Southwest Canyons and Rainbows Loop {10/7: Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell Overlooks, Lees Ferry, North Rim}

We tried to make Day 9 a little more laid back than the day before. We took it easy in the morning, enjoying our breakfast, grabbing some groceries, exploring the overlooks of the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell just down the road from our hotel in Page, driving over the bridge next to the dam (Gregg dropped me off and I walked across and met him on the other side!) and swimming for a while in the pool (all to ourselves!). 

Then we packed everything up and hit the road again. We headed south on the same road as the day before, but turned north on Hwy 89A towards Lees Ferry for a quick detour to check it out. Gregg especially was interested in this spot after reading The Emerald Mile, since it's the place where that story all began. We want to come back and kayak up the river toward Horseshoe Bend someday!

Soon we were back on the road toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This was where we spent a few lovely afternoon hours, then headed north once the sun went down, stopping at Jacob Lake Inn to get that long-promised and awaited ice cream for the kids. We drove on through the dark till we got to our cute little motel in Hatch, UT, just outside Bryce Canyon NP.

The view of the dam from the overlook
just across the road and down a bit from our
hotel in Page.

I love rock layers.

Here are views of Lake Powell and the dam from
the other side. We went by the Hanging Garden
Trailhead and followed the road down to a parking area
that led down the rocks to the reservoir.

It was a fun place to run around and explore for a few
minutes while we waited for the pool to open!

Hardy little flower growing right out of the red rock.

There's the dam from the lake side.

A bit of a bathtub ring here at Lake Powell.

More layers. Nerd alert.

We stopped here first in the Lees Ferry area.

Only permitted boaters were allowed 
downriver from here, heading into Grand
Canyon.

It was wild to see all the silt washing into the river
at this point. We learned that the Colorado river is silt
poor because of the Glen Canyon Dam, so it's looking
for more silt as it goes along. It comes out clear from
the dam - so pretty and clear! - and gets browner and
browner as it moves downstream.

Can you see the line of mixing waters?!

A group of boaters went by while we were exploring
the beach.

Upstream form the beach just a mile or so is the lauch
site. Here is where tours head down (right) into Grand Canyon
or up (left) toward horseshoe bend and the dam. We want
to try the latter in our kayaks someday!

Info about Lees Ferry that was by the bathrooms.

We left Lees Ferry and headed through Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in Marble Canyon - gorgous! - on our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We finished listening to Brighty of the Grand Canyon as we drove, and it was just perfect since the North Rim is where Brighty's statue is in the Lodge! It meant so much more to see that statue and other landmarks from the book at Grand Canyon after reading it. We loved it! We wandered around the little village area looking for the visitor's center (it's really tiny) and for someone who had Jr. Ranger books (they were out, so the bookstore lady gave us a little pamphlet about the lodge and asked the kids questions about it and they got their badges anyway). We relaxed on the couches in the lodge with the views all around. We walked out to Bright Angel Point (a little nervewracking!). We drove out to Cape Royal and walked around the overlook areas there. Then we headed back along that road and found a spot to hop out and make our picnic dinner (Roosevelt Point) just as it started sprinkling. (We did enjoy a rainbow or two along that drive!!)

Driving through Vermillion Cliffs.

We googled "vermillion" and it's definition is "a 
vivid reddish orange". Yep. Seems accurate.

Quality entertainment (and education)
for our journey.

Another good listen as we
approached the Canyon.

The aspens were amazing at our lunch spot just before
the entrance to North Rim.

Callie loves the ombre leaves.

Saying hi to Brighty in Grand Canyon Lodge.

The Canyon views from the lodge porch were stunning.

Cal mailed some post cards from this very spot.

Studying up with Dad about the lodge for the "Jr. Ranger"
badge.

This is Bright Angel Point.

Looking back at the lodge from the Bright Angel Point
Trail.

Out on the overlook drive we went all
the way out to Point Royal, and on that little
peninsula was a view of Angel's Window behind
us.

From the right angle, which I can't tell if this from this
photo or not, you can see the Colorado river through
the window.

I just liked these little fuzzy bud things glowing in
the golden hour light.

Point Royal overlook.

A bunch of goofballs and hooligans.

Even more hooligan behavior.

Didn't expect to see paintbrush in October, but I loved
it, of course!

At last we were on our way out of the park, in the dark, with one final stop at Jacob Lake Inn to satisfy the ice cream sweet tooth that had been building after so many mentions of it from the rangers. The place was packed, so we ordered our rootbeer float (for Cal - she shared) and Fudge Sundae (for Sam - he shared) and took them out to the car to eat, in the dark, with the heater on in the car. A fun and tasty ending to a fun and magnificent day!