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Show present time there is an unimproved road from Frasiers Well north into Prospect Valley. The road ends about 16 miles north of Frasiers Well at a point about 17 miles south of the mouth of Prospect Canyon. The Aubrey Cliffs wall the east side of Prospect Valley while on the west side the land, thickly covered with large old pifions and junipers, slopes up to the rim of the Grand Canyon. This high rim, around 5,600 feet above the river, provides splendid views in all directions. The scene is entirely different from that of the Bright Angel section of the canyon but is considered to be equally grand. Half way down to the river is the wide red Esplanade which could be made accessible by road and might be a suitable location for a lodge. From a well- chosen point on the Esplanade, the river gorge, the reservoir, and the towering cliffs of the outer rim would be visible so that the full scale of the canyon could be comprehended. It is difficult to appreciate the size of the canyon from the upper rim or from the bottom. Granite Park is about 28 miles upstream from the Bridge Canyon Dam site and 17 miles above Diamond Creek. Boat trips on the reservoir and horseback trips along the Esplanade from this development center would be wonderful experiences. 4. Toroweap- Whitmore Wash area. The Toro- weap- WTiitmore Wash area should attract more visitors than any other section on the north side of the Colorado River west of the Kaibab Plateau because of the variety of spectacular scenic and geologic features and the fact that it can be made accessible both by road and by air. It has been suggested that a loop road, connecting with the main east- west road previously suggested, extend down Toroweap Valley around the south end of the Pine Mountains into Whitmore Wash to the little settlement of Mount Trumbull. From near Mount Trumbull a spur road following an existing automobile trail could be built to the end of Whitmore Point, overlooking Whitmore Canyon, Parashont Canyon, and the inner gorge of the Colorado River. Due to the scarcity of water in this country, the best location for a lodge would appear to be at the upper end of Whitmore Wash near Big Spring Wash. To the north, up Big Spring Wash, green forest- covered hills rise to Mount Logan. On the east Mount Emma and other volcanic cones form the skyline more than 3,000 feet above the valley. Great, black lava flows descend from the peaks down to the center of the valley around and over sheer cliffs of Coconino sandstone and Kaibab limestone. Farther down the wash, or canyon, are the cinder cones and other formations previously mentioned. In the canyon to the west are numerous evidences of early Pueblo Indian occupation. Most important, however, is the fact that a good flow of water is available at this point. Years ago it was piped here from Big Spring, located high on the slope of Mount Logan. From the road in Whitmore Wash a spur road could be built on the Esplanade around the end of Whitmore Point to observation points on the inner rim of Parashont Canyon and the rim of the inner gorge of the Colorado River. Trails from the lodge and various points along the roads might lead to the many points of interest such as the Pine Mountains, the lava flows, and the canyons along the reservoir. It is possible that a suitable landing place for boats can be found either in Whitmore Wash or Twin Canyon which joins Whitmore Wash about a half mile from the Colorado River. If Twin Canyon could be made easily accessible from the reservoir, it would be a delightful place for a camp. The bottom of the canyon presents the appearance of a peaceful, grassy meadow and there is water nearby. Development on the north side of the Grand Canyon should, it is believed, include the improvement of a spur road from Fredonia- Tuweap Road to the vicinity of Boysag Point. 5. Shivwits Plateau area. The use and development of this area will depend to a large extent upon whether a road is built from Bridge Canyon Dam to St. George, Utah. The chief attractions of the area are the fine views of the Grand Canyon from such points as Price Butte, Sanup Point, Twin Point, and Horse Point. On an average of 5 miles from the Colorado River the plateau ends abruptly with almost sheer walls 1,000 to 1,300 feet high. Below the cliffs is a wide bench, the Esplanade, sloping down to the inner gorge of the Colorado which varies from 2,000 to 3,000 feet in depth. 147 |
