Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Page

Just driving through this marvelous area was enough for us. The road is in great shape after some resurfacing and the drive is smooth. The cliffs change colors along here, so Vermillion is an apt name. Vermilion Cliffs is just past Marble Canyon on Hwy. 89 toward Jacob Lake. This is the main entrance road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but it was empty enough for us this day. I did learn that the gray layer on top of many rock formations is called 'Navajo Concrete'. That is exactly what it looks like. Seasonal rain storms coming out of nowhere can pop up quickly and without warning. Flooding from one of these is what was responsible for the washout of Hwy. 89 a few years ago. People in this area, especially those who are hiking and/or camping, and everyone who hikes down into a wash or canyon, need to be aware and watchful during the summer monsoons. Nature moves quickly. You will not be able to outrun a running wash and nature is unforgiving. Slow down. Take out the camera and enjoy the colors and coolness.

This makes for an absolutely gorgeous day trip with four wheel drive vehicle! You do need to know which roads to take, though, because there are some that intersect and I have no idea where they go! Thankfully the friends who took us knows the place well. Great, fun ride with fantastic views! The weather made some of the washes rather tricky to navigate with some scrambling and rock crawls, but in the end our caravan of side-by-side ATVs and SUVs made an afternoon of it.