Established by early Mormon settlers in the 1800s, the crossing at Lee s Ferry provided passage across the Colorado to thousands of traders, immigrants and explorers, including John Wesley Powell in 1871. Now, the Navajo Bridge crosses the river at the site of the now defunct ferry, but the spectacular red cliffs, tight serpentine canyons, and magnificent sandstone towers of House Rock Valley still provide plenty of attraction for adventurers. Lee's Ferry is not only the jumping off point for Grand Canyon Raft trips, but a fishing and hiking mecca as well. The prize of the area is the Paria River Canyon, one of the most spectacular, canyons in North America. The hike begins near US 89 about 42 miles east of Kanab, Utah, and ends at Lee's Ferry where Paria Canyon enters the Colorado River.
Flash floods are always a danger, as is quicksand and rocky terrain.
There are hundreds of desert bighorn sheep on the Vermilion Cliffs and Paria Plateau. The area also boasts world-class fishing.