Southwestern Region Viewing Area
LOCATION and PHOTOS
Colorado blue columbine (Aquilegia caerulea). Credit: M. Siders, North Kaibab Ranger District.
Purple-white owl's-clover (Orthocarpus purpureoalbus). Photo source: Al Schneider, Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
Kaibab Plateau Scenic Drive
Forest: Kaibab National Forest
District: North Kaibab Ranger District
Description: Arizona State Highway 67 provides access to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The 44-mile drive from Jacob Lake to the North Rim has been described as “the most pleasant 44 miles in America”. The highway is a designated National Forest Scenic Byway and a State Scenic Parkway, the Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway. The Byway starts on State Highway 67 and continues to the end of the Grand Canyon National Park on the North Rim. The Kaibab National Forest boundary is 30 miles south of Jacob Lake on State Highway 67.
As the route passes through the Kaibab National Forest, visitors can view beautiful high elevation mixed conifer forests, sub-alpine meadows, montane grasslands, ponds and limestone outcrops. Tree species that occur in the area include ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) with some Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), white fir (Abies concolor), corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). Each of these areas supports a unique plant community and provides many opportunities for viewing wildflowers including beautiful fleabane (Erigeron formosissimus), silverweed cinquefoil (Argentina anserina), small-leaf pussytoes (Antennaria parvifolia), purple-white owl's-clover (Orthocarpus purpureoalbus), and sand dune wallflower (Erysimum capitatum).
Safety First: Due to heavy winter snow, State Highway 67 is normally closed from November through mid-May. Services along the route are limited.
Directions: From Flagstaff, go north on U.S. Highway 89 to its junction with U.S. Highway 89 Alt. (about 110 miles). Go west on U.S. Highway 89 Alt. across Marble Canyon to Jacob Lake (about 55 miles). From Kanab, Utah, go south on U.S. Highway 89 Alt. to Jacob Lake (37 miles).
Contact: Kaibab Plateau Visitors Center, HC 64, Highways AZ 67/US89A, Jacob Lake, Arizona 86022. See Map. Phone: (928) 643-7298. Hours: Thurs.-Sun., 9:00 am - 3:00 pm MST.
Closest Town: Fredonia, Arizona.
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