Grand Falls

What a wonderful gem hidden in the middle of nowhere! Grand Falls, which can be found just inside the Navajo Reservation, has a drop that is larger than Niagara. This easily makes it Arizona's biggest waterfall, which isn't surprising in a land of scrub brush and cacti. Yet another reason I feel continually blessed to live in Flagstaff.

One of the Falls redeeming qualities is its somewhat difficult to reach nature. The falls are not marked with any sort of signage until you arrive within a half mile, making directions to this destination a bit tricky. But hold on baby birds while I feed you:

From downtown Flagstaff:

1. Go east on Route 66 until it becomes 89a North.
2. About a mile past the Flagstaff Mall (yes, we only have one mall....thankfully), turn right on Townsend-Winona Rd.
3. Drive for about 9 miles, turn left on Leupp Rd (Mile Post 428.8). If you hit I-40 you've gone too far.
4. After about 15 miles, you'll enter the Navajo Reservation and go over a cattle guard. Turn left on Navajo Rt 70 which is the first road after entering the Res. This is literally immediately after you cross the cattle guard.
5. Drive for 9 more miles on a dirt washboard road until you arrive at the Little Colorado River. You can park here and walk on the cliffs overlooking the river or drive the .5 mile to the Grand Falls vista. From the vista, walk down river to find the trail to the Falls if you desire a closer look. The trail is a bit rocky but quite short and not what I'd call challenging.