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Show which could be turned on and off at will. In this section of the Grand Canyon, contrasting sharply with the section of the canyon which would be inundated by the Bridge Canyon Reservoir, the river is visible from numerous points on the upper rim and well- used trails provide access to and along it. The Kanab Creek diversion proposal would, in effect, take away from the Grand Canyon the very agent that created it; the remaining trickle would be sham and mockery in comparison to the once great force that carved the canyon- the Colorado River. The natural river and its companion piece, the canyon, are vitally significant and interrelated elements of the whole which is Grand Canyon National Park. Without the normal flow of the river the significance and completeness of the park will be destroyed and the will of the people defeated in that the great spectacle of the Grand Canyon, as set aside by the Congress in the national park, to be preserved in its natural state for this and succeeding generations, will be seriously impaired. SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE GRAND CANYON AREA Probably the best use that can be made of the Grand Canyon area from the standpoint of the American people as a whole is to reserve and develop the entire canyon and bordering plateaus as a place for recreation, primarily of the inspirational type. To those who contend that the present development in Grand Canyon National Park is sufficient to meet this need, it should be pointed out that already increased population and travel make the developed areas in the park so crowded and congested at certain seasons that chances for rest and contemplation are virtually nonexistent. The extension of opportunities to use Grand Canyon, especially the little- known western part, would greatly help in solving the future problem of adequate space for meeting the recreational needs of an increasingly large group. Plate 5 ( in pocket) presents a broad scheme for the general development of the Grand Canyon region, suggesting locations for roads and a limited number of new recreational centers which would be desirable in connection with the recreational use of the proposed Bridge Canyon Reservoir and the western part of Grand Canyon. The development plans for Lake Mead Recreational Area, Hualpai Indian Reservation, Grand Canyon National Monument, Kaibab National Forest, and Grand Canyon National Park should be coordinated on the basis of such an over- all plan to avoid conflicting developments. No one section of this area can be properly planned without due consideration being given to the possible and desirable development of the other sections. Roads.- At the present time most of Grand Canyon is inaccessible except by arduous pack trips. The only improved roads to the canyon rim are the south and east entrance roads to Grand Canyon National Park and the road from Jacobs Lake to the north rim. On the south side of the canyon, east- west travel is practically limited to United States Highway 66, the heaviest traveled cross- continental highway west of the Mississippi River. On the north, the improved highways make such a big loop to the north that they do not provide for east- west travel through the area. There appears to be need for an improved through road for east- west travel on both the north and south sides of the canyon. At present, administration of the area is hindered by lack of such roads and the public is able to see only the eastern end of the canyon. Consideration should be given to a road, generally paralleling Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon, that would provide a direct connection between Hoover Dam, Temple Bar, Pierce Ferry, Bridge Canyon Dam, Peach Springs, Frasiers Well, Hualpai Hilltop, and Grand Canyon Village. Such a road would enable persons to travel through the canyon country undisturbed by the nuisances of heavy trucks, fast through traffic, billboards, roadside stands, pole lines, and fences. From such a through road, spur roads might be built to outstanding observation points and recreational centers, such as at Temple Bar, Pierce Ferry, Bridge Canyon, Diamond Creek, and Granite Park. These centers could offer overnight accommodations and operate as outfitting and informational centers from which the canyon country could be explored by foot, horseback, or by boat. They could also be sub- centers for the administration of this vast area. The two existing main roads in the Hualpai In- 142 |