Tuesday we drove into Arizona via Rt. 389. Stopping in Kaibab Indian Reservation to visit the Pipe Springs National Monument. It was a welcoming change from all of the nature and wilderness we had been seeing.
In 1870, the ranch at Pipe Springs was built as a mormon outpost. "Windsor Castle" is two sandstone buildings facing one main courtyard enclosed by gates. It's built over a natural spring which was collected and used for many things.
One of the first relay stations for the Deseret Telegraph System in Arizona.
The made butter and cheese to sell and trade.
After the tour, we continued down Rt. 89 and stopped in Jacob's Lake at a diner and had a good lunch, excellent pie, and got a bag of amazing cookies to go.
Pete went next door to the Kaibob National Forest info station to see where a good dispersed site would be. Taking rt. 67 south we turned onto forest road 22 to 206, then turned again onto 271, which forked off to 271A. It was a well graded stone road. In decent conditions fine for a 2WD vehicle. It is however 23 miles off of the paved rt. 67 which took a little over an hour. Our destinations name was North Timp Point. There are a few points in this national forest that fork off and into the canyon with spectacular views. The one north of us, Locust Point is featured in many outdoors magazines.
When we arrived to North Timp, we were the only ones for miles and miles. Perfect.
When we first arrived, it was dreary. Rain had just passed through.
The trail along the canyon behind our camp spot.
Sun starting to set.
Possible cat den?
The Locust Tip looked African.
Wednesday morning we awoke feeling great and anxious to have our coffee and cookies (purchased from the diner) overlooking our own piece of beauty.
Cookies and coffee, mmmm.
Glassing the other tip, heard what sounded like a young cat frantically crying.
Does on our way out. I can say, the whole drive and whole drive it, we did not see another human being or vehicle.
Link to our drive out;
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0N3LMI3TxRc
End of 22, looking out onto paved 67. Ready to hit the north rim of the canyon at the national park!
After arriving, driving through the park entrance, we found a HUGE gem. Showers and a laundry mat! So we took a couple of hours before hitting the viewpoints and did three loads and finally showered! To top off our morning, after those few hours cleaning up, we went and had a great lunch and a couple of beers at the lodge. Went in and got my "geek stamp" for my passport, and walked out to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.
The north rim is nice because out of the 5 million tourists the Grand Canyon gets annually, the north rim only gets 500,000 of them. So much less people than the south rim. I really enjoyed it.
Just as we turned to walk back from the path, it started raining, then it got heavier. What were we to do? We ran back to the truck, laughed about being soaked to the bone and headed back up rt. 67 to find our home for the night. Deciding on the Kaibob national forest again, we drove east on rt. 89 and turned on forest road 225 and tucked in for the evening. Sipping on Knob Creek and Coke, we both actually had phone service and called some family members for the first time in awhile. Nice area indeed.
Now headed into California! :)
