Bonita Lava Flow and volcanic cinders ejected from Sunset Crater volcano.

Driving US Route 89 between Flagstaff and Page brings you into contact with three distinctively different landscapes: black volcanoes, multicolored desert hills and red cliffs.

At the southern end near Flagstaff is a volcanic area dominated by the San Francisco Peaks, the highest point in Arizona at over 12,000 feet. The peaks are surrounded by cinder cones and lava flows. The dominant color here is black—black lava and black cinders and the dark green of ponderosa pines. All that darkness is offset by red pine tree bark and patches of cinders in rusty red colors.

You can get close to one of the biggest of the volcanic formation by taking the loop road sixteen miles north of Flagstaff through Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Sunset Crater is the youngest volcano in the San Francisco Field erupting about 900 years ago. The road passes through the Bonita Lava Flow where magma oozed out at the base. The cone is 1,000 feet high and is crowned by red oxidized cinders that seem to glow at sunset and gave the peak its name.

Sunset Crater Volcano glows red in early morning light

Ruins of Indian dwellings in Wupatki National Monument

Also on this loop road off US Route 89 is Wupatki National Monument where the ruins of prehistoric Indian dwellings are open to visitors. These ancient buildings were occupied for about 100 years shortly after the formation of Sunset Crater. The ash from the volcano made the land more fertile by absorbing moisture and preventing evaporation. By 1180 thousands of people were farming this region. Their multistory buildings are still standing today as a testament to their excellence as stone masons.

Hills of the multicolored Painted Desert along US 89

The middle part of US 89 between Page and Flagstaff passes through the Painted Desert on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Here you will marvel at the soft hills striped in white, red, brown and purple. It is hard to believe that this now dry land was once dominated by dinosaurs and giant trees as evidenced by logs of petrified wood. The highway reaches its low point at the Cameron Trading Post on the banks of the Little Colorado River.

Cameron Trading Post

Cameron was established in 1911 when the bridge across the Little Colorado was completed. Today it is a popular stop for travelers and includes a large gift shop, restaurant and lodge. Be sure to visit the gallery in a separate historic building where you will find examples of fine Indian arts and crafts, both historic and contemporary. Also, tucked away in the back of the gift shop are a couple of display cases of “pawn”. You will feel like you’ve found a hidden treasure when you spy a very nice piece of jewelry at a reasonable price.

Cameron is also the gateway town to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Look for the intersection with Arizona Route 64 just south of town. It is a 30 minute drive to the east entrance of Grand Canyon National Park. Stop at one of the view points along the way to see the canyon of the Little Colorado River.

The northern end of US Route 89 parallels the Echo Cliffs

At the northern end, US 89 parallels the 800 foot high Echo Cliffs that gently guide you toward the Colorado River in Marble Canyon. Here the dominant colors are the red and white strata of petrified sand dunes.. At Bitter Springs, US 89 continues north and switchbacks up the cliff face to a broad, high desert plateau leading to Lake Powell, a blue expanse of water from the Colorado River backed up behind Glen Canyon Dam. Alternate US 89 turns west toward Marble Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs. See the Guide to Driving US Route 89 and 89A for details of the two roads between Bitter Springs and Kanab, Utah.

Map created with TOPO® ©2003 National Geographic

At A Glance:
Distance: 135 miles

Driving Time: 2.5 hours

High Point: 7,300 feet at the entrance to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 16 miles north of Flagstaff

Low Point: 4,100 feet at the Little Colorado River at Cameron 52 miles north of Flagstaff/83 miles south of Page

Services:
Flagstaff: gas, food, lodging, camping
Cameron: gas, food, lodging
Cedar Ridge: gas, food
Page: gas, food, lodging, camping

Access To:
Kachina Peaks Wilderness
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Wupatki National Monument
Strawberry Crater Wilderness
Grand Canyon National Park
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Two possible roads from Bitter Springs to Kanab-US 89 and US 89A. Map created with TOPO ©2003 National Geographic

Bitter Springs to Kanab on US 89A

Old Navajo Bridge on the right and the new brigde on the left over the Colorado River on US Route 89A

US Route 89A is the original alignment of the highway when it came into existence along with the rest of the federal highway system in 1926. It became an alternative when 89 was rerouted to Page to facilitate the construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. From Bitter Springs it is 14 miles to the low point on this route at the crossing of the Colorado River in Marble Canyon. Navajo Bridge was completed in 1929 as the final connecting link in the border to border highway. A new vehicle bridge was built in 1992. Stop at the visitors’ center and take a walk out on the old bridge to view Marble Canyon and the Colorado River 470 feet below.

Lonely Dell Ranch at Lee's Ferry

The road to Lee’s Ferry is on the west side of the river. River trips downstream through the Grand Canyon start here and some of the best trout fishing in Arizona is upstream toward Glen Canyon Dam. You can also visit Lonely Dell Ranch, the home of John D. Lee, now lovingly maintained by the Park Service.

For 28 miles through the House Rock Valley, 89A parallels the Vermillion Cliffs. California condors have been reintroduced to make their home here and can be seen along the cliffs and near Navajo Bridge. Stop at the Donimgues-Escalante Interpretive Site to learn about the history of Spanish exploration across the Colorado Plateau. At the west end of the valley, a dirt road goes north along Coyote Wash and eventually connects to US 89 in Utah.

Straight ahead is the Kaibab Plateau. For the next twelve miles the road climbs 2,500 feet to the top at Jacob Lake. From here, Arizona Route 67 runs south to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This road is only open from the middle of May until the end of October depending on snow conditions. If you are traveling 89A in the off season, be sure to check ahead for current driving conditions.

The Vermilion Cliffs and House Rock Valley from US 89A ascending the Kaibab Plateau

From Jacob Lake, highway 89A descends the west side of the Kaibab Plateau to Fredonia. Pipe Springs National Monument is 13.5 miles west of Fredonia on highway 389. Continue on 89A for 7 miles to Kanab.

Bitter Springs to Kanab via Page on 89

Navajos display their jewelry at a parking area along US Route 89

From Bitter Springs, US 89 climbs 1,000 feet in 3 miles hugging the face of the Echo Cliffs through Antelope Pass onto the Kaibito Plateau. Near the top, there is a small parking area where Navajos set up tables to display and sell jewelry and other craft items.

The road slowly descends for 20 miles to Page. Three miles south of Page is short road on the west that leads to an overlook of the Colorado River at Horseshoe Bend. US 89 reaches its low point as it crosses the Colorado at Glen Canyon Dam. The visitors’ centers offers tours of the dam including descending inside the dam almost to river level to view the giant turbines that produce electricity for distant cities.

Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River and Lake Powell

Views of Lake Powell and access to the lake at Wahweap are available along the highway to the west of Page. The road crosses the Paria River 29 miles from Page. A hike into the Narrows of the Paria is one of the highlights of this section of US 89. Check in at the BLM Ranger Station for a permit and for information on current weather conditions. Flash floods are common on the Paria in the summer rainy season, so proceed with caution.

Hiker in the Narrows of the Paria River

Five miles west of the Paria is the intersection with House Rock Road. Take the road south to access the Coyote Buttes and eventually connect to US 89A. Permits are required to hike to the Wave and other spectacular rock features along this road and are available at the BLM Ranger Station.

US 89 continues west for 40 miles to Kanab.

What about recreational vehicles?
Several people who have asked this question have been driving larger RV’s and are concerned about steep grades. Be assured that both roads can be driven in larger vehicles. They are federal highways and conform to the national standards of construction. Since both roads connect Bryce Canyon, Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks, they are heavily traveled by tourists in all kinds of vehicles, especially in the summer months.

When we travel through this area on a round trip from our home near Tucson, we drive 89 in one direction and 89A the other. That way we can enjoy both roads and avoid having to choose one over the other. If you can only choose one, both are beautiful drives so you can’t go wrong either way.

US Route 89 was the original north/south road connecting nearly all the major towns and cities of Arizona from its designation as a federal highway in 1926 until part of it was decommissioned in 1992. The main commercial street of the following towns was Route 89: Nogales, Tucson, Florence, Apache Junction, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Wickenburg, Yarnell, Prescott, Ash Fork, Williams, Flagstaff and Page. Alternate Route 89 from Prescott to Flagstaff passed through Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood and Sedona and is one of the most scenic drives in the state. US 89 could fairly be called the Main Street of Arizona.

Many of these towns have created Legacy Projects. Over the next few months we will be connecting with them to bring you more information about their activities. Here is a sampling of a few of the projects:

• Williams-Arizona State Railroad Museum being developed to depict the history of railroads in the state
• Tucson-Centennial Park with historic interpretive displays adjacent to Presidio San Augustin and the Tucson Museum of Art
• Peoria-Centennial Plaza
• Flagstaff-Centennial Walk, a section of the Urban Trail System with a mural along the walkway depicting 100 years of Flagstaff history
• Clarkdale-Copper Art Museum housed in the former Clarkdale High School built in 1928 will showcase unique copper art from around the world
• Jerome-the town library and the Historical Society will mount an exhibit showing the evolving culture of Jerome and historic use of important buildings

For an introduction to Centennial activities, view this interview on KAET’s Horizon with Karen Churchard, Director of the Centennial Commission, and Catherine May, Vice President of the Historic Advisory Council.

Here is a complete list of all of the Arizona Centennial Legacy Projects.

Saguaro cactus on the Desert Discovery Nature Trail

The image that comes to mind with the word ‘desert’ is of a desolate, dry place of sand dunes and little else. When you visit Saguaro (pronounced “sah WAH row”) National Park you will enter a lush world filled with plants and animals that have evolved to live in a dry, hot climate. Observing these creatures and learning their survival strategies is the most fascinating part of touring this park.

The park is divided into two districts thirty miles apart on the east and west sides of Tucson, Arizona. If your time is limited, you should concentrate on one district. They both offer ample opportunities to explore. And there is much to see—58 kinds of reptiles and amphibians, 74 different mammal, and 187 types of birds living among over 610 species of plants. Of course the most spectacular of these is the parks namesake, the giant saguaro cactus.

Saguaros grow slowly and may take fifty years to reach six feet in height. They do not begin producing arms for another twenty-five or thirty years. A mature saguaro can grow to fifty feet and weigh eight tons or more. Saguaro tissue is 85% water which it absorbs through a very shallow root system that spreads out from the plant as far as it is tall. This strategy allows the saguaro to survive on limited and widely spaced periods of rain.

Cactus wren on a saguaro flower

Saguaros begin to produce waxy, white flowers in mid-April, reaching the peak of bloom on Mother’s Day. Flowers open at night and stay open until the following afternoon to facilitate pollination by long-nosed bats, birds and insects. The flowers ripen into a sweet red fruit that contains 2,000 seeds. Over a lifetime, a single saguaro will produce 40 million seeds only one of which will survive to maturity to replace its parent.

There is almost always some cactus, shrub or wildflower in bloom but the show is dependent on the amount and timing of rain over the park. This year the spring bloom was sparse due to low rainfall and a late season freeze.

Rincon Mountain District

The larger of the two districts is on the east side of Tucson. The mountains are higher here with a greater diversity of lifezones. There are 128 miles of hiking trails and  six backcountry campsites for those seeking a true wilderness adventure.

Golden light from the setting sun on the mountain side at Javelina picnic area

Stop at the visitors center to view the exhibits and the informative slide show, A Home in the Desert, and pick up guide books. The eight-mile long Cactus Forest Scenic Loop features scenic vistas and pullouts where you can view the great variety of plants and animals that populate the park. Be sure to stop at the Desert Ecology Trail which offers an up close introduction to the Sonoran Desert. Interpretive signs along the quarter-mile trail detail the adaptations that allow plants and animals to thrive in this rugged environment.

My favorite spot for sunset viewing and photography is the Javelina picnic area. Take a short hike up toward Tanque Verde ridge. The hillside lights up with a golden glow as the sun sinks behind the distant mountains to the west. Saguaros and teddy bear chollas seem to glow with an inner light. Use a wide angle lens to capture the panoramic beauty and then switch to a telephoto to isolate details.

Sunset panorama of the Rincon Mountains from the Javelina Picnic Area

Tucson Mountain District

Begin a visit to the western half of Saguaro National Park at the Red Hills Visitors Center. Take the time to view the slide show called Voices of a Desert which describes the desert from the Native American perspective. There are also two short nature tails at the visitors center to introduce the habitat you are about to explore. Just down the road is the Desert Discovery Nature Trail which will familiarize you with the ecology of the Sonoran Desert.

Ocotillo in bloom at the Sus Picnic Area

For a closer look at the foothills of the Tucson Mountains, take the five-mile long Bajada Loop Drive. This unpaved road has a primitive feel to it although it can be easily navigated by passenger car. There are two picnic areas and a short overlook trail along the drive, all three of which are worth a stop. The Sus Picnic Area is surrounded by hills and and dense desert vegetation. Take a picnic lunch and relax for a while to soak in the beauty around you.

The Valley View Overlook Trail is less than a mile riundtrip, passing through two washes and ascending to a ridge where you have a view of the Avra Valley to the west of the park.

The spiral petroglyph on Signal Hill

If you only have time for one stop, make it the Signal Hill Picnic Area, especially late in the afternoon. From the picnic area, a quarter of a mile trail will take you to a rocky hilltop where you will find dozens of ancient petroglyphs. These markings on the rocks where created over 800 years ago by ancestors of the Tohono O’odham people who still live in this area. Their true meaning has been lost to antiquity but it is fun to speculate on what was in the mind of their creators. Of particular note is the large spiral that may be an astronomical symbol to mark the passing of the seasons.

I have to admit that I usually skip visitors centers and paved nature trails when I visit a national park. I’m anxious to head out to more remote areas to photograph. However, when I recently spent the day in Saguaro National Park, I decided to check out all of the areas most popular with travelers. I’m glad I did. Reading the interpretive signs while actually seeing what was being explained give me a new understanding and appreciation of the desert ecosystem. So my final piece of advice is to take a few minutes to view the slide show at the visitors center and hike one of the nature trails. It will make for a richer experience when you explore the rest of the park.

Go to the Saguaro National Park website for more information on touring the park. For information on more sights to see along US Route 89, go to the Tucson to Apache Junction Road Trip Guide.

Visiting the webcams is a great way to see what is happening at Glacier without leaving the comfort of your home when the weather is cold and stormy. The views show scenes of snow covered mountains and frozen lakes in winter. The cameras are also useful when you are planning a trip to Glacier and are uncertain of the weather conditions.

Be sure and check out the camera trained on an osprey nest. It is currently unoccupied but will be exciting to watch when the osprey return in May. Last year the pair had three chicks and were on the nest until September. We’ll keep our eye on that camera and post to the US Route 89 Appreciation Society Facebook page when the birds are back.

That is the way I felt about this photograph I made in Logan Canyon last spring. We had spent the night in Bridger Campground in the lower canyon. It had rained off and on all night and was still overcast in the morning. As I sat drinking my first cup of coffee, I started looking around to see if there was a photograph to be made. I noticed the light sparkling on the wet trees and the subtle changes in color in the layers of leaves receding into the distance. I took my time, put the camera on the tripod and shot five different compositions.

When I selected a portfolio of images from the trip, I included one of the Logan Canyon trees. In fact, it was the first image that I printed and I was sure it fit with the rest of the portfolio.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I was preparing for the portfolio reviews at the Palm Springs Photo Fest. I asked Barbara to give me her honest opinion and she suggested that I might think again about including that photograph. Being stubborn, I left it in.

Sure enough, the first reviewer (a magazine editor) picked out the Logan Canyon photo and set it aside with the comment that it didn’t fit with the rest of the work. So I left it out for the next three reviews, also with magazine editors.

My last review was with a museum director and I decided to put the print back in for his review. To my surprise and delight, he picked it out as one of his favorites.

What I have come to understand from this experience is that the context and background of the viewer influences his or her reaction to a photograph in unpredictable ways. That is why we value the opinions of photo editors and museum curators. But in the end, it is up to us as artists to define and defend our unique vision.

Andre and Bob Marsellos visiting from Queensland, Australia

Lo and behold, Bob and his wife Andre decided to fly over and do a trip along 89, including Tucson in their itinerary. Imagine Jim’s excitement at the possibility of getting to meet Bob in person! Alas, the timing didn’t work out for Jim–he was at a photography conference in Palm Springs during the time Bob and Andre were in our area. I, however, was lucky enough to meet them. They drove up to Oracle and we had a wonderful visit.  They are people with a ferocious travel bug, and this was one of a number of trips they’d made to the US. Since I’d lived in Australia for several years, we had lots to talk about. I felt like I’d made some good friends.

The great part is that they’re coming back in September to visit the Grand Canyon and parts of US 89 they’ll be missing on their current trip. This will be an opportunity to meet with them again. And this time, Jim will have a chance to meet his friend Bob in person. The wonders of our interconnected world!

What I didn’t expect and has been a pleasant surprise has been the interaction with other photographers, two in particular.

Hillside south of Bluff, Utah-© Stephen E. Strom

I first saw Stephen Strom’s work in two shows at Tohono Chul Park in Tucson and was immediately struck by the abstract beauty of his landscapes. His photographs are pastel renditions of the textures of the earth. If find them to be such beautiful objects that I don’t feel as if I need to know where they were shot the way I do with most landscape photographs. So I was thrilled to met Steve and his wife, Karen, shortly after I arrived in Palm Springs and to be able to sit down and look at many of his exquisite prints. Take and look at the portfolios on the Stephen E. Strom website.

Karen Strom is also a photographer and her collaged works incorporating Steve’s photos are fascinating. Visit Karen Strom’s website for a different take on reality.

The second photographer that I met on Sunday evening is one the faculty of the Photo Fest. We struck up a conversation about following one’s passion when creating a body of work. That conversation has now stretched out over several meetings. The photographer is Arno Rafael Minkkinen. His work is about as different from mine as you can get. It is conceptual self-portraiture that is at once very mysterious and emotionally compelling. Take a look at Arno’s website to see what I mean.

Photographers and artists in general do their work in solitude, generating images from the heart. Putting them out into the world almost feels dangerous as if they might die of a terrible disease. Coming to Palm Springs has allowed me to show my portfolio in relative safety and to get gentle feedback. I am looking forward to more interaction with the many talented people here and expect to be back at work on the US Route 89 project with renewed vigor and insight.

Mathew posing in awe in the dappled light of the Zen Garden

Last Saturday, son Mathew and I visited the Tucson Botanical Gardens for the first time. I knew there was a Tucson Botanical Gardens, but didn’t know where it was. As it turns out, I’d been by it a number of times, but simply didn’t notice it. For one thing, the sign isn’t very conspicuous. For another, it’s in such a busy and developed area it’s hard to believe anything could grow amongst all the concrete and traffic.

It was well worth the trip. This tiny pocket of beauty was voted America’s Best Secret Garden by Reader’s Digest. It covers only 5 1/2 acres, but is full of interesting themed gardens. It was originally a home, back in the 1920′s. Some of the original buildings were made from adobe on site. We had fun meandering about. A few plants realized it was almost Spring, and were beginning to flower or show signs of life. I’m guessing in a few weeks the gardens will be spectacular.

We spent quite a bit of time in the Butterfly Exhibit. Here’s what I discovered. It was pretty crowded (with people). Almost everyone there was on the hunt–for great butterfly photographs. I got into the spirit of things, despite having a hunch that my photos weren’t going to be so great. Off I went, round and round the enclosure with the camera in front of my eyes, clicking away. Once I’d had my fill of shooting the butterflies, we exited this magical place.

Here is a potential hitchhiker, taking a free ride on a Garden visitor

But not before being brushed off with a feather duster by a volunteer, in order to ensure that there weren’t any potential escapees.

What I learned was that my experience was totally different than Mathew’s. He simply wandered about and stood still, taking in the atmosphere and enjoying the butterflies drifting about. I departed, feeling like I’d been in some sort of competition. I missed out on some of the magic due to my digital focus. When I got home and looked at my shots they were as expected–disappointing.

Believe it or not, this butterfly had beautiful iridescent blue spots, which did not show up at all in my photographs

It makes me wonder about people and their cameras and how having that distraction affects their experiences? I say leave the photographing to the professionals. Let them do the work so that the rest of us can enjoy the experience.

Ten years later we returned to Grand Teton National Park. It was the maiden voyage on US Route 89 for our teardrop trailer and this time we found camping in the park at Signal Mountain on Jackson Lake. Once again I was up at dawn to capture the rising sun on the peaks.

These two photographs represent the change in photographic technology that has occurred in the decade that separates them. The top image was shot on medium format film with a Fuji 617 panoramic camera. The bottom image was shot with a Canon digital camera. Eight frames were stitched together to create the final panoramic view.