Day 30-32 Jacob Lake, Arizona

Thursday we left Lake Powell for Jacob Lake, Arizona, at the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. Here is a picture looking down on our RV park and part of the lake.

We made a stop at Pipe Spring National Monument located on the Arizona strip between the Grand Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs. Pipe Springs has been a water source for centuries in the middle of the high desert. The water fron Utah,200 miles north, percolates down to the shale layers and travels southward to the base of the cliffs and surfaces at places like Pipe Spring. The area was first occupied by the Ancestral Puebloans followed by the Paiutes. Next the Catholic Missionaries and explorers came through the area. Later Brigham Young decided it would be a good location for a tithing ranch during the construction of the mormon temple in St. George, Utah.

He placed Anson and Emmeline Windsor on the ranch to accept tithes of cattle from area church members. Cattle were also raised to help feed the laborers for the temple. A stone home, known as Windsor Castle, was constructed. In later years the National Parks purchased the ranch and designated it as a National Monument.

We checked into our RV park at Jacob Lake and ate at the lodge. Yesterday we drove 50 miles to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I think I need to check out the Thesaurus. I am running out of words to describe sheer amazing and beautiful nature. Pictures do not do the canyon justice. It has to be seen in person.

We drove to Point Imperial which is the highest point on the north rim at 8803 feet. We went back to camp for a group campfire and roasted hot dogs followed by s'mores. This morning we headed to the busier south rim, a 5 hour drive. We passed the Vermilion Cliffs and an area of balanced rocks.

We continued to the south rim National Park entrance and settled in to our campground. As we entered the park we saw many pull outs with views but could not safely pull our RV into the area. Tomorrow we will be taking a bus tour. Just in front of our RV we had a close-up view of an elk.