Horseshoe Bend Overlook – Page, Arizona – Stunning! 03/24/16
• A Glimpse of the Navajo (or “Diné” as they call themselves) 12/16/14
• Mysteries in the Navajo Nation, Arizona 11/29/14
• Wire Pass Trail – Slot Canyon Hiking! 05/22/14
• Canyon de Chelly, AZ – A Canyon of Indian Cliff Dwellings 06/27/12

Other roadside attractions we’ve bumped into:

• Navajo Bridge, Arizona — A Scenic Roadside Attraction in Red Rock Country
• Paria Rimrocks “Toadstools” Hike to A Hidden Canyon!
• Arizona, Here We Come – Space Aliens of All Kinds!

Our most recent posts:

• Beehive Trail in Arizona – A “Mini Wave” hike by Lake Powell 07/19/24
• Reese Goose Box Review: 20K Gen 3 TESTED + How to Hitch 06/27/24
• Lake Powell – Heart of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 05/10/24
• Quick Release Pull Pins for Fifth Wheel Landing Jacks – YES! 05/03/24
• Sheep May Safely Graze (in the Mountains with Dogs!) 04/26/24

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